Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-07-22
UNCLE SANS GATE
TO THE PACIFIC

Washington, d. C.-"The inter-
ships in the American Navy between
the Atlantic and Pacific fleets thru
the Panama Canal shows that the big
waterway is functioning along the
lines laid down for 1t when the Unit
ed States undertook the task of con-
structing q seaway between. the two
Americas I" says a bulletin Just is
sued from the Washington, D. c.,
headquarters of the National Geo.
graphic Society.
''When the work of building the
Canal was undertaken" the bulletin
continues, "no one dreamed what a
tremendous amount of material
would have to be moved to make it a
disable waterway such as it is today.
AT that time it was figured that
the total excavations for the Canal
proper would be 101 100000 cubic
yards. But by reason of enlarge
ments and slides the task continued
to grow until approximately a quart
er of billion cubic yards of material
had to be removed. The rail dis
lance from Union Station, Washing
ton. d. G., to the Pennsylvania Ter
minal New York, is approximately
22S miles. Imagine instead of the
roadbed canal with vertical banks,
as feet deep and 124 feet wide
deep and wide enough to accommo-
date the biggest ship that floats, and
connecting tho Nations metropolis
with the country's capital-and you
will have a picture of the amount OF
material that had to be removed to
make the great Isthmian highway q
completed project.
Dirt Dug Would Make 100 CheOps
Nor does this remarkable COM
parison include either the eycava-
tions by the French in the Canal nor
those of the Americans for the aux
iliary port works, coaling stations,
etc. These were vast enough to wild
en- the imaginary Washington-NeW
York shipway to 154 feet. On the
bottom of this ditch could be laid
eleven standard American railway
tracks.
Zone can get another picture OF
the immensely of the task by reflect
ing on the fact that the total spoils
which had to be removed to unite
the seas, divide the continents, and
shorten the sea lanes OF the world al
Panama were equal in volume tC
more than one hundred pyramids OF
the dimensions of Cheops, two such
pyramids for every mile OF the bis
waterway from deep water in the
Atlantic to deep water in the Pacific
"The saving effected by ships us.
ing the Canal has more than 1usti.
fiedthe hopes of the Government In
undertaking its construction. In pre.
war days the cost of maintaining .
freighter in commission was approx.
mately ten cents per net registered
ton per day. Thus. a 10,OOOAon
steamship cost for maintenance
about: 81 600 a day. It's average
speed was around ESQ knots a day
On the trip from New York to San
Francisco there is a saving of thirty.
two days. With such a ship. this ex.
ira distance would cost, on the basis
of prewar prices $4,000. On the
basis of present prices it would cost
about $4,000. The vessel, by usinp
the Canal in prewar days, paying
$1.2O per net registered ton, or $12,.
zoe, saved its owners or charterers
$4,000. On basis of present day
prices. the saving amounts to nearly
$4,000. If, as is now planned the
coastwise shipping using the Canal
is exempted from the payment OF
tolls, 10,000-ton steamer will save
$4,000 every time it passes through
the Canal. in tolls, and at least $3S,.
1000 in distance eliminated.
Saves Many Thousands of Dollars
@While it looks rather high "a
think of 15.753-ton ship like the
"orga" paying 10 500 for an eighl
hour trip through the Canal, vet e.
choose that route between the East
and West coasts OF the United States
over the Magellan route, would save
upward of $62,O 900 on the trip.
Another interesting thine
about the toll rates at Panama ii
the comparatively low rates at which
cargo moves through the Canal A