Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-16
SEEKS TO LESSEN
PANAMA CANAL JAM
Foreseeing Commerce Over
crowdiny, Good Approves
New S12,000,O 600 Dam.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Foreseeing the day when the capacity
Of the Panama Canal will be crowded
by comm rec Of the nations, Secretary
Good has taken steps to stave of the
trafhc jam by approving the erection
OF 100000 dam at Alhajuela,
Canal Zone, to provide additional stor-
age water.
Recognition of the need for additional
water has followed a conference here, at
which Gov. Harry Burgess Of the Canal
Zone told Secretary Good that the an
nual water shortage was threatening
the rapidly growing traffic over the
waterway four months out Of the year.
The Secretary approved a suggestion by
the governor that $4,000 900 be asked of
Congress IN December to begin imme-
diate construction of the dam.
The structure would be approximately
ITO feet high, forming a reservoir co.,
ering % square miles, and providing
for storage of % ,000, 00C, 900 cubic feet Of
water, besides aiding in the control Of
the Chagres River during floods in the
rainy season, which are menace to
navigation.
Preliminary Work Begun.
Preliminary work on the proposed
structure has been carried on In recent
years through a 100000 appropriation.
but the undertaking Of the project has
yet to be sanctioned by Congress 1t is
estimated five years will be required to
complete the work, and Gov. Burgess
regards it as the most important con-
Structive feature in canal adminiStra-
ton and development.
In his report for the first six months
of 1929, he showed that 3,755 CONNER
cial vessels passed through the canal
carrying 18,431,772 tons of cargo and
paying $16,023 1854 in tolls, compared
with 1858 commercial vessels, carrying
1886. 140 tons Of cargo and paying
5,121, ESQ in tolls for the same period
In 1928. which established the previous
high record. This does not include
United States, Colombian and Panama
government vessels, which have free
passage.
Extends Time For Operation.
Gov. Burgess has found it necessary
to extend the time of operating the
canal from IL to Is hours a day, which
! increases the capacity from 30,000,000
tons to about 40,O00,0O~ tons year.
Under the 24-hour day operation, he
estimates, a maximum capacity of co.
900 900 tons a year would be available,
while erection Of another set of locks at
each end of the canal at a cost of $780,
600, 900 would about double the capacity.
During eight months Of the year, he
told Secretary Good in urging that the
! Alhapulea Dam be built, much excess
water enters Gatun Lake which has to
| be spilled into the sea, while during the
remaining months the inflow is made
quate to meet the needs Of ships, cleo
trio power plants and municipalities
/ and in addition, heavy losses are caused
by evaporation. Gatun Lakes maxi
mum height Of 81 feet, he said, with
the continued increase in traffic, will not
provide safe transit through Gaillard
cut for heavy draft vessels.
Plans Permanent Buildings.
Gov Burgess, who is to appear this
week before the Budget Bureau, also has
Secretary Goods approval for recon-
mendation that permanent buildings
replace temporary structures built for
use during the construction of the
canal. These buildings" he holds.
"cost more to maintain than they are
worth, and most of them are unfit for
occupancy"