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+This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements,
+metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be
+in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES.
+
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+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #55970 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/55970)
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-The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Panama Canal, by Harry Clow Boardman
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
-other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of
-the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
-www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have
-to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.
-
-
-
-Title: The Panama Canal
-
-Author: Harry Clow Boardman
-
-Release Date: November 14, 2017 [EBook #55970]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: UTF-8
-
-*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PANAMA CANAL ***
-
-
-
-
-Produced by Charlie Howard and The Online Distributed
-Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
-produced from images generously made available by The
-Internet Archive)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- THE PANAMA CANAL
-
- BY
-
- HARRY CLOW BOARDMAN
-
- THESIS
-
- FOR THE
-
- DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
-
- IN
-
- CIVIL ENGINEERING
-
- COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
-
- UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
-
- PRESENTED JUNE, 1910
-
-
-
-
-UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
-
-COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING.
-
-
- June 1, 1910
-
-This is to certify that the thesis of HARRY CLOW BOARDMAN entitled The
-Panama Canal is approved by me as meeting this part of the requirements
-for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.
-
- F. O. Dufour
- Instructor in Charge.
-
- Approved:
-
- Ira O. Baker.
- Professor of Civil Engineering.
-
-
-
-
-OUTLINE OF THESIS ON THE PANAMA CANAL
-
-
- Page
-
- I. INTRODUCTION v
-
- II. INTEROCEANIC CANALS 1
-
- III. HISTORY OF THE PANAMA CANAL 6
-
- IV. TYPE OF CANAL, (Lock or Sea-level) 13
-
- V. LOCATION, SIZE AND PLAN 20
-
- VI. ORGANIZATION OF FORCES 21
-
- VII. CONSTRUCTION OF THE CANAL PRISM 26
-
- VIII. CONSTRUCTION OF THE LOCKS 29
-
- IX. CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAMS 33
-
- X. SANITATION 38
-
- XI. SOCIAL LIFE 40
-
- XII. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE 43
-
-
-
-
-I. INTRODUCTION
-
-
-The building of a canal across the American Isthmus has occupied the
-attention of the world for four hundred years. While yet the sailors
-who crossed the sea with Columbus were living in all the vigor of
-mature manhood, a Spanish engineer drew the plans for an artificial
-waterway across the Isthmus and submitted them to the King of Spain.
-From that time to this the building of an Isthmian Canal has been a
-fascinating project in the minds of progressive men. Attempts to build
-it have resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and the squandering
-of millions of treasure; and this “dream of the centuries” is still
-unrealized.
-
-[Illustration:
-
- _PROPOSED ROUTES
- FOR AN
- ISTHMIAN CANAL._
-
-_FIG. 1._]
-
-
-
-
-II. INTEROCEANIC CANALS
-
-
-There are at least five routes which at one time or another have been
-chosen and seriously considered as possible locations for the Isthmian
-Canal. They are: the Atrato-Napipi, the San Blas, the Tehuantepec, the
-Nicaragua, and the Panama routes.
-
-The Atrato-Napipi route follows the river Atrato, which empties into
-the Gulf of Darien, as far as the mouth of its tributary, the Napipi,
-thence up that river through the mountains and empties in Capica Bay.
-See Fig. 1, No. 1.
-
-The San Blas route runs from the bay of the same name on the Atlantic
-side to the river Chipo which empties in the Gulf of Panama. It is only
-forty or fifty miles southeast of the Panama route. See Fig. 1, No. 2.
-
-The Tehuantepec route begins at the bay of Coatzacoalcos in the Bay
-of Campeche and ends at the harbor of Salina Cruz in the Gulf of
-Tehuantepec. See Fig. 1, No. 3.
-
-All modern engineers thrust these aside as impracticable, the first two
-because of the necessity for tunnels and the last because of its great
-length and number of locks. They will, therefore, receive no further
-attention.
-
-The choice of the location for an Interoceanic canal has long been
-conceded by practical engineers to lie between the Nicaragua and Panama
-routes. A consideration of the natural advantages and disadvantages of
-these rival lines follows.
-
-Since the Nicaragua route has been abandoned the features of the
-proposed construction will receive no attention. It is highly probable
-that this route would never have been seriously considered by the
-United States had it not been for the fact that the Panama line was for
-many years under the control of France and apparently was destined to
-continue so for a considerable period.
-
-Logically the question of harbors first suggests itself. Natural
-harbors do not exist in Nicaragua nor could one be excavated and
-maintained on the Atlantic side without a continual battle with forces
-which, in the last fifty years, have transformed what was once an
-excellent harbor at Greytown into a lagoon partially enclosed by an
-ever advancing line of sand brought down by the river San Juan.
-Experience on the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States
-has given abundant evidence of the results of a fight with such forces.
-In his “The American Isthmus and Interoceanic Canal” W. Henry Hunter
-says, “The policy which fights against the forces of nature is a
-mistaken one; it is foredoomed to failure. Nature may be aided in her
-operations; her more gigantic forces may to some extent be curbed and
-controlled; but an almost certain Nemesis pursues any effort which may
-be made to arrest and to determine in an absolute way a process so
-continuous as that of the filling up of the Greytown bight.”
-
-Brito, the Pacific terminus, is little better than Greytown since “even
-in the calmest weather there is a nearly constant surf, with breakers
-from four to ten feet high.” Therefore, the terminus at Greytown would
-always be in danger of being filled up by the Atlantic waves and the
-one at Brito would constantly be liable to destruction by the Pacific
-breakers.
-
-On the other hand the natural harbors of the Panama route have
-successfully met the demands of commerce for the last four hundred
-years. On the Pacific end practically no harbor improvements will
-be necessary. On the Atlantic the present needs are satisfied, but
-the large steamers of the future may require deepening which can be
-done and the resulting channel easily maintained since there is no
-persistent filling in process such as characterizes the Greytown harbor.
-
-Volcanoes have long been plentiful in Central America, especially near
-the proposed Nicaragua canal. Nicaragua Lake, so geologists say, owes
-its separation from the Pacific to a great upheaval. There is now an
-active volcano near which ships would have to pass. From January 1,
-1901 to April 30, 1904, a period of forty consecutive months, the
-instruments of the Instituto-Fisico Geografico, located 60 miles
-from the locks of the proposed canal, recorded 43 tremors, 91 slight
-shocks and 35 strong shocks, some of which lasted 16 minutes. Similar
-observations at Panama for the same period revealed only 6 tremors and
-4 slight shocks, the longest being for a period of only 10 seconds. The
-lock gates of a canal might very easily be injured by earthquakes; and
-common sense would dictate that other things being equal, the canal
-should be placed where the shocks are fewest.
-
-Strong trade winds rush through the San Juan gorge at all seasons.
-The rainfall near the Atlantic is enormous, averaging from 260 to 270
-inches per year, and rain may be expected any day. In the western
-part the fall is only 65 inches, and there is also a well defined dry
-season. Clear vision is essential to safe passage through the canal
-and it is extremely doubtful if it could be obtained under the above
-conditions. Still more serious perhaps is the excessive curvature of
-the channel for 50 miles of its course. It is impossible to reduce the
-curvature to the limit which experience on the Suez canal has proved
-necessary for safety and speed. Furthermore the channel must carry off
-to the sea the drainage from 12,000 square miles of territory. This
-cannot do otherwise than create currents and eddies unfavorable to
-navigation.
-
-The Panama route has no continued strong winds; the curvature is
-comparatively favorable; the annual rainfall is from 140 inches on the
-Atlantic coast to about 60 inches on the Pacific, with a definite dry
-season of three months; and the concensus of expert engineering opinion
-is that there need be no objectionable currents if proper provision
-is made for the regulation of the Chagres river. This phase will be
-discussed later as will also the question of curvature.
-
-Much has been said about the advantages furnished by Lake Nicaragua
-which covers about 70 miles of the Canal route. However, for 29 miles
-of that distance, an artificial channel through soft mud would be
-necessary, and dredging would probably be practically continuous for
-maintenance.
-
-From a purely engineering standpoint the most serious objection to this
-route is the liability to interruption for lack of water in seasons
-of extreme drought which are not at all uncommon in that region. Upon
-first thought it seems that a lake 3,000 square miles in extent cannot
-be other than an ideal source of supply, but such is not the case.
-By the proposed dam on the lower San Juan river the channel of the
-stream would become an arm of the lake through which all shipping would
-have to pass, the depth of water being, of course, dependent upon the
-lake level. This level has a natural variation of 13 feet. Under the
-projected conditions the whole outflow would pass over the dam about
-50 miles away from the lake proper. The present high water mark cannot
-be exceeded without flooding valuable lands, nor, on the other hand,
-can the channel depth be made as great as desirable because the river
-bed is crossed by many rock ledges, and the cost of excavation fixes
-a limit to the depth economically practicable. The Isthmian Canal
-Commission of 1899–’01 concluded that the variation would have to be
-reduced to 7 feet. This means that the level would be held between
-104 and 111 feet above tide water and the river bed excavated enough
-to give a minimum sailing depth of 40 feet. Records show no regular
-succession of high and low lake years; and as it is plainly impossible
-to keep a reserve sufficient to control such an enormous expanse of
-water, the regulation of this most important matter would be left to
-the judgment of the operator controlling the overflow at the dam.
-Carelessness or bad judgment on his part might therefore easily stop
-traffic for an indefinite period.
-
-There is a similar question in regard to Gatun Lake of the Panama line
-although the majority of authorities anticipate no trouble from that
-source. A more complete discussion of this danger will be given later.
-
-Concerning the actual difficulties of construction at Nicaragua, little
-need be said inasmuch as no work is now contemplated there. The San
-Juan dam of the Nicaragua and the Gatun dam of the Panama route both
-present conditions which have never been met before. Also the deep cuts
-of the Culebra find their counterpart in portions of the longer route.
-
-The time-saving element is of more apparent than real importance
-because the time lost on the longer sea-voyage for the Panama route
-would be practically balanced by the gain of time in actual passage
-through the canal, the Nicaragua route being about four times as long
-as the Panama route. Henry L. Abbot, in his “Problems of the Panama
-Canal”, estimates that 34 hours more time would be required for passage
-by way of the Nicaragua than by way of the Panama route.
-
-An excellent reason for the adoption of the Panama rather than the
-Nicaragua route was the existence of a good railroad and the fact
-that the French had actually completed about two fifths of the work
-required.
-
-
-SUMMARY OF COMPARISON
-
-Below is given a summary of the comparisons which have just been
-discussed.
-
- _Panama Route_ _Nicaragua Route_
-
- There are two good harbors. There are no good harbors.
-
- There is a good railroad. There is a very poor railroad.
-
- Two-fifths of the work is completed. No work is completed.
-
- The projected construction, according A dam without precedent in
- to the majority of canal work is projected.
- engineers, is justified by good
- engineering practice.
-
- Except at Bohio, the annual rainfall The most difficult works are
- nowhere exceeds 93 inches. where the rainfall is nearly
- 256 inches.
-
- The length is 50 miles. The length is 176 miles.
-
- There are no active volcanoes. There is one active volcano
- near the route.
-
- The time of transit is 14 hours. The time of transit is 44 hours.
-
- The curvature is comparatively The curvature is sharp.
- gentle.
-
- No troublesome winds and Heavy trade winds and strong
- cross-currents are expected. currents would be troublesome.
-
-
-
-
-III. HISTORY OF THE PANAMA ROUTE
-
-
-The Panama route as a line of transit was first established between the
-years 1517 and 1520. The first settlement on the site of old Panama,
-six or seven miles east of the present city, was made in 1517. The
-Atlantic end, called Nombre de Dios, was built in 1519. Here Balboa was
-tried and executed. It grew rapidly in importance and in 1521 became a
-city by royal decree.
-
-Even at that early date a road was established across the Isthmus.
-It, however, did not enter the city of Panama, but at the Pacific end
-passed through a small town called Cruces on the Chagres river about 17
-miles distant, and at the Atlantic end passed through Nombre de Dios.
-The latter terminus did not prove satisfactory so the town of Porto
-Bello was made the Atlantic Port in 1597. This also was subsequently
-abandoned. At least part of this road was paved, and bridges were built
-over the streams. Even today its course is well defined.
-
-As early as 1534 boats began to pass up and down the Chagres river
-between Cruces and its mouth on the Caribbean shore and thence along
-the coast to Nombre de Dios, and later to Porto Bello. The commerce
-thus begun increased rapidly during the sixteenth century and Panama
-became a very important commercial center with a trade extending to
-the Spice Islands and the Asiatic coast. It was at the height of its
-power in 1585 and was called the “toll-gate between western Europe and
-Eastern Asia.”
-
-In time this commercial prosperity, which enriched Spain, called the
-attention of her rulers and others to the possibility of constructing
-an interoceanic ship-canal. Tradition says that Charles V ordered a
-survey in 1520 to determine the feasibility of a canal, but that the
-governor reported such an undertaking absolutely impossible for any
-monarch.
-
-From that time the prosperity of Panama increased rapidly. Lines of
-trade were established with the west coast of South America and the
-Pacific ports of Central America. Its glory came to a sudden end when,
-on the sixth of February, 1671, it was sacked and burned by Morgan’s
-buccaneers. A new city, the present Panama, was founded in 1673, but
-the old one was never rebuilt.
-
-The project of a canal on this route, because of its romantic and
-commercial interest, was kept alive for more than three centuries
-without definite action being taken. Finally, in 1876, a French Company
-was organized at Paris to make surveys preparatory to building a ship
-canal across the Isthmus.
-
-Lieutenant L. N. E. Wyse, a French naval officer, had immediate charge
-of the work. He obtained a concession, known as the Wyse Concession,
-from Colombia giving France the necessary rights for the construction
-of a canal.
-
-In May, 1879, an international congress was convened in Paris under
-the auspices of Ferdinand de Lesseps, to consider the question of the
-best location and plan for the canal. This congress, after a two weeks
-session, decided in favor of a sea-level canal without locks to be
-located on the Panama route.
-
-Immediately after this action the Panama Canal Company was organized
-under the general laws of France with Ferdinand de Lesseps as its
-president. The Wyse concession was purchased by the company, and after
-two attempts the stock was successfully floated in December, 1880. Two
-years were then devoted to surveys and preliminary work. In the plan
-first adopted the canal was to be 29.5 feet deep and 72 feet wide at
-the bottom. Leaving Colon, the canal passed through low ground to the
-valley of the Chagres river at Gatun; thence through the valley to
-Obispo where it left the river and crossed the continental divide by
-means of a tunnel and reached the Pacific through the valley of the
-Rio Grande. The tides on the Pacific were to be overcome by sloping
-the bottom of the Pacific end of the canal. No provision was made for
-controlling the Chagres.
-
-Early in the eighties a tidal lock near the Pacific was added to the
-plan, and various schemes for the control of the Chagres were proposed,
-the one most favored being the construction of the dam at Gamboa. The
-tunnel idea was soon abandoned.
-
-The French engineers estimated that the excavation would be about
-157,000,000 cubic yards, that eight years would be required for
-completion, and that the cost would be $127,600,000. Work proceeded
-continuously until 1887, when a change to the lock type was made in
-order to secure the use of the canal as soon as possible, it being
-understood that the construction of a sea-level canal was not to be
-abandoned but merely deferred until financial conditions would allow
-its completion. This new plan placed the summit level above the Chagres
-river, and proposed to supply this summit level with water pumped
-from that stream. Work went on until 1889 when the company became
-bankrupt; and on February 4, a liquidator was appointed to take charge
-of its affairs. Work was stopped on May 15, 1889.
-
-The liquidator appointed a commission of eleven engineers to give him
-technical advice as to the condition of the work and the best methods
-for its completion. Five of these commissioners visited the Isthmus and
-reported on May 5, 1890. The report contained plans for the completion
-of a lock canal and emphasized the necessity for more complete
-examinations before beginning work. This advice was followed by the
-liquidator who at once took steps for the formation of a new company,
-and at the same time continued to take careful observations on the
-Isthmus, and these observations have been of great value since then.
-
-The New Panama Canal Company was organized in October, 1894. It
-proposed to construct a sea-level canal from the Atlantic as far as
-Bohio (See Map, pp 45), where a dam was to form a lake as far as Bas
-Obispo, the difference in elevation being overcome by two locks. The
-summit level extended from Bas Obispo to Paraiso, and was reached
-by two more locks and received water from an artificial reservoir
-formed by a dam at Alhajuela in the upper Chagres valley. Four dams
-were located on the Pacific side, the two middle ones at Pedro Miguel
-combined in a flight.
-
-Work continued on this plan up to the time of the Spanish-American
-War in 1898. About that time a “Comite Technique”, as it was called,
-composed of seven French and seven foreign engineers who had been
-appointed by the Board of Directors of the New Company, submitted
-its final report upon the canal. It was estimated that, at a cost
-of $100,000,000 a canal suitable for all commercial needs could be
-completed in 10 years.
-
-Had matters continued as before it is probable that the New Canal
-Company would have completed the canal as it had planned. But the
-Spanish-American War developed wholly new conditions. The trip of the
-Oregon around Cape Horn drew the attention of the American people to
-the importance of an interoceanic canal. Prior to this time the Board
-of Directors of the New Company, although aware that the Maratime Canal
-Company was actively engaged in securing funds from the United States
-Congress for the Nicaragua route, were so confident that a canal by
-that route could never seriously compete with their own that they
-gave little attention to the efforts of their rival. Now, however,
-if the newly awakened popular demand for a canal should induce the
-American government to undertake the work, the New Company would face
-two formidable conditions, namely, the difficulty of raising funds for
-the completion of the Panama Canal would be greatly increased if the
-parallel route were supported by the United States and the question of
-labor would become greatly complicated.
-
-Knowing that the favorable conditions created by the French at Panama
-were unknown in the United States and certain that if known the
-United States would assist rather than retard the work the Board of
-Directors, on December 2, 1898, sent a complete copy of the report of
-the “Comite Technique” to President McKinley and offered to explain the
-exact conditions to any body of men appointed for the purpose. This
-offer came at the proper time since Congress was then ready to pass
-a bill to aid the Maratime Company in the construction of a canal on
-the Nicaragua route. On February 27, 1899 the representatives of the
-New Company were granted a hearing in the House of Representatives.
-They presented a technical exhibit, and stated that their company was
-authorized to reincorporate as an American company under American
-laws. So ably did they present their case that ultimately on March 3,
-1899, by act of Congress a commission, known as the “Isthmian Canal
-Commission” was appointed by the President to determine the “most
-practicable and feasible route for an Isthmian canal, with the cost of
-constructing the same and placing it under the control, management, and
-ownership of the United States.”
-
-The original intention of the New Panama Canal Company in bringing
-the subject before the United States was not to sell its rights on
-the Isthmus but to reincorporate and receive the support of American
-wealth. However, it was evident that the United States desired absolute
-control, and accordingly the consent of Colombia to a transfer was
-obtained and the Company prepared a classified list of its properties
-which it placed before the Isthmian Canal Commission on October 2,
-1901 with the statement that the sums given were not to be considered
-as final but were merely presented as a basis for discussion. The
-Commission, however, refused to take this view of the matter and
-persisted in considering the prices offered as constituting, when
-summed up, a definite lump sum for which the Company would sell its
-property. This lump sum was $109,141,500. The Commission’s valuation
-was $40,000,000. Consequently when the Commission made its final report
-it closed with these words, “Having in view the terms offered by the
-New Panama Canal Company this Commission is of the opinion that the
-most practicable and feasible route for an Isthmian Canal to be under
-the control, management, and ownership of the United States is that
-known as the Nicaragua route.”
-
-When the French Company heard this report it immediately offered
-to sell its property for $40,000,000. Accordingly the Commission
-made a supplementary report on January 18, 1902 stating that “After
-considering the changed conditions that now exist, the Commission is
-of the opinion that the most practicable and feasible route for an
-Isthmian canal to be under the control, management, and ownership of
-the United States is that known as the Panama route.”
-
-Thus it came about that the United States was authorized to obtain
-permanent possession of the concessions and properties of the New
-Panama Canal Company at a very low price.
-
-Congress meanwhile had not waited for the report of the Commission but
-had passed a bill known as the Hepburn Bill, authorizing the President
-to acquire the right to construct a canal at Nicaragua and to begin
-the actual construction. Ten million dollars were appropriated and
-contracts for material and work to the sum of $140,000,000 authorized.
-Many discussions arose in the Senate; and a strong feeling in favor of
-the Panama route became apparent. Senator Hanna was especially active.
-He sent letters to eighty shipowners, shipmasters, officers and pilots,
-in which he enclosed a description of the two routes and a list of
-questions intended to bring out their relative merits from a practical
-viewpoint. Their answers were all in favor of the Panama route. As a
-result of the long debate a bill was passed June 26, 1902 with the
-President’s approval. In effect it was as follows. The President is
-authorized to acquire for the sum of $40,000,000 or less the rights and
-property of the New Panama Canal Company, and by treaty with Colombia,
-the perpetual control of the strip of territory necessary for operating
-the canal and is then instructed to proceed and complete the work under
-an Isthmian Canal Commission of seven members to be appointed by him.
-One hundred and forty-five million dollars was pledged for this purpose.
-
-The Hay-Herran treaty with Colombia was signed January 22, 1902, but
-failed of ratification by Colombia. In November, 1903, however, there
-was a successful revolution upon the Isthmus and a republican form of
-government was adopted. The Hay-Bunan-Varilla treaty was thereupon made
-on November 18, 1903. It was ratified by both governments on February
-26, 1904. It gave the United States control of a strip of land ten
-miles wide, five on each side of the canal.
-
-Since then the work has proceeded under the complete control and
-supervision of the United States. The President, whose duty it was to
-provide for the government of the Canal Zone, put that as well as the
-engineering into the hands of the Commission of seven members which
-he had appointed. It has remained there. The office of chief engineer
-has been held by three men, J. F. Wallace, J. F. Stevens and G. W.
-Goethals, the first two of whom resigned.
-
-The question of a sea-level canal was again agitated and became so
-insistent that the President appointed an international board of
-engineers, consisting of thirteen members, to assemble in Washington
-September 1, 1905 to consider the various plans for the construction of
-the canal submitted to it. The board consisted of five foreign and five
-United States engineers, three of the latter having formerly served
-on the canal commission. The Board visited the Isthmus on September
-28, had some examinations made for its enlightenment and in November
-submitted a majority report signed by the five foreign engineers and
-the three former members of the commission, and a minority report, the
-former advocating a sea-level canal and the latter a lock canal with
-the summit level 85’ above the sea. The Isthmian Canal Commission with
-but one dissenting voice recommended the adoption of the lock type
-proposed by the minority.
-
-On June 29, 1906 Congress in opposition to the majority report of the
-engineers, provided that the 85-foot lock type of canal be constructed
-across the Isthmus; and work has since continued on that plan. This
-final decision, however, was made with reluctance by many congressmen
-and some of them are regretting it today.
-
-This Congress also decided that all materials used in building the
-canal should be purchased in the United States.
-
-Early in 1909 a special body of engineers appointed by the President
-accompanied W. H. Taft on an inspection trip to Panama particularly
-with a view to determining the feasibility of the Gatun dam project.
-In a report made February 16 they unanimously approved the plans for
-the various changes in the original project made by the engineer. This
-included the widening of the locks to 110 feet and constructing the
-Pacific dams at Miraflores instead of at La Boca.
-
-
-
-
-IV. TYPE OF CANAL
-
-
-The controversy over the relative merits of a lock and a sea-level
-canal at Panama is as old as the question of building the canal itself.
-Supporters of the lock canal now in process of construction have sought
-to silence the storm of protest occasioned by its adoption; but in
-spite of their precautions reports have reached the American public
-which have created a lack of faith in the present engineers and their
-methods.
-
-It is, of course, impossible for a layman to decide arbitrarily in
-favor of the lock or sea-level type. The only reasonable way to arrive
-at a conclusion is to examine carefully the arguments of both factions
-and reach a decision therefrom. The writer has found it difficult,
-if not impossible, to obtain an accurate presentation of the facts.
-Engineers high in their profession make contradictory statements.
-Presumably they honestly express their convictions but their failure to
-agree is strong evidence that there is a large element of uncertainty
-in the whole proposition. If they, acknowledged authorities, not only
-cannot arrive at a common decision in this matter, but consider it
-necessary to ridicule each other’s plans, there is certainly cause to
-doubt the wisdom of the present project. It is the intention of the
-writer to state the principal arguments both for and against the two
-types of canals as presented by their most ardent advocates.
-
-It is generally conceded that a lock canal at Panama would cost
-less than an efficient sea-level canal. Engineers on the Isthmus
-make an estimate of over $100,000,000 as the minimum excess of cost
-of a sea-level canal over the lock canal for construction alone.
-This estimate does not include the cost of carrying on the work of
-government and sanitation during the additional years which would be
-required to build a sea-level canal. Furthermore, it is true that
-there are many problems in connection with a sea-level canal, in
-spite of its apparent simplicity, which have never been solved and
-consequently no engineer can say how many millions would be required
-for its completion. Experience has shown, however, that the same
-unsolved problems were also true of the lock type. In their report to
-the President and to Congress, the minority of the board of consulting
-engineers pledged their professional reputations that if the lock
-type of canal were adopted the aggregate cost of completing the
-canal, exclusive of sanitation and zone government, would not exceed
-$139,705,200. Not four years have passed since that report was made
-yet $120,064,468.58 have already been appropriated and the great dams
-and locks are only fairly begun. In the last session of Congress it
-was proposed to increase the limit of the cost of construction of the
-Panama Canal to $500,000,000. Senator Teller in a speech said, “I have
-said again and again on the floor and I repeat it now--that if we get
-the canal built for $500,000,000, whether a lock or a sea-level canal,
-we shall do very well. In my judgment, we will never get that canal, in
-either form, except at a cost of more than $500,000,000.” These figures
-are sufficient evidence that the engineers who made the original
-estimate were dealing with a subject too big for them.
-
-At the time Congress voted to adopt a lock canal the estimated
-cost of a sea-level canal, excluding the cost of sanitation, civil
-government, the purchase price and interest on the investment (which
-seem unnecessary refinement in view of later developments) was given
-by the Board of Consulting Engineers as $247,021,000. The project on
-which this estimate was made provided for a waterway 40 feet deep at
-mean sea-level, 150 feet wide at the bottom in earth and 200 feet wide
-in rock, with a length of 49.14 miles. On the basis of this estimate
-advocates of the sea-level canal argue that on grounds of economy alone
-the lock type should be abandoned in favor of the sea-level type. It
-stands to reason, however, that some of the causes which have led to
-an increase in cost over the original estimates for the lock canal,
-such as the increase in the wage scale and the cost of material, and
-the adoption of the eight-hour day, would affect equally the sea-level
-project if it were undertaken.
-
-The total estimated cost by the present canal commission for completing
-the work, including purchase price is $375,201,000, while the total
-estimated cost of the sea-level canal made by the same commission
-is $563,000,000. This latter sum is largely mere conjecture because
-of the many unknown elements entering into the problem; and there
-are successful engineers today who do not hesitate to state that a
-sea-level canal can be constructed for less than the present lock canal.
-
-Very few question the statement that the sea-level canal would take
-longer for construction than a lock canal. The majority of the Board
-of Consulting Engineers estimated that from 10 to 13 years would be
-required. The Isthmian Canal Commission fixed the time at from 18 to
-20 years and Lieutenant George W. Goethals, its chairman and chief
-engineer, states that the lock canal will be completed by January 1,
-1915.
-
-A great objection to the narrow sea-level canal is the difficulty of
-river control. The proposed plan was to construct a huge concrete
-dam 180 feet high across the Chagres at Gamboa. This of itself is
-a great undertaking but when done would not solve the question of
-flood control, for below Gamboa there are many more streams which if
-unregulated would plunge precipitately into the canal channel thereby
-not only creating cross-currents extremely unfavorable to navigation,
-and these would also erode the banks and settle deposits which would
-necessitate continual dredging for maintenance. If these rivers were
-not allowed to flow into the canal, the only other solution would be
-the construction of channels on either side of the canal to take care
-of this flow. This would be very expensive and decidedly dangerous
-since the rivers in places would be considerably above the canal.
-The old Chagres Channel and the old French diversion canal could be
-utilized for a part of the distance.
-
-It is claimed that even a sea-level canal would require a lock at the
-Pacific end because of the enormous difference, sometimes 20’ between
-high and low tides. Even the majority of the Board of Consulting
-Engineers, the supporters of the sea-level type, considered such a lock
-necessary. Since they made their report, however, a noted scientist,
-Dr. C. Lely, formerly minister of waterworks of Holland, has made
-an extended study of the question and states that the currents in a
-sea-level canal at Panama would not exceed those now common at Suez,
-namely, 2½ miles per hour.
-
-On the other hand six huge locks are to be built on the lock canal,
-and they must be used at every passage of a boat. Their upkeep and
-operation will be a constant source of expense which would not exist
-in a sea-level canal. If one pair of locks is destroyed or put out of
-commission, the whole canal will be disabled and useless. Not only is
-this so, but they are a constant source of danger. The destruction of
-the gates of an upper lock, which is by no means an unknown occurrence,
-would allow the upper lake to empty into the canal channel, and
-probably destroy everything to the sea, including the dams. That such
-accidents can occur was demonstrated at the Welland Canal when a small
-steamer struck one gate and continuing her progress crashed through
-four other separate gates, the locks being 240 feet long. Again, at the
-Manchester Canal a vessel collided with a gate and carried it away,
-allowing the water to escape in such great volumes that it caused
-the other gates to give way also. Some conception of the force held
-in leash by the gates at Panama may be gained when it is stated that
-the “fall from the upper lock at Gatun to the empty second lock is
-over five times the rate of fall in the Whirlpool Rapids at Niagara
-and the depth is greater”. It is true that various safety devices are
-to be installed at the locks but they can serve only to minimize not
-eliminate a danger which would not exist on a sea-level canal.
-
-The curvature in the proposed sea-level canal is gentle, but for
-19 miles of its course a large ship would continually be changing
-direction in a channel having a width of from one-fourth to one-fifth
-of her own length and in a current which may be as great as 5 feet per
-second. On the Manchester Canal all large vessels are aided by two tugs
-whose duty it is to help in steering. Through the above mentioned 19
-miles speed could not exceed 6 miles an hour, and whenever a ship going
-the opposite direction passed, one or the other would have to stop and
-tie up to the shore as they do on the Suez Canal.
-
-The courses on the lock canal are straight, giving a clear view ahead,
-and the vessels can pass without being forced to tie up. The great
-Gatun Lake will permit of full speed and in all ordinary cases in the
-passage from ocean to ocean enough time can be saved by reason of the
-wider and straighter channels of the lock canal to compensate for the
-time lost in passing through the locks.
-
-While the question of flood control is solved by Gatun Lake the
-question of water supply is not. This lake must, under the present
-plans, furnish the water necessary for lockages. Experts have carefully
-studied this subject, and while most of them agree that there is water
-sufficient for immediate needs they also recognize the possibility of a
-scarcity in the future. General L. Abbot, one of the most enthusiastic
-supporters of the lock plan, states that there will be water for but
-26 daily transits during the dry season which would accommodate from
-30 to 40 million tons of annual traffic. Other prominent engineers
-are not so sanguine and some go so far as to say the supply will be
-totally inadequate even for the first years of canal operation. At any
-rate there is a considerable element of uncertainty in the matter which
-actual trial alone will settle. No such trouble, of course, would exist
-in the operation of the sea-level canal.
-
-Much has been said about the relative vulnerability of the two types.
-The arguments are decidedly at variance and approach the ridiculous
-when placed side by side. Common sense dictates that both types
-are open to injury by earthquakes or the hand of man; neither is
-invulnerable. It also seems evident that a lock canal with its many
-artificial devices is more open to serious injury by earthquake
-than a sea-level canal. In fact it is easy to believe that a shock
-severe enough to put a lock out of commission would scarcely affect a
-sea-level canal at all, and all who say otherwise are prejudiced. In
-fairness be it said that the danger from this source is exaggerated and
-probably should not occupy as large a place in the discussion of canal
-problems as has been given to it.
-
-Lock canal advocates say a narrow sea-level canal could easily be
-obstructed by an obstacle placed in the channel; sea-level advocates
-say that a bag of dynamite under the lock-gates could put the canal
-out of service. Both statements are true but the essential element of
-difference is in degree. The obstruction in the channel would be no
-real injury to the canal at all: it would necessitate merely a few days
-work at the most for its removal. An injury to the locks, however,
-might readily mean draining of the summit lake and the destruction
-of all between it and the sea not to speak of the indefinite period
-required for reconstruction. The point is that it is practically
-impossible for man to seriously injure a sea-level canal; it is easily
-possible for him to so injure a lock canal. However, lock canals can be
-more readily defended in time of war because the points of attack are
-known beforehand.
-
-A very serious objection to the lock type is that it cannot be readily
-enlarged. The locks are to be 1,000 feet long and 110 feet wide. This
-is ample for the present but indications are that future needs will
-be far greater. If they do become greater the Panama Canal will be an
-inefficient servant and will come far short of fulfilling the purpose
-which prompted its building. The sea-level canal could be enlarged by
-dredges without stopping traffic through it, but with a lock canal
-it is different. When the locks as constructed become inadequate the
-only way to increase their capacity is to shut down the canal for years
-while new and larger ones are being built.
-
-It is unquestionably true that the ideal canal is a sea-level canal
-500 feet to 600 feet wide. This is of the type known as the “Straits
-of Panama” proposed by Philippi-Bunau-Varilla to the consulting
-board in 1905. There is a growing feeling that this plan is the one
-which will ultimately be adopted for the completion of the canal. It
-contemplates the construction of a lock canal to be finally converted
-into a sea-level canal. The locks were to be constructed so that as the
-levels were deepened by dredging they could be eliminated, navigation
-continuing during the enlargement. The material removed by the dredges
-was to be deposited in the lake formed by a dam at Gamboa. The plan
-was carefully considered and finally rejected because of the excessive
-time and cost involved. It is interesting to note what the author of
-the plans states in regard to it. He says in part, “It is easy to see
-from the records that this rejection was purely based on the false
-assumption that the transformation of rock into dredgable ground
-would cost $2.35 (per cubic yard), when it has since been officially
-demonstrated to cost eleven times less in the Suez Canal and eighteen
-times less in the Manchester Canal.”
-
-The cost at Panama of that transformation would be certainly inferior
-to the cost at Manchester not only on account of the saving of expense
-due to the gratuitous mechanical power given by the falls of the
-Chagres but also and principally on account of the extremely soft
-character of the greater part of the isthmian rocks. The electricity
-generated by the falls of the lake will put in action the rock
-breakers, the floating dredges, and the scows. The water in the small
-barge locks will raise the scows from the level of the summit to that
-of the lake and the depths of the lake will absorb the material of the
-straits. Thus the Chagres, once harnessed, will offer freely by its
-waters the way for the excavating and transporting instruments, by its
-falls the energy to animate everything and by its upper valley the dump
-to receive the spoils.
-
-If unbiased and free-minded engineer officers of the army, having no
-anterior connection with the plans under discussion, should be sent to
-investigate the nature of the rock on the Isthmus and then to study in
-France, England, and Japan the actual improved methods of dredging
-soft and hard material the cloud would soon be dissipated. The supposed
-chimera would become a real tangible thing and the United States, the
-trustees of humanity in the construction of the great international
-waterway, would give to the world what it wants, what it is possible
-now and easy to obtain, the “Straits of Panama.” This sounds very
-plausible; and it is a significant fact that engineers do not ridicule
-it. Their respect for it is growing. Today rock-dredging is on trial
-at Panama. If its feasibility can be there demonstrated the plan will
-undoubtedly be adopted.
-
-No man can find objections to this type when once constructed. The
-objections to the narrow sea-level canal first considered do not apply
-to the “Straits of Panama”, so they will stand as the ideal solution.
-
-A canal designed to carry the world’s commerce, to furnish free
-communication between the Atlantic and Pacific should be as free from
-artificial devices as it is possible to make it. It is therefore hoped
-that some day the present lock canal will be enlarged to an ideal,
-wide, sea-level channel.
-
-
-
-
-V. LOCATION, SIZE, AND PLAN
-
-
-The location, size and plan of the Panama Canal with several recent
-changes which have been ordered by the President and adopted by the
-commission is described in the “Canal Record” as follows: “A channel,
-500 feet wide at sea-level will lead from deep water in Limon Bay to
-Gatun, a distance of 6.76 miles. At Gatun a dam one and one-half miles
-long and 115 feet high will impound the waters of the Chagres river in
-a lake, the normal level of which will be 85 feet above mean sea-level,
-A flight of three twin locks, each 1,000 feet long, 110 feet wide, and
-allowing for 41⅓ feet of water over the sills, will raise vessels from
-sea-level to the lake, or lower them from the lake to the sea-level
-channel. From Gatun navigation will be through the lake in a channel
-from 1,000 feet to 500 feet wide for a distance of 23.59 miles to Bas
-Obispo where Culebra cut begins. The channel through the continental
-divide, from Bas Obispo to Pedro Miguel, a distance of 8.11 miles
-will be 300 feet wide, and the surface of the water will be at the
-lake level. At Pedro Miguel vessels will be lowered from the 85-foot
-level to a small lake at 55 feet above sea-level, in twin locks of
-one flight. A channel 500 feet wide and 0.97 miles long will lead to
-Miraflores locks, where the descent to sea-level will be made in twin
-locks of two flights. The locks at Pedro Miguel and Miraflores will be
-of the same dimensions as those at Gatun. From Miraflores to deep water
-in Panama Bay, a distance of 8.31 miles, the channel will be 500 feet
-wide and 45 feet deep at mean tide. The channel widths given are all
-bottom widths. The entrance both in Limon Bay and in Panama Bay will be
-protected by breakwaters.”
-
-
-
-
-VI. ORGANIZATION OF FORCES
-
-
-Work on the Isthmus is in the hands of an Isthmian Canal Commission,
-consisting of seven members, all of whom are appointed by the
-President. All of them have headquarters on the Isthmus. The present
-personnel of the Commission is as follows. Lieutenant Colonel G.
-Goethals, U. S. A., chairman and chief engineer; Major David Du B.
-Gaillard, U. S. A., corps of engineers; Major William L. Sibert,
-U. S. A., corps of engineers: Colonel William C. Gorgas, U. S. A.,
-medical department; Harry Rosseau, U. S. A., civil engineer; Lieutenant
-Colonel H. F. Hodges, U. S. A., corps of engineers and Joseph C. S.
-Blackburn, civilian.
-
-As chairman, Colonel Goethals receives a salary of $15,000 annually.
-Majors Gaillard and Sibert and Civil Engineer Rosseau $14,000 each and
-Dr. Gorgas, Colonel Hodges and Mr. Blackburn $10,000 each.
-
-The principal departments on the Isthmus, each in charge of a head who
-is directly responsible for the work carried on under his direction
-are: Construction and Engineering; Quartermaster’s; Subsistence; Civil
-Administration; Sanitation; Disbursements; and Examination of Accounts.
-
-The Department of Construction and Engineering is subdivided into the
-following named divisions; Atlantic Division from deep water to and
-including the Gatun locks and dams; the Central Division from Gatun to
-Pedro Miguel; and the Pacific Division from Pedro Miguel to the Pacific.
-
-The Department of Construction and Engineering is under the direct
-charge of the Chief Engineer. The general plans come from the office of
-the Chief Engineer and details are left to division engineers, subject
-to his approval. The whole idea of the organization in this department
-is to place and fix responsibility, leaving to each subordinate the
-carrying out of the particular work intrusted to his charge. The Chief
-Engineer is assisted by the Assistant Chief Engineer, who considers
-and reports upon all engineering questions submitted for final action.
-The Assistant Chief Engineers have charge of the designs of the locks,
-dams, and spillways, and the supervision of these particular parts of
-the work. There is also attached to the Chief Engineer an assistant
-who looks after mechanical forces on the Isthmus, and has supervision
-over the machine shops, the cost-keeping branch of the work, the
-apportionment of appropriations, and the preparation of the estimates.
-There is also an assistant engineer, who has charge of all general
-surveys, meteorological observations, and river hydraulics.
-
-The Quartermaster’s Department has charge of the recruiting of labor,
-the care, repair, and maintenance of quarters, the collection and
-disposal of garbage and refuse, the issue of furniture, and the
-delivery of distilled water and commissary supplies to the houses of
-employees and the construction of all new buildings. Operating in
-conjunction with the purchasing department in the United States, the
-Quartermaster’s Department secures all supplies needed for construction
-and other purposes, and makes purchases of material on the Isthmus when
-required.
-
-The common labor force of the Commission and Panama Railroad is more
-than 25,000 men, and consists of about 6,000 Spaniards, with a few
-Italians, the remainder being from the West Indies. The Spaniard is
-the best worker, although he objects to working in water. The total
-number on the pay rolls will average more than 30,000. Of these 5,000
-are “gold men”, that is, officials, clerks and skilled laborers, all of
-whom are American recruited through the Washington office. In the month
-of September, 1909, there were approximately 44,000 employees on the
-Isthmus on the rolls of the Commission and the Panama Railroad. There
-were actually at work, on November 3, 1909, 35,311 men, 27,672 for the
-Commission and 7,639 for the Panama Railroad Company. The salaries and
-wages of these men are paid once a month.
-
-This Quartermaster’s Department also has charge of the property
-records, receives semiannual returns of property from all those to whom
-property has been issued, and checks the returns and inventories of the
-storehouses with the records compiled from the original invoices.
-
-The Subsistence Department has charge of the commissaries and the
-manufacturing plants which consist of an ice and cold-storage
-establishment, a bread, pie, and cake bakery, a coffee roasting outfit,
-and a laundry. These belong to the Panama Railroad Company, as, at
-the time they were established, money received from sales could be
-reapplied, whereas if operated by the Commission it would have reverted
-to the Treasury, necessitating reappropriation before the proceeds
-of the sale could be utilized. They are, however, under the management
-of the subsistence officer of the Commission, who has charge of the
-various hotels, kitchens and messes.
-
-There are 16 hotels from Cristobal to Panama which serve meals to the
-American, or “gold” employees at 30 cents per meal. There are 24 messes
-where meals to European laborers are served, the cost per day being 40
-cents; and there are 24 kitchens for meals supplied to the “silver”
-laborers (men paid in Panamanian currency), the cost to the laborer
-being 30 cents per day. There is no profit to the Commission. The
-commissaries and manufacturing plants are operated at a profit so as
-to repay the Panama Railroad Company for its outlay in six years from
-January 1, 1909, at 4 per cent interest.
-
-The Subsistence Department also has charge of a large hotel at Ancon
-for the entertainment of the Commission’s employees at a comparatively
-low rate, and of transient guests at rates usually charged at first
-class hotels.
-
-The Department of Civil Administration exercises supervision over the
-courts, which consist of three circuit and five district: the judges
-of the three former constitute the supreme court. The district courts
-take cognizance of all cases where the fine does not exceed $100 or
-imprisonment does not exceed 30 days. Jury trials are restricted to
-crimes involving the death penalty or life imprisonment.
-
-The Sanitation Department looks after the health interests of the
-employees. It is subdivided into the health department, which has
-charge of the hospitals, supervision of health matters in Panama
-and Colon and of the Quarantine, and into the sanitary inspection
-department, which looks after the destruction of the mosquito by
-various methods, as grass and brush cutting, the draining of swamp
-areas, and by oiling unavoidable pools and stagnant streams.
-
-To this Department also belong 11 chaplains employed by the Commission
-to attend the sick as well as look after the spiritual welfare of the
-employees.
-
-All moneys are handled by the Disbursement Department, which pays
-accounts which have been previously passed upon by the Examiner of
-Accounts.
-
-The Examiner of Accounts makes the examination required by law
-prior to the final audit of the accounts by the Auditor for the War
-Department. The pay rolls are prepared from time books kept by foremen,
-timekeepers, or field clerks, subsequently checked by the Examiner
-of Accounts who maintains a force of inspectors. The time inspectors
-visit each gang, generally daily, at unknown times to the foreman,
-time-keeper, or field clerk, and check the time books with the gangs
-of workmen; the inspectors report to the Examiner of Accounts the
-results of their inspection not in connection with timekeeping but all
-violations of the regulations of the Commission that may come under
-their observation.
-
-Payments of pay rolls are made in cash, beginning on the 12th of each
-month and consuming four days for the entire force on the Isthmus.
-
-The last published financial report of this Department was as follows:
-
-
-_Statement of Receipts, Disbursements, and Balances Available to June
-30, 1909._
-
- _Receipts_
-
- Appropriations by Congress $176,432,468.58
- Rentals collected and returned to appropriations 264,393.76
- Collections account sale government property, etc. 4,235,141.50
- Balance due individuals and companies, account
- collections from employees 1,856.73
- --------------
- Total receipts 180,933,860.57
-
- _Disbursements_
-
- Classified expenditures 106,795,058.38
- Department of civil administration $2,932,951.06
- Sanitary department 8,741,715.40
- Hospitals and asylums $4,656,125.99
- Sanitation 4,085,589.41
- Department of construction
- and engineering 54,832,540.14
- Canal construction 48,311,622.16
- Municipal improvement
- on Zone 4,245,913.98
- Municipal improvements in
- Panama and Colon 2,275,004.00
-
- Cost of plant 40,287,851.78
-
- Rights of way and franchises 49,107,914.89
- Rights acquired from the Republic of
- Panama 10,000,000.00
- Rights acquired from New Panama
- Canal Company 39,107,914.89
-
- Payment to New Panama Canal
- Company 40,000,000.00
- Less value of French
- material sold or used
- in construction 892,085.11
-
- Panama Railroad Company stock purchased 157,118.24
- Loans to Panama Railroad Company for reequipment
- and redemption of bonds 4,009,596.03
- Paid into United States Treasury for sale
- of government property, etc. 3,572,141.50
- Services rendered and material sold
- individuals and companies 2,764,001.30
- Unclassified expenditures 4,877,072.36
- Material and supplies 4,813,158.37
- Other unclassified items 63,913.99
- Advances to laborers for their
- transportation 48,783.26
- Bills collectible outstanding 517,585.79
- --------------
- Total 171,849,271.75
- Less amounts included in above but
- unpaid on June 30 1,694,355.70
- Salaries and wages unpaid on
- rolls to June 1, 1909 181,291.08
- Pay rolls for the month of June, 1909 1,513,064.62
- --------------
- Net disbursements 170,154,916.05
- Balances available June 30, 1909 10,778,944.52
- Congressional appropriations 10,114,087.79
- Miscellaneous receipts of
- United States funds 663,000.00
- Collections from employees account
- individual and companies 1,856.73
- --------------
- Total 180,933,860.57
-
- Note.--By an act of March 4, 1909, additional appropriations were made
- to continue the construction of the Isthmian Canal, during the fiscal
- year 1910, available for expenditures July 1, 1909, as follows:
-
- Expenses in the United States $225,000.00
- Construction and engineering 27,388,000.00
- Civil administration 630,000.00
- Sanitation and hospitals 1,915,000.00
- Reequipment Panama Railroad 700,000.00
- Relocation of Panama Railroad 1,980,000.00
- Sanitation in cities of Panama and Colon 800,000.00
- -------------
- Total 33,638,000.00
-
-
-
-
-VII. CONSTRUCTION OF THE CANAL PRISM
-
-
-Excavation throughout the whole length of the canal is being carried on
-as much as possible in the dry as this has been found to be the cheaper
-method.
-
-Upon the Atlantic Division, during the fiscal year 1908–’09, a dredging
-fleet consisting of one sea-going suction dredge, two 5-yard dipper
-dredges and three French ladder dredges worked on the section between
-Mindi and deep water, removing 6,039,934 cubic yards, of which 427,005
-cubic yards were rock. The rock is removed by blasting. Holes averaging
-15 feet apart are drilled to a depth of 50 feet below sea level, loaded
-with dynamite and fired. At the close of the year nearly 3 miles of the
-channel from deep water were completed.
-
-The plans for breakwaters in Limon Bay were recently changed.
-Originally breakwaters were planned to extend nearly parallel to the
-axis of the channel to protect against filling by wave action. However,
-it was found that the northers entering between these breakwaters would
-lack room to dissipate and so vessels would be unprotected for a great
-portion of the distance to the locks. Accordingly two breakwaters have
-been planned which are to be so placed as not only to prevent filling
-but also to give shelter to shipping.
-
-On the Culebra section of the Central Division considerable trouble
-has been caused by the great rainfall. To carry the rain off quickly
-diversion channels have been constructed at a large expense of money
-and labor.
-
-Water falling in the prism is cared for by the cut itself. In the
-process of deepening pilot cuts are started from either end towards
-the summit which is now between Empire and Culebra. Drainage in either
-direction is by gravity through these cuts.
-
-The total amount excavated from the canal prism in this division during
-the past year was 18,442,624 cubic yards, 12,291,472 cubic yards being
-rock. At the close of the year 43,574,954 cubic yards remained to
-be removed. The material is loaded on the cars by steam shovels, is
-hauled to the various dumps, and unloaded by a huge plow-like apparatus
-which is drawn from end to end of the train. Part of the spoil aided
-in the rebuilding of the Panama Railroad; the rock from Empire and
-Bas Obispo went to Gatun for the dam, and some material was hauled to
-Balboa on the Pacific and was there used in reclaiming ground and in
-building a breakwater in Panama Bay to cut off silt-bearing currents
-which were filling up the excavated channel. It has been built out
-about 2 miles by dumping from a trestle built for the purpose. One mile
-more remains to be built.
-
-The slides in Culebra Cut have continued. The largest, called the
-Cucaracho slide, measures 2,700 feet along the cut, involving an area
-of 27 acres. During the year 1908–’09, 670,017 cubic yards were removed
-from this slide but it is estimated that 700,000 more are still in
-motion. Drainage seems to be ineffectual in these cases.
-
-The original summit at Culebra Cut was 333 feet above the sea; it was
-lowered by the French to 157 feet and the lowest point at the summit is
-now 143 feet above sea level.
-
-The lake section of the Central Division extends from Gamboa to Gatun.
-The Chagres River here crosses the line of the canal 23 times, forming
-a series of peninsulas. A portion of the channel 2,700 feet long, 500
-feet wide at the bottom and 50 feet deep, was completed May 25, 1909
-and the waters of the Chagres turned in. A total of 1,784,459 cubic
-yards were taken out, of which 1,350,308 were removed in 1908–’09. From
-the remainder of this division 2,625,283 cubic yards were excavated in
-1908–’09.
-
-To secure the necessary width and depth between Pedro Miguel and
-Miraflores on the Pacific Division 1,279,600 cubic yards of material,
-of which 63,600 are rock, must be excavated. The material still to be
-taken out between Miraflores and deep water is 13,000,900 cubic yards
-of loam and 1,725,000 cubic yards of rock. It has been decided to
-remove all rock between the locks and for 2 miles below the Miraflores
-locks, in the dry. This will leave 3,600,000 cubic yards of loam and
-123,000 of rock to be removed by dredging and blasting.
-
-The dredging fleet in Panama Bay for 1908–’09 consisted of one
-sea-going suction dredge, one 20 inch suction and pipe-line dredge,
-one 5 yard dipper dredge, and four French ladder dredges. They removed
-8,475,931 cubic yards of material during the year. The channel is
-completed for about 5 miles from deep water in the Pacific.
-
-The entire present steam-shovel equipment on the Isthmus consists
-of forty-eight 95-ton, forty-two 70-ton, ten 45-ton, and one 38-ton
-steam-shovels, or a total of one hundred and one steam-shovels.
-
-Dry excavation for the first quarter of the fiscal year 1908–’09, (July
-1 to October 1), cost 63 cents per cubic yard for direct charges and 12
-cents per cubic yard for general administration, making a total of 75
-cents. Dredging cost 9 cents per cubic yard for direct charges and 2
-cents per cubic yard for general administration. The average cost per
-cubic yard for excavation was 40 cents for direct charges and 8 cents
-for general administration, making a total of 48 cents.
-
-
-
-
-VIII. CONSTRUCTION OF THE LOCKS
-
-_Locks_
-
-
-As before stated there are to be 6 locks on the Panama Canal, 3 at
-Gatun, 1 at Pedro Miguel and 2 at Miraflores. All of these locks are
-arranged in duplicate, i.e., at any group of locks a vessel may ascend
-at one side of the middle wall, while another is descending at the
-other side. It is the intention that Pacific bound vessels use one side
-and Atlantic bound the other.
-
-The middle wall is to extend 1,600 feet above the upper gates and below
-the lower gates as an approach wall against which vessels to be locked
-may lie while waiting for the gates to open. The side walls will not
-be as long, and will flare out at their ends. The lock chambers are to
-be 110 feet wide and 1,000 feet long and will pass vessels of 40 feet
-maximum draught in sea water. The upper lock in each flight is to be
-subdivided by additional gates into a 600 foot and a 400 foot lock so
-that water may not be needlessly wasted in passing small boats. These
-smaller subdivisions may be used until vessels of over 550 feet length
-require passage.
-
-The lifts will average 28 feet, but will vary with changes in tide,
-lake level, and conditions of lockage. The diagram below shows the
-entire lock system at Gatun.
-
-[Illustration: Fig. 2.--General Arrangement of the Locks, Valves and
-Gates at Gatun.
-
- S. V., Stoney valve.
- G. V., Guard valve.
- E. D. P., Emergency dam pier.
- U. G. G., Upper guard gate.
- U. G., Upper gate.
- M. G., Middle gate.
- S. G., Safety gate.
- L. G.--U. L., Lower gate, upper lock. L.
- L. G.--I. L., Lower gate, intermediate lock.
- L. G.--L. L., Lower gate, lower lock.
- L. G. G., Lower guard gate.
- Ch., Fender chain.
- Ga., Gauge.
- L., Ladder.
- St., Stairs.
- Inc., Incline.
- I., Intake.
- O., Outlet.
-
- In each side of the wall
- Between, there will be
- A and B-- 3 cylindrical valves.
- C and D-- 7 cylindrical valves.
- E and F-- 10 cylindrical valves.
- G and H-- 10 cylindrical valves.
-]
-
-Near the bottom of each wall will be a large culvert for passing water
-from the lakes into the upper chamber, and from chamber to chamber, and
-then out to the canal below the locks. The intakes (See Fig. 2) will
-be located at “I” and outlets at “O”. The water enters and leaves the
-culverts through several small openings, the intakes being screened.
-The flow of water in the culverts is to be controlled by what is called
-the Stoney type of valves. These valves occur in pairs which are
-duplicated at each of the lifts so that if one pair is disabled the
-other set may be used while repairs are being made. On each side wall,
-at the middle gates in the upper lock there will be only one set of
-valves, but none in the middle wall. The flow between the culvert in
-the middle wall and the lock chamber is to be controlled by cylindrical
-valves capable of withstanding pressure on both sides. By using these
-valves water may be saved under certain conditions of lockage by
-cross-connecting the twin chambers through the middle wall.
-
-In each chamber 11 laterals of 41 square feet cross-section will be
-led from the side wall culverts while at the middle culvert there will
-be 10 laterals having a minimum cross-section of 33 square feet. Each
-lateral will have five holes, each of 12 square feet area, opening
-up through the lock floor. The laterals leading from the middle wall
-culvert are to be controlled individually to provide for independent
-operation of the twin chambers.
-
-The lake levels and the desired lock levels are to be maintained by
-large steel miter gates. At the upper and lower end of the upper
-chambers of all locks there will be two sets of these gates operated
-simultaneously so that a vessel entering the upper chamber will always
-have two pairs of gates between it and the lake. At the lower end
-of each flight, besides the regular gates there will be guard gates
-mitering in the opposite direction. They are intended primarily for
-holding back the water in the canal below, when the lock above is
-unwatered for repairs but may be operated during lockages purely as a
-safeguard.
-
-As a protection to the gates heavy fender chains are to be stretched
-across the locks at critical places. They are designed by suitable
-retarding devices to bring a slowly moving vessel to rest before it can
-strike the gate. While the gates below are being opened the chains drop
-into recesses in the walls and across the floor.
-
-Near the upper end of the locks and 200 feet above the uppermost gate,
-an emergency dam of the swing bridge type will be provided to be used
-in case of accident to the upper gates.
-
-The following precautions against accident are to be observed:
-
-First. All vessels must stop some distance from the gates.
-
-Second. The lock operators here take the vessel in charge and control
-its passage through the locks.
-
-Third. If a vessel breaks away from the operators or fails to stop at
-the proper place, it comes against the heavy chains stretched across
-the locks and is either brought to a full stop or is greatly retarded.
-
-Fourth. In case a chain breaks, the vessel has two sets of gates to
-break, if at the upper level, where an accident would be most serious.
-Should all these barriers fail the emergency dam can be swung into
-place in a very short time.
-
-The floors of the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks will have 1 foot
-thickness of concrete on top of the rock as a wearing surface. At
-Gatun, however the rock is of a character susceptible to the weather.
-It has therefore been considered necessary, in constructing the floor
-here, to leave the rock above grade until just before the concrete is
-to be placed and then to scrape and wash the surface to be covered. The
-floor in the lower portion of the upper chamber is to be of concrete
-3 feet thick. The rock here is considered thick enough to withstand
-the pressure from the water-bearing stratum below. Above the middle
-gate, however, this stratum is too thin, and a floor 13 feet thick of
-concrete is provided and anchored by rails set in holes and surrounded
-by concrete.
-
-The main floor level will be about 2 feet below the sills, in order
-that small objects dropped from vessels may be passed without being
-struck.
-
-The sills for the gates are designed as concrete arches in a horizontal
-plane, 31 feet thick throughout and of 100 feet radius at the extrados.
-
-The filling system is designed so that, with all valves opened the
-chamber can be filled in 8 minutes, but to prevent possible damage to
-vessels in the lock the maximum rate will probably not be allowed to
-exceed 3 feet a minute which would correspond to less than 15 minutes
-for filling.
-
-Most of the foregoing discussion is taken from the Engineering Record
-of February 26, 1910.
-
-There has been much criticism of the lock sites, but the engineers now
-in charge seem to have perfect confidence in their work.
-
-During the fiscal year 1908–’09 the work of excavating for the Gatun
-locks was continued by steam shovels and one 20-inch suction dredge.
-Material excavated in the dry amounted to 933,546 cubic yards, and that
-in the wet to 479,950 cubic yards. It was decided to construct curtain
-walls to stop any underflow; these will extend across the lock under
-the sill of the emergency dam and downstream outside the walls to the
-intermediate gates. As an additional precaution to making the concrete
-floor 13 feet thick as before mentioned a system of sumps under the
-floor with telltales in the walls will be built.
-
-The plant for the construction of the locks is practically installed
-and ready for work, it being operated entirely by electricity.
-
-At the Pedro Miguel locks 715,726 cubic yards were removed in 1908–’09.
-One lock chamber was completed to grade, but 45,000 cubic yards remain
-for removal in the other one.
-
-At Miraflores work was done the past year with steam shovels and one
-suction dredge. The total amount excavated was 1,147,527 cubic yards
-which is one-half of the total estimated quantity.
-
-
-
-
-IX. CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAMS
-
-
-The Gatun dam has aroused more adverse criticism than any other canal
-feature. Most startling statements have been made concerning it. Its
-history is worthy of notice. The first study of the Panama route under
-United States authority was made by an Isthmian Canal Commission of
-which Admiral Walker was chairman and Generals Hains and Ernst and Mr.
-Noble were members. With respect to the location of locks, the report
-of this commission said: “No location suitable for a dam exists in the
-Chagres River below Bohio”. Hains and Ernst signed this report. In a
-paper read before the American Society of Civil Engineers on March 5,
-1902, Mr. George S. Morison, a very distinguished American engineer,
-said: “All engineers who have examined the route of the Panama Canal
-agree that the neighborhood of Bohio is the only available location for
-a dam by which the summit level must be maintained”.
-
-Under authority of the President, by executive order dated June 24,
-1905, a board of consulting engineers was appointed to consider
-the various plans proposed for the construction of a canal across
-the Isthmus. The minority of the board, as has been stated before,
-recommended a lock canal with a dam at Gatun. The majority of the
-board, 8 to 5, opposed the idea of a dam and locks at Gatun on two
-grounds: first, that the introduction of locks in a treatment of the
-question was objectionable from many points of view; and, second,
-that the maintenance of a summit by means of an earth dam of immense
-magnitude to control the flood waters of this river introduced an
-element of great danger since the dam, without sheet piling, was
-proposed to be founded on the alluvial-filled gorges of the Chagres
-River, where the depth at one point extended 258 feet below the level
-of the sea.
-
-Of the minority above mentioned one member, Mr. Noble, was a member of
-the former Commission who had reported that Bohio was the lowest point
-on the Chagres where a dam was practicable.
-
-The report was reviewed by the Isthmian Canal Commission which included
-among its members Major Harrod and Generals Hains and Ernst. They all
-indorsed the minority report, notwithstanding the fact that in March,
-1905, Major Harrod was opposed to any lock plan, and that his two
-associates had said in 1901 that no proper site for a dam existed below
-Bohio.
-
-It is true that every consideration of the Panama Canal type by
-any unauthorized body rejected the idea of a dam at Gatun, and its
-indorsement is confined to a minority of the board of consulting
-engineers and to three members of the canal commission who had
-previously either been in favor of a sea-level canal or who had said,
-in effect, that Gatun was not a proper site for the dam.
-
-The attitude of the majority of the board of consulting engineers
-upon this most important question is best shown by an extract from
-its report. “The United States Government is proposing to expend
-many millions of dollars for the construction of this great waterway
-which is to serve the commerce of the world for all time and the very
-existence of which would depend upon the permanent stability and
-unquestioned safety of all dams. The board is therefore of the opinion
-that the existence of such costly facilities for the world’s commerce
-should not depend upon great reservoirs held by earth embankments
-resting literally upon mud foundations or those of even sand and
-gravel. The board is unqualifiedly of opinion that no such vast and
-doubtful experiment should be indulged in, but, on the contrary, that
-every work of whatever nature should be so designed and built as to
-include only those features which experience has demonstrated to be
-positively safe and efficient”.
-
-The remarkable diversity of statement in regard to this dam is shown by
-the following quotations.
-
-Mr. Teller in a speech in the last session of Congress said in part,
-“Let me say a word or two about the great dam to be built at Gatun. We
-were told in the beginning that the engineers would find a foundation
-upon which they could build a safe dam. The French Government declared
-they had found such a foundation; our own engineers declared they had
-found it. It turned out that they had struck some floating pieces of
-rock in the mud, and when they had gone down 287 feet they found the
-same conditions practically that they found in the first 50 feet. The
-place where it is proposed to construct this dirt dam, which will be
-half a mile wide and 135 feet high (now 115 feet), is a great swamp.
-No such dam has ever been built in the history of the world, and the
-engineers of the world, with few exceptions, have declared it cannot be
-built. The dam at Gatun is to be built upon a foundation of doubtful
-safety, and there is not an engineer in the country who does not know
-that it is doubtful”.
-
-Lindon W. Bates, in his “Retrieval at Panama”, says, “The utter
-indifference to real information as to existing conditions at Panama
-has been astounding. Despite, for instance, the private knowledge of
-the Commission in 1906 through their last 15 months that the bores in
-these Gatun gorges were flowing bores, not one additional test had
-been undertaken in them. In summary of foundation conditions one thing
-is certain. First and foremost and indispensibly there must be at the
-Isthmus, since the underground conditions have been revealed, the safe
-barring off of permeable strata under the crucial dam. This cannot be
-done at Gatun for the high dam”.
-
-On the other hand an editorial in the Engineering News of February 25,
-1909, says, “We can testify from actual personal observation and study
-of the dam site and of the borings and pits that the Gatun dam will be
-as safe and permanent as any structure ever reared by man”.
-
-In the President’s message of February 17, 1909 there is this
-statement, “As to the Gatun dam itself, they (the board of engineers)
-show that not only is the dam safe, but that on the whole the plan
-already adopted would make it needlessly high and strong, and
-accordingly they recommend that its height be reduced by 20 feet, which
-change I have accordingly directed”.
-
-In the Engineering News of April 1, 1909 is the following statement,
-“If a private corporation, not subject to the clamor of public
-criticism were confronted with the task of throwing a dam across the
-Chagres Valley at Gatun, they would build a structure which would be
-not more than one-fifth the size of that which is now being built
-there”. Farther on in the same article a comparison of the Gatun dam
-with alluvial dams of India and the levees along the Mississippi is
-summed up with these words, “Compared with any and all of these the
-conditions for safe and permanent dam construction at Gatun may be
-considered ideal”. Is it any wonder that people are confused and
-disgusted when they attempt to obtain the truth?
-
-The length of the dam is to be 7,700 feet, but the natural surface
-reaches or exceeds the dam elevation in three places for about 700 feet
-in all. At the level of 21 feet above the sea it will be about 2,600
-feet long in two sections, separated by Spillway Hill. According to the
-engineer’s report the dam will rest upon brown or blue clay and silt.
-Under the dam there are two geologic gorges, one 185 feet deep (below
-sea level) and the other 255 feet deep. These are filled with river
-alluvium and other deposits, consisting, according to official reports,
-of silt, soil, brown and blue clay, rotten wood, sand, and gravel--the
-most, if not all of it water bearing. The cross-sectional area of the
-shallower gorge is 205,000 square feet and of the deeper one 120,000
-square feet.
-
-(For profile, cross-section, and plan see the following page.)
-
-The dam is to consist of two piles of rock 1,200 feet apart and carried
-up to 60 feet above mean tide with the space between them and up to 115
-feet above sea-level filled by selected material deposited in place by
-the hydraulic process. A slip occurred at one of these rock toes during
-November, 1908, and caused considerable alarm throughout the country,
-so much, in fact, that the President sent W. H. Taft with a group of 7
-noted engineers to investigate. They reported that “A full study of all
-the data and of the material, and of the plans that are proposed leaves
-no doubt in our minds as to the safe, tight, and durable character of
-the Gatun dam”.
-
-At the close of the fiscal year 1908–’09 three 20-inch suction dredges
-were depositing material over the area between the rock piles, and the
-fill had reached an average elevation of 16 feet above sea-level. A
-total of 2,501,372 cubic yards was placed in the dam during the year.
-
-Excavation through the Spillway Hill was practically completed and
-30,464 cubic yards of concrete laid. During the year 359,821 cubic
-yards of material were removed from Spillway hill by steam shovels and
-placed on the dam.
-
-The original canal plans provided for a flight of two locks at La
-Boca, near the Pacific, and one at Pedro Miguel. Steps were taken to
-construct the former and trestles were built along the toes from which
-to dump material from Culebra Cut. The trestles failed after dumping
-began and material overlying the rock moved laterally, the movement
-continuing for two weeks in some places. After this result these dams
-were abandoned so that instead of locks at La Boca they will be built
-at Miraflores. Another reason for the change besides poor foundations
-is the military advantages of the latter over the former position.
-
-Both the dams at Pedro Miguel and Miraflores will be constructed of two
-rock piles, the portion between being filled by hydraulic methods. Very
-little work has been done upon them.
-
-[Illustration: FIG. 3.--PROFILE ON THE AXIS OF THE GATUN DAM SITE
-SHOWING UNDERLYING MATERIAL AS DETERMINED BY BORING.
-
-(From Report of C. M. Saville, Assistant Engineer, August 29, 1908.)]
-
-[Illustration: FIG. 4.--Revised cross-section of Gatun Dam as
-recommended by Board of Consulting Engineers, February, 1909.]
-
-[Illustration: FIG. 5.--GENERAL PLAN OF GATUN DAM.]
-
-
-
-
-X. SANITATION
-
-
-At Panama the seasons are divided into two well defined periods: the
-dry, or winter, and the wet, or summer seasons. By this occurrence of
-maximum moisture and maximum heat, the health conditions are made the
-worst possible.
-
-The dry season includes the months of January, February, March and
-April, the rainy season the remainder of the year. During the dry
-season the average temperature at Colon for 6 years was 70.5° F, with
-a monthly maximum of 90.9° F, which came in January, and a monthly
-minimum of 68.4° in the same month. During the rainy season the maximum
-average temperature for any month occurred in October and was 91.9° F.
-The minimum was 66.9° F., for August. A record of 15 years at Colon
-shows a maximum rainfall of 154.9 inches and a mean of 130.2 inches.
-Four years’ records at Panama show a maximum of 84.73 inches and an
-average of 66.8 inches. At Culebra the records for 3 years showed a
-maximum of 98.97 inches and a minimum of 64.25 inches.
-
-The most common forms of disease on the Isthmus are due to fevers.
-According to good authority the most sickly period is September,
-October and November, during which time dysentery and a severe bilious
-fever are very common. Foreigners seldom acquire the immunity of the
-natives from local diseases. The Isthmus by various writers has been
-called, “The Grave of the European”, “The Pest-House of the Tropics”,
-and one author says that here truly “Life dies and death lives”.
-
-On account of the health conditions the labor question is greatly
-complicated. For this reason extreme care has been taken by the United
-States Government to do all in the power of science to make the
-zone a healthy locality. Sanitation expenses will average at least
-$2,000,000 per year. The work has been under the direct supervision of
-Colonel W. C. Gorgas. The war on the mosquito has been continual and
-unrelenting. For the first two months of the fiscal year 1908–’09, the
-work in the Canal Zone, consisted of the collection and disposal of
-garbage and night soil, the cutting of grass and brush, and sanitary
-drainage and oiling. In the terminal cities the work consists of
-inspection, fumigation, grass cutting, surface drainage, and oiling
-undrained areas.
-
-This department also has charge of the hospitals and of the quarantine.
-As far as possible all the sick are concentrated at Ancon.
-
-Last year’s records show an improvement over the preceding year. The
-total number of employees admitted to the hospitals and sick camps
-amounted to 46,194, representing 23.49 as the number of men sick daily
-as against 23.85 for the preceding year. The number of deaths was 530.
-According to these figures the Canal Zone is one of the healthiest
-communities in the world; but it must be remembered that the population
-there consists of men and women in the prime of life and that a number
-of the sick are returned to the United States before death overtakes
-them.
-
-There were no cases of plague or yellow fever originating on the
-Isthmus during the year 1908–’09. The last case of yellow fever
-occurred in May, 1906.
-
-A supply of perfectly healthful water has been secured by the
-construction of reservoir at different points of the Zone, and the
-Commission hotels and cottages have all the advantages of an excellent
-modern water system.
-
-
-
-
-XI. SOCIAL LIFE
-
-
-Those who have endeavored to better the standard of social life at
-Panama have met with difficulties always connected with an enterprise
-of the character and magnitude of the great Canal. It is surprising
-what has been accomplished. Questionable amusements there are, but that
-is to be expected among such an assemblage of men. Nevertheless, the
-conditions of living there are gradually approaching what we find in
-the average community in the United States.
-
-There is a well organized school system in the Canal Zone. Twelve
-schools are maintained for white children and seventeen for colored
-children. The highest monthly enrollment was 675 whites and 1,417
-colored pupils. There is a superintendent of schools and assistant
-supervisor of primary grades.
-
-Two high schools are in operation, one at Culebra and one at Cristobal.
-Children at other points in the Zone requiring high school instruction
-are given free transportation over the railroad by the Commission.
-Instruction is given in algebra, geometry, physical geography, general
-history, botany, English, German, French, Spanish, and Latin. There
-were but 25 children who took high school work in 1908–’09.
-
-In addition to the transportation given high school pupils,
-transportation is given to children in towns where no white schools are
-maintained. Last year children were also carried by wagon from Balboa
-to Ancon, as were high school pupils from Empire and Culebra. A boat
-and ferryman were employed in two cases.
-
-Quarters are furnished free to all the men, married and unmarried.
-Roosevelt, upon his return from Panama said the wives of the employees
-seemed satisfied with their home life and surroundings. The houses are
-excellent considering the conditions.
-
-Employees purchase all necessary supplies from government commissaries
-at about the same prices as are current in the United States. On every
-workday a refrigerator car runs from Colon to Panama and delivers to
-the various villages all orders previously placed for supplies such as
-ice, meat, vegetables and fruit. Payment is made by the use of coupons,
-their values being deducted from the employee’s salary.
-
-Employees are allowed free medical, surgical, and hospital attendance,
-including medicines and food while in the hospital.
-
-Employees with salaries fixed on an annual or monthly basis receive no
-pay for overtime work but if their health requires it, will be granted
-a leave of 6 weeks absence or less during the year with full pay. Those
-who are paid by the hour do, of course, receive pay for overtime work.
-
-A number of suitable church buildings has been erected by the
-Commission. They are two-story buildings, the upper floors being
-fitted up as lodge rooms and the first floor for religious purposes.
-Practically every religious denomination is now represented on the
-Isthmus by the chaplains employed by the Commission.
-
-Roosevelt stated after his visit to the Zone that “It is imperatively
-necessary to provide ample recreation and amusement if the men are
-to be kept well and healthy.” To this end four clubhouses have been
-completed at Culebra, Empire, Gorgona, and Cristobal and several
-more are contemplated. The four are alike in design, and consist of
-a front building of two stories connected with a rear building of
-one story. The front part is 135 feet by 45 feet, and contains a
-social parlor, a card room, a billiard and writing room on the first
-floor and an assembly hall on the second floor. The rear building,
-100 feet by 28 feet, contains a double bowling alley, a gymnasium,
-shower baths, and over a hundred single lockers. The Commission,
-assisted by the Young Men’s Christian Association, manages these
-buildings. Besides furnishing a library of 787 volumes to each of these
-buildings provision is made for the delivery of 100 weekly and monthly
-periodicals.
-
-Last year 1908–’09, 2,140 employees availed themselves of regular
-membership privileges. The membership rate is 10 dollars per year. The
-fact that 56,835 games in bowling took place during the year shows the
-extensive use made of these buildings.
-
-There are various athletic organizations on the Isthmus. Gymnasium
-activities have consisted mostly of basket ball and indoor baseball.
-Field sports are sometimes held on moonlight nights and holidays. An
-athletic park has been built near Cristobal.
-
-During the year there were 81 performances given by lyceum and
-vaudeville talent from the United States, with an attendance of
-18,225. Chess, checker, glee, minstrel, dramatic, and orchestra clubs
-have been successfully maintained.
-
-“These associations have held a vital relation to the canal
-construction in promoting contentment among employees, furnishing
-healthful amusement, effecting greater permanency of the force, and in
-elevating the standards of living”.
-
-
-
-
-XII. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
-
-
-The economic importance of the Panama Canal is a fruitful topic for
-discussion. Some authorities think that a large share of the world’s
-commerce will naturally and immediately use this new path between the
-oceans; but the general opinion of those best fitted to decide is that
-the canal will not be a paying investment, at least for the first
-years of its operation. As a German paper puts it, “Nobody thinks of
-remunerativeness any more. The fruits of the enterprise consist in
-indirect profits; they must be looked for in the military-political
-field and in the promotion of American commerce. In this lies the
-center of gravity of the situation”.
-
-From a commercial standpoint the canal will be of little or no
-advantage to Europe for the way to the whole of eastern Asia and
-Australia, inclusive of New Zealand via the Suez Canal will remain
-much nearer. For Europe, then, the only saving is in traffic with the
-west coast of America. In commerce with western South America England
-occupies first place, and is followed by Germany, the United States and
-France, in the order named. It is to be noted that vessels trading with
-the southern portion of the west coast of South America will prefer to
-go around Cape Horn rather than pay the tolls through the Panama Canal.
-
-The greatest commercial advantage comes to the eastern ports of the
-United States, namely 9,531 nautical miles between New York and San
-Francisco, so that New York on this route gains 2,889 miles more, for
-example, than Hamburg, Germany. The main fact, however, is that this
-saving is so large on the route from New York to Eastern Asia and
-Australia that it changes the present disadvantage of New York into
-an advantage when compared with many European ports. From Hamburg to
-Hongkong, via Suez, the distance is 10,542 miles; from New York to
-Hongkong, via Suez, it is 11,655 miles. The Panama Canal will give
-nothing to Hamburg but a saving of 1,820 miles to New York so that the
-distance will be 707 miles less than from Hamburg. In routes to the
-more northern ports of eastern Asia, as well as to those of eastern
-Australia, the gain of New York is still greater. From Hamburg via
-Suez to Melbourne is 12,367 miles; from New York 12,500 miles. Via
-Panama, however, the distance from New York is only 10,427 miles, so
-that New York will be about 2,000 miles nearer than Hamburg. In many
-cases therefore the Panama Canal will give New York a decided advantage
-over European ports.
-
-There are other than commercial reasons for building the canal. The
-effect which it will have upon the tropical districts of the west
-is worth considering. An author on “Social Evolution” in describing
-this region said that there are only two words which adequately
-represent the conditions of this country, “anarchy and bankruptcy”,
-and he suggests removing the anarchy by the substitution of strong
-and righteous government. Can any one doubt that the construction of
-an international waterway through the Isthmus will tend to improve
-administration in the American tropics?
-
-[Illustration:
-
- GENERAL MAP
- OF THE
- CANAL ZONE
- AND THE
- PANAMA CANAL
-]
-
-
-
-
-Transcriber’s Notes
-
-
-Punctuation and spelling were made consistent when a predominant
-preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed.
-
-The original text was typed, not printed. Consequently, there were
-more typographical errors than would normally be found in a book, and
-Transcribers corrected most of them without noting the individual
-corrections here.
-
-Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained; occurrences of
-inconsistent hyphenation have not been changed.
-
-Transcriber segmented the map at the end of the book into three larger
-parts for readability, in addition to retaining an image of the original.
-
-“Maratime” was printed that way, twice; “Maritime” did not occur in
-this book.
-
-Page 3: “concensus” was printed that way.
-
-Page 15: “built on the lock canal” was printed as “built on the
-sea-level canal”, but “sea-level” was crossed out by hand and replaced
-by what appears to be “Loc”. Given the context and name of the chapter,
-Transcribers decided it was intended to be “lock”.
-
-
-
-
-
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-<pre>
-
-The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Panama Canal, by Harry Clow Boardman
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
-other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
-whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of
-the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at
-www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have
-to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.
-
-
-
-Title: The Panama Canal
-
-Author: Harry Clow Boardman
-
-Release Date: November 14, 2017 [EBook #55970]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: UTF-8
-
-*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PANAMA CANAL ***
-
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-Produced by Charlie Howard and The Online Distributed
-Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
-produced from images generously made available by The
-Internet Archive)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-</pre>
-
-
-<div class="transnote covernote"><p class="large center">Transcriber’s Note</p>
-
-<p>Transcriber modified the original cover and added a map
-to it, taken from the original book. The modifications
-as well as the original are in the Public Domain.</p>
-</div>
-
-<h1>THE PANAMA CANAL</h1>
-
-<p class="p2 center vspace2"><span class="small">BY</span><br />
-
-<span class="smcap larger">Harry Clow Boardman</span></p>
-
-<p class="p2 center vspace2"><span class="large">THESIS</span><br />
-
-<span class="small">FOR THE</span><br />
-
-<span class="smaller">DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE</span><br />
-
-<span class="small">IN</span><br />
-
-<span class="smaller">CIVIL ENGINEERING</span></p>
-
-<p class="p2 center vspace2"><span class="smaller">COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING</span><br />
-
-UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS</p>
-
-<p class="p2 center"><span class="small">PRESENTED JUNE, 1910</span></p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p class="newpage p4 center vspace">UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS<br />
-
-COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING.</p>
-
-<p class="p2 sigright">June 1, 1910</p>
-
-<p class="vspace">This is to certify that the thesis of HARRY
-CLOW BOARDMAN entitled The Panama Canal is approved by me as
-meeting this part of the requirements for the degree of
-Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.</p>
-
-<p class="p2 sigright">
-<span class="l2 ul">F. O. Dufour</span><br />
-Instructor in Charge.</p>
-
-<p class="p2 in0">
-Approved:<br />
-<br />
-<span class="in4 ul">Ira O. Baker.</span><br />
-<span class="in4">Professor of Civil Engineering.</span></p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<div class="chapter">
-<h2 id="OUTLINE_OF_THESIS_ON_THE_PANAMA_CANAL">OUTLINE OF THESIS ON THE PANAMA CANAL</h2>
-</div>
-
-<table id="toc" summary="Outline">
- <tr class="smaller">
- <td> </td>
- <td> </td>
- <td class="tdr nobpad">Page</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">I.</td>
- <td class="tdl">INTRODUCTION</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_1">v</a></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">II.</td>
- <td class="tdl">INTEROCEANIC CANALS</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_2">1</a></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">III.</td>
- <td class="tdl">HISTORY OF THE PANAMA CANAL</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_3">6</a></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">IV.</td>
- <td class="tdl">TYPE OF CANAL, (Lock or Sea-level)</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_4">13</a></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">V.</td>
- <td class="tdl">LOCATION, SIZE AND PLAN</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_5">20</a></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">VI.</td>
- <td class="tdl">ORGANIZATION OF FORCES</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_6">21</a></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">VII.</td>
- <td class="tdl">CONSTRUCTION OF THE CANAL PRISM</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_7">26</a></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">VIII.</td>
- <td class="tdl">CONSTRUCTION OF THE LOCKS</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_8">29</a></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">IX.</td>
- <td class="tdl">CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAMS</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_9">33</a></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">X.</td>
- <td class="tdl">SANITATION</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_10">38</a></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">XI.</td>
- <td class="tdl">SOCIAL LIFE</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_11">40</a></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">XII.</td>
- <td class="tdl">ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE</td>
- <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap_12">43</a></td></tr>
-</table>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_v">v</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_1" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="I_INTRODUCTION">I. INTRODUCTION</h2>
-</div>
-
-<p>The building of a canal across the American Isthmus has
-occupied the attention of the world for four hundred years. While
-yet the sailors who crossed the sea with Columbus were living in all
-the vigor of mature manhood, a Spanish engineer drew the plans for
-an artificial waterway across the Isthmus and submitted them to the
-King of Spain. From that time to this the building of an Isthmian
-Canal has been a fascinating project in the minds of progressive men.
-Attempts to build it have resulted in the loss of thousands of lives
-and the squandering of millions of treasure; and this “dream of the
-centuries” is still unrealized.</p>
-
-<div id="fig_1" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 50em;">
- <img src="images/i_009.jpg" width="800" height="555" alt="" />
- <div class="caption">
- <p>
- <i>PROPOSED ROUTES<br />
- FOR AN<br />
- ISTHMIAN CANAL.</i>
- </p>
-
- <p class="p2"><i>FIG. 1.</i></p></div></div>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">1</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_2" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="II_INTEROCEANIC_CANALS">II. INTEROCEANIC CANALS</h2>
-</div>
-
-<p>There are at least five routes which at one time or another have been
-chosen and seriously considered as possible locations for the Isthmian Canal.
-They are: the Atrato-Napipi, the San Blas, the Tehuantepec, the Nicaragua, and
-the Panama routes.</p>
-
-<p>The Atrato-Napipi route follows the river Atrato, which empties into
-the Gulf of Darien, as far as the mouth of its tributary, the Napipi, thence up
-that river through the mountains and empties in Capica Bay. See <a href="#fig_1">Fig. 1</a>, No. 1.</p>
-
-<p>The San Blas route runs from the bay of the same name on the Atlantic
-side to the river Chipo which empties in the Gulf of Panama. It is only forty
-or fifty miles southeast of the Panama route. See <a href="#fig_1">Fig. 1</a>, No. 2.</p>
-
-<p>The Tehuantepec route begins at the bay of Coatzacoalcos in the Bay of
-Campeche and ends at the harbor of Salina Cruz in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. See
-<a href="#fig_1">Fig. 1</a>, No. 3.</p>
-
-<p>All modern engineers thrust these aside as impracticable, the first
-two because of the necessity for tunnels and the last because of its great length
-and number of locks. They will, therefore, receive no further attention.</p>
-
-<p>The choice of the location for an Interoceanic canal has long been conceded
-by practical engineers to lie between the Nicaragua and Panama routes. A
-consideration of the natural advantages and disadvantages of these rival lines
-follows.</p>
-
-<p>Since the Nicaragua route has been abandoned the features of the proposed
-construction will receive no attention. It is highly probable that this
-route would never have been seriously considered by the United States had it not
-been for the fact that the Panama line was for many years under the control of
-France and apparently was destined to continue so for a considerable period.</p>
-
-<p>Logically the question of harbors first suggests itself. Natural harbors
-do not exist in Nicaragua nor could one be excavated and maintained on the
-Atlantic side without a continual battle with forces which, in the last fifty
-years, have transformed what was once an excellent harbor at Greytown into a
-lagoon partially enclosed by an ever advancing line of sand brought down by the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">2</span>
-river San Juan. Experience on the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United
-States has given abundant evidence of the results of a fight with such forces.
-In his “The American Isthmus and Interoceanic Canal” W. Henry Hunter says, “The
-policy which fights against the forces of nature is a mistaken one; it is foredoomed
-to failure. Nature may be aided in her operations; her more gigantic
-forces may to some extent be curbed and controlled; but an almost certain Nemesis
-pursues any effort which may be made to arrest and to determine in an absolute
-way a process so continuous as that of the filling up of the Greytown bight.”</p>
-
-<p>Brito, the Pacific terminus, is little better than Greytown since “even
-in the calmest weather there is a nearly constant surf, with breakers from four
-to ten feet high.” Therefore, the terminus at Greytown would always be in danger
-of being filled up by the Atlantic waves and the one at Brito would constantly
-be liable to destruction by the Pacific breakers.</p>
-
-<p>On the other hand the natural harbors of the Panama route have successfully
-met the demands of commerce for the last four hundred years. On the
-Pacific end practically no harbor improvements will be necessary. On the Atlantic
-the present needs are satisfied, but the large steamers of the future may
-require deepening which can be done and the resulting channel easily maintained
-since there is no persistent filling in process such as characterizes the Greytown
-harbor.</p>
-
-<p>Volcanoes have long been plentiful in Central America, especially near
-the proposed Nicaragua canal. Nicaragua Lake, so geologists say, owes its
-separation from the Pacific to a great upheaval. There is now an active volcano
-near which ships would have to pass. From January 1, 1901 to April 30, 1904, a
-period of forty consecutive months, the instruments of the Instituto-Fisico Geografico,
-located 60 miles from the locks of the proposed canal, recorded 43 tremors,
-91 slight shocks and 35 strong shocks, some of which lasted 16 minutes.
-Similar observations at Panama for the same period revealed only 6 tremors and 4
-slight shocks, the longest being for a period of only 10 seconds. The lock gates
-of a canal might very easily be injured by earthquakes; and common sense would
-dictate that other things being equal, the canal should be placed where the
-shocks are fewest.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">3</span>
-Strong trade winds rush through the San Juan gorge at all seasons.
-The rainfall near the Atlantic is enormous, averaging from 260 to 270 inches per
-year, and rain may be expected any day. In the western part the fall is only
-65 inches, and there is also a well defined dry season. Clear vision is essential
-to safe passage through the canal and it is extremely doubtful if it could
-be obtained under the above conditions. Still more serious perhaps is the excessive
-curvature of the channel for 50 miles of its course. It is impossible
-to reduce the curvature to the limit which experience on the Suez canal has proved
-necessary for safety and speed. Furthermore the channel must carry off to
-the sea the drainage from 12,000 square miles of territory. This cannot do
-otherwise than create currents and eddies unfavorable to navigation.</p>
-
-<p>The Panama route has no continued strong winds; the curvature is comparatively
-favorable; the annual rainfall is from 140 inches on the Atlantic
-coast to about 60 inches on the Pacific, with a definite dry season of three
-months; and the concensus of expert engineering opinion is that there need be no
-objectionable currents if proper provision is made for the regulation of the
-Chagres river. This phase will be discussed later as will also the question of
-curvature.</p>
-
-<p>Much has been said about the advantages furnished by Lake Nicaragua
-which covers about 70 miles of the Canal route. However, for 29 miles of that
-distance, an artificial channel through soft mud would be necessary, and dredging
-would probably be practically continuous for maintenance.</p>
-
-<p>From a purely engineering standpoint the most serious objection to this
-route is the liability to interruption for lack of water in seasons of extreme
-drought which are not at all uncommon in that region. Upon first thought it
-seems that a lake 3,000 square miles in extent cannot be other than an ideal
-source of supply, but such is not the case. By the proposed dam on the lower
-San Juan river the channel of the stream would become an arm of the lake through
-which all shipping would have to pass, the depth of water being, of course, dependent
-upon the lake level. This level has a natural variation of 13 feet.
-Under the projected conditions the whole outflow would pass over the dam about 50
-miles away from the lake proper. The present high water mark cannot be exceeded
-without flooding valuable lands, nor, on the other hand, can the channel depth<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">4</span>
-be made as great as desirable because the river bed is crossed by many rock
-ledges, and the cost of excavation fixes a limit to the depth economically practicable.
-The Isthmian Canal Commission of 1899–’01 concluded that the variation
-would have to be reduced to 7 feet. This means that the level would be held between
-104 and 111 feet above tide water and the river bed excavated enough to
-give a minimum sailing depth of 40 feet. Records show no regular succession of
-high and low lake years; and as it is plainly impossible to keep a reserve sufficient
-to control such an enormous expanse of water, the regulation of this most
-important matter would be left to the judgment of the operator controlling the
-overflow at the dam. Carelessness or bad judgment on his part might therefore
-easily stop traffic for an indefinite period.</p>
-
-<p>There is a similar question in regard to Gatun Lake of the Panama line
-although the majority of authorities anticipate no trouble from that source. A
-more complete discussion of this danger will be given later.</p>
-
-<p>Concerning the actual difficulties of construction at Nicaragua, little
-need be said inasmuch as no work is now contemplated there. The San Juan dam
-of the Nicaragua and the Gatun dam of the Panama route both present conditions
-which have never been met before. Also the deep cuts of the Culebra find their
-counterpart in portions of the longer route.</p>
-
-<p>The time-saving element is of more apparent than real importance because
-the time lost on the longer sea-voyage for the Panama route would be practically
-balanced by the gain of time in actual passage through the canal, the
-Nicaragua route being about four times as long as the Panama route. Henry L.
-Abbot, in his “Problems of the Panama Canal”, estimates that 34 hours more time
-would be required for passage by way of the Nicaragua than by way of the Panama
-route.</p>
-
-<p>An excellent reason for the adoption of the Panama rather than the
-Nicaragua route was the existence of a good railroad and the fact that the French
-had actually completed about two fifths of the work required.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">5</span></p>
-
-<h3>SUMMARY OF COMPARISON</h3>
-
-<p>Below is given a summary of the comparisons which have just been discussed.</p>
-
-<table id="routes" summary="Panama route vs. Nicaragua route">
- <tr>
- <td class="tdc head w50"><i>Panama Route</i></td>
- <td class="tdc head w50"><i>Nicaragua Route</i></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">There are two good harbors.</td>
- <td class="tdl">There are no good harbors.</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">There is a good railroad.</td>
- <td class="tdl">There is a very poor railroad.</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">Two-fifths of the work is completed.</td>
- <td class="tdl">No work is completed.</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl w50">The projected construction, according to the majority of engineers, is justified by good engineering practice.</td>
- <td class="tdl w50">A dam without precedent in canal work is projected.</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">Except at Bohio, the annual rainfall nowhere exceeds 93 inches.</td>
- <td class="tdl">The most difficult works are where the rainfall is nearly 256 inches.</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">The length is 50 miles.</td>
- <td class="tdl">The length is 176 miles.</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">There are no active volcanoes.</td>
- <td class="tdl">There is one active volcano near the route.</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">The time of transit is 14 hours.</td>
- <td class="tdl">The time of transit is 44 hours.</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">The curvature is comparatively gentle.</td>
- <td class="tdl">The curvature is sharp.</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl">No troublesome winds and cross-currents are expected.</td>
- <td class="tdl">Heavy trade winds and strong currents would be troublesome.</td></tr>
-</table>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">6</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_3" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="III_HISTORY_OF_THE_PANAMA_ROUTE">III. HISTORY OF THE PANAMA ROUTE</h2>
-</div>
-
-<p>The Panama route as a line of transit was first established between
-the years 1517 and 1520. The first settlement on the site of old Panama, six
-or seven miles east of the present city, was made in 1517. The Atlantic end,
-called Nombre de Dios, was built in 1519. Here Balboa was tried and executed.
-It grew rapidly in importance and in 1521 became a city by royal decree.</p>
-
-<p>Even at that early date a road was established across the Isthmus. It,
-however, did not enter the city of Panama, but at the Pacific end passed through
-a small town called Cruces on the Chagres river about 17 miles distant, and at the
-Atlantic end passed through Nombre de Dios. The latter terminus did not prove
-satisfactory so the town of Porto Bello was made the Atlantic Port in 1597. This
-also was subsequently abandoned. At least part of this road was paved, and
-bridges were built over the streams. Even today its course is well defined.</p>
-
-<p>As early as 1534 boats began to pass up and down the Chagres river between
-Cruces and its mouth on the Caribbean shore and thence along the coast to
-Nombre de Dios, and later to Porto Bello. The commerce thus begun increased
-rapidly during the sixteenth century and Panama became a very important commercial
-center with a trade extending to the Spice Islands and the Asiatic coast.
-It was at the height of its power in 1585 and was called the “toll-gate between
-western Europe and Eastern Asia.”</p>
-
-<p>In time this commercial prosperity, which enriched Spain, called the
-attention of her rulers and others to the possibility of constructing an interoceanic
-ship-canal. Tradition says that Charles V ordered a survey in 1520 to
-determine the feasibility of a canal, but that the governor reported such an
-undertaking absolutely impossible for any monarch.</p>
-
-<p>From that time the prosperity of Panama increased rapidly. Lines of
-trade were established with the west coast of South America and the Pacific ports
-of Central America. Its glory came to a sudden end when, on the sixth of February,
-1671, it was sacked and burned by Morgan’s buccaneers. A new city, the
-present Panama, was founded in 1673, but the old one was never rebuilt.</p>
-
-<p>The project of a canal on this route, because of its romantic and commercial<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">7</span>
-interest, was kept alive for more than three centuries without definite
-action being taken. Finally, in 1876, a French Company was organized at Paris
-to make surveys preparatory to building a ship canal across the Isthmus.</p>
-
-<p>Lieutenant L. N. E. Wyse, a French naval officer, had immediate charge
-of the work. He obtained a concession, known as the Wyse Concession, from
-Colombia giving France the necessary rights for the construction of a canal.</p>
-
-<p>In May, 1879, an international congress was convened in Paris under the
-auspices of Ferdinand de Lesseps, to consider the question of the best location
-and plan for the canal. This congress, after a two weeks session, decided in
-favor of a sea-level canal without locks to be located on the Panama route.</p>
-
-<p>Immediately after this action the Panama Canal Company was organized
-under the general laws of France with Ferdinand de Lesseps as its president. The
-Wyse concession was purchased by the company, and after two attempts the stock
-was successfully floated in December, 1880. Two years were then devoted to surveys
-and preliminary work. In the plan first adopted the canal was to be 29.5
-feet deep and 72 feet wide at the bottom. Leaving Colon, the canal passed
-through low ground to the valley of the Chagres river at Gatun; thence through
-the valley to Obispo where it left the river and crossed the continental divide
-by means of a tunnel and reached the Pacific through the valley of the Rio Grande.
-The tides on the Pacific were to be overcome by sloping the bottom of the Pacific
-end of the canal. No provision was made for controlling the Chagres.</p>
-
-<p>Early in the eighties a tidal lock near the Pacific was added to the
-plan, and various schemes for the control of the Chagres were proposed, the one
-most favored being the construction of the dam at Gamboa. The tunnel idea was
-soon abandoned.</p>
-
-<p>The French engineers estimated that the excavation would be about
-157,000,000 cubic yards, that eight years would be required for completion, and
-that the cost would be $127,600,000. Work proceeded continuously until 1887,
-when a change to the lock type was made in order to secure the use of the canal
-as soon as possible, it being understood that the construction of a sea-level
-canal was not to be abandoned but merely deferred until financial conditions
-would allow its completion. This new plan placed the summit level above the
-Chagres river, and proposed to supply this summit level with water pumped from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">8</span>
-that stream. Work went on until 1889 when the company became bankrupt; and on
-February 4, a liquidator was appointed to take charge of its affairs. Work was
-stopped on May 15, 1889.</p>
-
-<p>The liquidator appointed a commission of eleven engineers to give him
-technical advice as to the condition of the work and the best methods for its
-completion. Five of these commissioners visited the Isthmus and reported on
-May 5, 1890. The report contained plans for the completion of a lock canal and
-emphasized the necessity for more complete examinations before beginning work.
-This advice was followed by the liquidator who at once took steps for the formation
-of a new company, and at the same time continued to take careful observations
-on the Isthmus, and these observations have been of great value since then.</p>
-
-<p>The New Panama Canal Company was organized in October, 1894. It proposed
-to construct a sea-level canal from the Atlantic as far as Bohio (See <a href="#i_map">Map</a>,
-pp 45), where a dam was to form a lake as far as Bas Obispo, the difference in
-elevation being overcome by two locks. The summit level extended from Bas
-Obispo to Paraiso, and was reached by two more locks and received water from an
-artificial reservoir formed by a dam at Alhajuela in the upper Chagres valley.
-Four dams were located on the Pacific side, the two middle ones at Pedro Miguel
-combined in a flight.</p>
-
-<p>Work continued on this plan up to the time of the Spanish-American War
-in 1898. About that time a “Comite Technique”, as it was called, composed of
-seven French and seven foreign engineers who had been appointed by the Board of
-Directors of the New Company, submitted its final report upon the canal. It was
-estimated that, at a cost of $100,000,000 a canal suitable for all commercial
-needs could be completed in 10 years.</p>
-
-<p>Had matters continued as before it is probable that the New Canal Company
-would have completed the canal as it had planned. But the Spanish-American
-War developed wholly new conditions. The trip of the Oregon around Cape Horn
-drew the attention of the American people to the importance of an interoceanic
-canal. Prior to this time the Board of Directors of the New Company, although
-aware that the Maratime Canal Company was actively engaged in securing funds
-from the United States Congress for the Nicaragua route, were so confident that
-a canal by that route could never seriously compete with their own that they<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">9</span>
-gave little attention to the efforts of their rival. Now, however, if the newly
-awakened popular demand for a canal should induce the American government to
-undertake the work, the New Company would face two formidable conditions, namely,
-the difficulty of raising funds for the completion of the Panama Canal would be
-greatly increased if the parallel route were supported by the United States and
-the question of labor would become greatly complicated.</p>
-
-<p>Knowing that the favorable conditions created by the French at Panama
-were unknown in the United States and certain that if known the United States
-would assist rather than retard the work the Board of Directors, on December 2,
-1898, sent a complete copy of the report of the “Comite Technique” to President
-McKinley and offered to explain the exact conditions to any body of men appointed
-for the purpose. This offer came at the proper time since Congress was then
-ready to pass a bill to aid the Maratime Company in the construction of a canal
-on the Nicaragua route. On February 27, 1899 the representatives of the New
-Company were granted a hearing in the House of Representatives. They presented
-a technical exhibit, and stated that their company was authorized to reincorporate
-as an American company under American laws. So ably did they present their
-case that ultimately on March 3, 1899, by act of Congress a commission, known as
-the “Isthmian Canal Commission” was appointed by the President to determine the
-“most practicable and feasible route for an Isthmian canal, with the cost of constructing
-the same and placing it under the control, management, and ownership
-of the United States.”</p>
-
-<p>The original intention of the New Panama Canal Company in bringing the
-subject before the United States was not to sell its rights on the Isthmus but to
-reincorporate and receive the support of American wealth. However, it was evident
-that the United States desired absolute control, and accordingly the consent
-of Colombia to a transfer was obtained and the Company prepared a classified list
-of its properties which it placed before the Isthmian Canal Commission on October
-2, 1901 with the statement that the sums given were not to be considered as final
-but were merely presented as a basis for discussion. The Commission, however,
-refused to take this view of the matter and persisted in considering the prices
-offered as constituting, when summed up, a definite lump sum for which the Company
-would sell its property. This lump sum was $109,141,500. The Commission’s<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">10</span>
-valuation was $40,000,000. Consequently when the Commission made its final report
-it closed with these words, “Having in view the terms offered by the New
-Panama Canal Company this Commission is of the opinion that the most practicable
-and feasible route for an Isthmian Canal to be under the control, management,
-and ownership of the United States is that known as the Nicaragua route.”</p>
-
-<p>When the French Company heard this report it immediately offered to
-sell its property for $40,000,000. Accordingly the Commission made a supplementary
-report on January 18, 1902 stating that “After considering the changed
-conditions that now exist, the Commission is of the opinion that the most practicable
-and feasible route for an Isthmian canal to be under the control, management,
-and ownership of the United States is that known as the Panama route.”</p>
-
-<p>Thus it came about that the United States was authorized to obtain permanent
-possession of the concessions and properties of the New Panama Canal Company
-at a very low price.</p>
-
-<p>Congress meanwhile had not waited for the report of the Commission but
-had passed a bill known as the Hepburn Bill, authorizing the President to acquire
-the right to construct a canal at Nicaragua and to begin the actual construction.
-Ten million dollars were appropriated and contracts for material and work to the
-sum of $140,000,000 authorized. Many discussions arose in the Senate; and a
-strong feeling in favor of the Panama route became apparent. Senator Hanna was
-especially active. He sent letters to eighty shipowners, shipmasters, officers
-and pilots, in which he enclosed a description of the two routes and a list of
-questions intended to bring out their relative merits from a practical viewpoint.
-Their answers were all in favor of the Panama route. As a result of the long
-debate a bill was passed June 26, 1902 with the President’s approval. In effect
-it was as follows. The President is authorized to acquire for the sum of
-$40,000,000 or less the rights and property of the New Panama Canal Company, and
-by treaty with Colombia, the perpetual control of the strip of territory necessary
-for operating the canal and is then instructed to proceed and complete the work
-under an Isthmian Canal Commission of seven members to be appointed by him. One
-hundred and forty-five million dollars was pledged for this purpose.</p>
-
-<p>The Hay-Herran treaty with Colombia was signed January 22, 1902, but
-failed of ratification by Colombia. In November, 1903, however, there was a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">11</span>
-successful revolution upon the Isthmus and a republican form of government was
-adopted. The Hay-Bunan-Varilla treaty was thereupon made on November 18, 1903.
-It was ratified by both governments on February 26, 1904. It gave the United
-States control of a strip of land ten miles wide, five on each side of the canal.</p>
-
-<p>Since then the work has proceeded under the complete control and supervision
-of the United States. The President, whose duty it was to provide for
-the government of the Canal Zone, put that as well as the engineering into the
-hands of the Commission of seven members which he had appointed. It has remained
-there. The office of chief engineer has been held by three men, J. F.
-Wallace, J. F. Stevens and G. W. Goethals, the first two of whom resigned.</p>
-
-<p>The question of a sea-level canal was again agitated and became so insistent
-that the President appointed an international board of engineers, consisting
-of thirteen members, to assemble in Washington September 1, 1905 to consider
-the various plans for the construction of the canal submitted to it. The
-board consisted of five foreign and five United States engineers, three of the
-latter having formerly served on the canal commission. The Board visited the
-Isthmus on September 28, had some examinations made for its enlightenment and in
-November submitted a majority report signed by the five foreign engineers and the
-three former members of the commission, and a minority report, the former advocating
-a sea-level canal and the latter a lock canal with the summit level 85’
-above the sea. The Isthmian Canal Commission with but one dissenting voice
-recommended the adoption of the lock type proposed by the minority.</p>
-
-<p>On June 29, 1906 Congress in opposition to the majority report of the
-engineers, provided that the 85-foot lock type of canal be constructed across
-the Isthmus; and work has since continued on that plan. This final decision,
-however, was made with reluctance by many congressmen and some of them are regretting
-it today.</p>
-
-<p>This Congress also decided that all materials used in building the
-canal should be purchased in the United States.</p>
-
-<p>Early in 1909 a special body of engineers appointed by the President
-accompanied W. H. Taft on an inspection trip to Panama particularly with a view
-to determining the feasibility of the Gatun dam project. In a report made
-February 16 they unanimously approved the plans for the various changes in the
-original project made by the engineer. This included the widening of the locks<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">12</span>
-to 110 feet and constructing the Pacific dams at Miraflores instead of at La
-Boca.</p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">13</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_4" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="IV_TYPE_OF_CANAL">IV. TYPE OF CANAL</h2>
-</div>
-
-<p>The controversy over the relative merits of a lock and a sea-level
-canal at Panama is as old as the question of building the canal itself. Supporters
-of the lock canal now in process of construction have sought to silence
-the storm of protest occasioned by its adoption; but in spite of their precautions
-reports have reached the American public which have created a lack of faith
-in the present engineers and their methods.</p>
-
-<p>It is, of course, impossible for a layman to decide arbitrarily in
-favor of the lock or sea-level type. The only reasonable way to arrive at a
-conclusion is to examine carefully the arguments of both factions and reach a
-decision therefrom. The writer has found it difficult, if not impossible, to
-obtain an accurate presentation of the facts. Engineers high in their profession
-make contradictory statements. Presumably they honestly express their
-convictions but their failure to agree is strong evidence that there is a large
-element of uncertainty in the whole proposition. If they, acknowledged authorities,
-not only cannot arrive at a common decision in this matter, but consider
-it necessary to ridicule each other’s plans, there is certainly cause to doubt
-the wisdom of the present project. It is the intention of the writer to state
-the principal arguments both for and against the two types of canals as presented
-by their most ardent advocates.</p>
-
-<p>It is generally conceded that a lock canal at Panama would cost less
-than an efficient sea-level canal. Engineers on the Isthmus make an estimate
-of over $100,000,000 as the minimum excess of cost of a sea-level canal over the
-lock canal for construction alone. This estimate does not include the cost of
-carrying on the work of government and sanitation during the additional years
-which would be required to build a sea-level canal. Furthermore, it is true
-that there are many problems in connection with a sea-level canal, in spite of
-its apparent simplicity, which have never been solved and consequently no engineer
-can say how many millions would be required for its completion. Experience
-has shown, however, that the same unsolved problems were also true of the lock
-type. In their report to the President and to Congress, the minority of the
-board of consulting engineers pledged their professional reputations that if the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">14</span>
-lock type of canal were adopted the aggregate cost of completing the canal, exclusive
-of sanitation and zone government, would not exceed $139,705,200. Not
-four years have passed since that report was made yet $120,064,468.58 have already
-been appropriated and the great dams and locks are only fairly begun. In
-the last session of Congress it was proposed to increase the limit of the cost
-of construction of the Panama Canal to $500,000,000. Senator Teller in a speech
-said, “I have said again and again on the floor and I repeat it now — that if we
-get the canal built for $500,000,000, whether a lock or a sea-level canal, we
-shall do very well. In my judgment, we will never get that canal, in either
-form, except at a cost of more than $500,000,000.” These figures are sufficient
-evidence that the engineers who made the original estimate were dealing with a
-subject too big for them.</p>
-
-<p>At the time Congress voted to adopt a lock canal the estimated cost of
-a sea-level canal, excluding the cost of sanitation, civil government, the purchase
-price and interest on the investment (which seem unnecessary refinement in
-view of later developments) was given by the Board of Consulting Engineers as
-$247,021,000. The project on which this estimate was made provided for a waterway
-40 feet deep at mean sea-level, 150 feet wide at the bottom in earth and 200
-feet wide in rock, with a length of 49.14 miles. On the basis of this estimate
-advocates of the sea-level canal argue that on grounds of economy alone the lock
-type should be abandoned in favor of the sea-level type. It stands to reason,
-however, that some of the causes which have led to an increase in cost over the
-original estimates for the lock canal, such as the increase in the wage scale
-and the cost of material, and the adoption of the eight-hour day, would affect
-equally the sea-level project if it were undertaken.</p>
-
-<p>The total estimated cost by the present canal commission for completing
-the work, including purchase price is $375,201,000, while the total estimated
-cost of the sea-level canal made by the same commission is $563,000,000. This
-latter sum is largely mere conjecture because of the many unknown elements entering
-into the problem; and there are successful engineers today who do not hesitate
-to state that a sea-level canal can be constructed for less than the present lock
-canal.</p>
-
-<p>Very few question the statement that the sea-level canal would take<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">15</span>
-longer for construction than a lock canal. The majority of the Board of Consulting
-Engineers estimated that from 10 to 13 years would be required. The
-Isthmian Canal Commission fixed the time at from 18 to 20 years and Lieutenant
-George W. Goethals, its chairman and chief engineer, states that the lock canal
-will be completed by January 1, 1915.</p>
-
-<p>A great objection to the narrow sea-level canal is the difficulty of
-river control. The proposed plan was to construct a huge concrete dam 180 feet
-high across the Chagres at Gamboa. This of itself is a great undertaking but
-when done would not solve the question of flood control, for below Gamboa there
-are many more streams which if unregulated would plunge precipitately into the
-canal channel thereby not only creating cross-currents extremely unfavorable to
-navigation, and these would also erode the banks and settle deposits which would
-necessitate continual dredging for maintenance. If these rivers were not allowed
-to flow into the canal, the only other solution would be the construction of
-channels on either side of the canal to take care of this flow. This would be
-very expensive and decidedly dangerous since the rivers in places would be considerably
-above the canal. The old Chagres Channel and the old French diversion
-canal could be utilized for a part of the distance.</p>
-
-<p>It is claimed that even a sea-level canal would require a lock at the
-Pacific end because of the enormous difference, sometimes 20’ between high and
-low tides. Even the majority of the Board of Consulting Engineers, the supporters
-of the sea-level type, considered such a lock necessary. Since they made
-their report, however, a noted scientist, Dr. C. Lely, formerly minister of
-waterworks of Holland, has made an extended study of the question and states that
-the currents in a sea-level canal at Panama would not exceed those now common at
-Suez, namely, 2½ miles per hour.</p>
-
-<p>On the other hand six huge locks are to be built on the lock
-canal, and they must be used at every passage of a boat. Their upkeep and
-operation will be a constant source of expense which would not exist in a sea-level
-canal. If one pair of locks is destroyed or put out of commission, the
-whole canal will be disabled and useless. Not only is this so, but they are a
-constant source of danger. The destruction of the gates of an upper lock, which
-is by no means an unknown occurrence, would allow the upper lake to empty into<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">16</span>
-the canal channel, and probably destroy everything to the sea, including the dams.
-That such accidents can occur was demonstrated at the Welland Canal when a small
-steamer struck one gate and continuing her progress crashed through four other
-separate gates, the locks being 240 feet long. Again, at the Manchester Canal
-a vessel collided with a gate and carried it away, allowing the water to escape
-in such great volumes that it caused the other gates to give way also. Some
-conception of the force held in leash by the gates at Panama may be gained when
-it is stated that the “fall from the upper lock at Gatun to the empty second lock
-is over five times the rate of fall in the Whirlpool Rapids at Niagara and the
-depth is greater”. It is true that various safety devices are to be installed
-at the locks but they can serve only to minimize not eliminate a danger which
-would not exist on a sea-level canal.</p>
-
-<p>The curvature in the proposed sea-level canal is gentle, but for 19
-miles of its course a large ship would continually be changing direction in a
-channel having a width of from one-fourth to one-fifth of her own length and in a
-current which may be as great as 5 feet per second. On the Manchester Canal all
-large vessels are aided by two tugs whose duty it is to help in steering. Through
-the above mentioned 19 miles speed could not exceed 6 miles an hour, and whenever
-a ship going the opposite direction passed, one or the other would have to stop
-and tie up to the shore as they do on the Suez Canal.</p>
-
-<p>The courses on the lock canal are straight, giving a clear view ahead,
-and the vessels can pass without being forced to tie up. The great Gatun Lake
-will permit of full speed and in all ordinary cases in the passage from ocean to
-ocean enough time can be saved by reason of the wider and straighter channels of
-the lock canal to compensate for the time lost in passing through the locks.</p>
-
-<p>While the question of flood control is solved by Gatun Lake the question
-of water supply is not. This lake must, under the present plans, furnish
-the water necessary for lockages. Experts have carefully studied this subject,
-and while most of them agree that there is water sufficient for immediate needs
-they also recognize the possibility of a scarcity in the future. General L.
-Abbot, one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the lock plan, states that there
-will be water for but 26 daily transits during the dry season which would accommodate
-from 30 to 40 million tons of annual traffic. Other prominent engineers<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">17</span>
-are not so sanguine and some go so far as to say the supply will be totally inadequate
-even for the first years of canal operation. At any rate there is a
-considerable element of uncertainty in the matter which actual trial alone will
-settle. No such trouble, of course, would exist in the operation of the sea-level
-canal.</p>
-
-<p>Much has been said about the relative vulnerability of the two types.
-The arguments are decidedly at variance and approach the ridiculous when placed
-side by side. Common sense dictates that both types are open to injury by earthquakes
-or the hand of man; neither is invulnerable. It also seems evident that
-a lock canal with its many artificial devices is more open to serious injury by
-earthquake than a sea-level canal. In fact it is easy to believe that a shock
-severe enough to put a lock out of commission would scarcely affect a sea-level
-canal at all, and all who say otherwise are prejudiced. In fairness be it said
-that the danger from this source is exaggerated and probably should not occupy
-as large a place in the discussion of canal problems as has been given to it.</p>
-
-<p>Lock canal advocates say a narrow sea-level canal could easily be obstructed
-by an obstacle placed in the channel; sea-level advocates say that a bag
-of dynamite under the lock-gates could put the canal out of service. Both statements
-are true but the essential element of difference is in degree. The obstruction
-in the channel would be no real injury to the canal at all: it would
-necessitate merely a few days work at the most for its removal. An injury to
-the locks, however, might readily mean draining of the summit lake and the destruction
-of all between it and the sea not to speak of the indefinite period
-required for reconstruction. The point is that it is practically impossible for
-man to seriously injure a sea-level canal; it is easily possible for him to so
-injure a lock canal. However, lock canals can be more readily defended in time
-of war because the points of attack are known beforehand.</p>
-
-<p>A very serious objection to the lock type is that it cannot be readily
-enlarged. The locks are to be 1,000 feet long and 110 feet wide. This is ample
-for the present but indications are that future needs will be far greater.
-If they do become greater the Panama Canal will be an inefficient servant and
-will come far short of fulfilling the purpose which prompted its building. The
-sea-level canal could be enlarged by dredges without stopping traffic through it,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">18</span>
-but with a lock canal it is different. When the locks as constructed become
-inadequate the only way to increase their capacity is to shut down the canal for
-years while new and larger ones are being built.</p>
-
-<p>It is unquestionably true that the ideal canal is a sea-level canal
-500 feet to 600 feet wide. This is of the type known as the “Straits of Panama”
-proposed by Philippi-Bunau-Varilla to the consulting board in 1905. There is a
-growing feeling that this plan is the one which will ultimately be adopted for
-the completion of the canal. It contemplates the construction of a lock canal
-to be finally converted into a sea-level canal. The locks were to be constructed
-so that as the levels were deepened by dredging they could be eliminated,
-navigation continuing during the enlargement. The material removed by the
-dredges was to be deposited in the lake formed by a dam at Gamboa. The plan was
-carefully considered and finally rejected because of the excessive time and cost
-involved. It is interesting to note what the author of the plans states in
-regard to it. He says in part, “It is easy to see from the records that this
-rejection was purely based on the false assumption that the transformation of
-rock into dredgable ground would cost $2.35 (per cubic yard), when it has since
-been officially demonstrated to cost eleven times less in the Suez Canal and
-eighteen times less in the Manchester Canal.”</p>
-
-<p>The cost at Panama of that transformation would be certainly inferior
-to the cost at Manchester not only on account of the saving of expense due to
-the gratuitous mechanical power given by the falls of the Chagres but also and
-principally on account of the extremely soft character of the greater part of
-the isthmian rocks. The electricity generated by the falls of the lake will
-put in action the rock breakers, the floating dredges, and the scows. The water
-in the small barge locks will raise the scows from the level of the summit to
-that of the lake and the depths of the lake will absorb the material of the
-straits. Thus the Chagres, once harnessed, will offer freely by its waters the
-way for the excavating and transporting instruments, by its falls the energy to
-animate everything and by its upper valley the dump to receive the spoils.</p>
-
-<p>If unbiased and free-minded engineer officers of the army, having no
-anterior connection with the plans under discussion, should be sent to investigate
-the nature of the rock on the Isthmus and then to study in France, England,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">19</span>
-and Japan the actual improved methods of dredging soft and hard material the
-cloud would soon be dissipated. The supposed chimera would become a real tangible
-thing and the United States, the trustees of humanity in the construction of
-the great international waterway, would give to the world what it wants, what it
-is possible now and easy to obtain, the “Straits of Panama.” This sounds very
-plausible; and it is a significant fact that engineers do not ridicule it. Their
-respect for it is growing. Today rock-dredging is on trial at Panama. If its
-feasibility can be there demonstrated the plan will undoubtedly be adopted.</p>
-
-<p>No man can find objections to this type when once constructed. The objections
-to the narrow sea-level canal first considered do not apply to the
-“Straits of Panama”, so they will stand as the ideal solution.</p>
-
-<p>A canal designed to carry the world’s commerce, to furnish free communication
-between the Atlantic and Pacific should be as free from artificial
-devices as it is possible to make it. It is therefore hoped that some day the
-present lock canal will be enlarged to an ideal, wide, sea-level channel.</p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">20</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_5" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="V_LOCATION_SIZE_AND_PLAN">V. LOCATION, SIZE, AND PLAN</h2>
-</div>
-
-<p>The location, size and plan of the Panama Canal with several recent
-changes which have been ordered by the President and adopted by the commission
-is described in the “Canal Record” as follows: “A channel, 500 feet wide at
-sea-level will lead from deep water in Limon Bay to Gatun, a distance of 6.76
-miles. At Gatun a dam one and one-half miles long and 115 feet high will impound
-the waters of the Chagres river in a lake, the normal level of which will
-be 85 feet above mean sea-level, A flight of three twin locks, each 1,000 feet
-long, 110 feet wide, and allowing for 41⅓ feet of water over the sills, will
-raise vessels from sea-level to the lake, or lower them from the lake to the sea-level
-channel. From Gatun navigation will be through the lake in a channel from
-1,000 feet to 500 feet wide for a distance of 23.59 miles to Bas Obispo where
-Culebra cut begins. The channel through the continental divide, from Bas Obispo
-to Pedro Miguel, a distance of 8.11 miles will be 300 feet wide, and the surface
-of the water will be at the lake level. At Pedro Miguel vessels will be lowered
-from the 85-foot level to a small lake at 55 feet above sea-level, in twin locks
-of one flight. A channel 500 feet wide and 0.97 miles long will lead to Miraflores
-locks, where the descent to sea-level will be made in twin locks of two
-flights. The locks at Pedro Miguel and Miraflores will be of the same dimensions
-as those at Gatun. From Miraflores to deep water in Panama Bay, a distance of
-8.31 miles, the channel will be 500 feet wide and 45 feet deep at mean tide. The
-channel widths given are all bottom widths. The entrance both in Limon Bay and
-in Panama Bay will be protected by breakwaters.”</p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">21</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_6" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="VI_ORGANIZATION_OF_FORCES">VI. ORGANIZATION OF FORCES</h2>
-</div>
-
-<p>Work on the Isthmus is in the hands of an Isthmian Canal Commission,
-consisting of seven members, all of whom are appointed by the President. All of
-them have headquarters on the Isthmus. The present personnel of the Commission
-is as follows. Lieutenant Colonel G. Goethals, U. S. A., chairman and chief engineer;
-Major David Du B. Gaillard, U. S. A., corps of engineers; Major William L.
-Sibert, U. S. A., corps of engineers: Colonel William C. Gorgas, U. S. A., medical
-department; Harry Rosseau, U. S. A., civil engineer; Lieutenant Colonel H. F.
-Hodges, U. S. A., corps of engineers and Joseph C. S. Blackburn, civilian.</p>
-
-<p>As chairman, Colonel Goethals receives a salary of $15,000 annually.
-Majors Gaillard and Sibert and Civil Engineer Rosseau $14,000 each and Dr. Gorgas,
-Colonel Hodges and Mr. Blackburn $10,000 each.</p>
-
-<p>The principal departments on the Isthmus, each in charge of a head who
-is directly responsible for the work carried on under his direction are: Construction
-and Engineering; Quartermaster’s; Subsistence; Civil Administration;
-Sanitation; Disbursements; and Examination of Accounts.</p>
-
-<p>The Department of Construction and Engineering is subdivided into the
-following named divisions; Atlantic Division from deep water to and including the
-Gatun locks and dams; the Central Division from Gatun to Pedro Miguel; and the
-Pacific Division from Pedro Miguel to the Pacific.</p>
-
-<p>The Department of Construction and Engineering is under the direct
-charge of the Chief Engineer. The general plans come from the office of the
-Chief Engineer and details are left to division engineers, subject to his approval.
-The whole idea of the organization in this department is to place and
-fix responsibility, leaving to each subordinate the carrying out of the particular
-work intrusted to his charge. The Chief Engineer is assisted by the Assistant
-Chief Engineer, who considers and reports upon all engineering questions submitted
-for final action. The Assistant Chief Engineers have charge of the designs
-of the locks, dams, and spillways, and the supervision of these particular
-parts of the work. There is also attached to the Chief Engineer an assistant
-who looks after mechanical forces on the Isthmus, and has supervision over the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">22</span>
-machine shops, the cost-keeping branch of the work, the apportionment of appropriations,
-and the preparation of the estimates. There is also an assistant
-engineer, who has charge of all general surveys, meteorological observations,
-and river hydraulics.</p>
-
-<p>The Quartermaster’s Department has charge of the recruiting of labor,
-the care, repair, and maintenance of quarters, the collection and disposal of garbage
-and refuse, the issue of furniture, and the delivery of distilled water and
-commissary supplies to the houses of employees and the construction of all new
-buildings. Operating in conjunction with the purchasing department in the
-United States, the Quartermaster’s Department secures all supplies needed for
-construction and other purposes, and makes purchases of material on the Isthmus
-when required.</p>
-
-<p>The common labor force of the Commission and Panama Railroad is more
-than 25,000 men, and consists of about 6,000 Spaniards, with a few Italians, the
-remainder being from the West Indies. The Spaniard is the best worker, although
-he objects to working in water. The total number on the pay rolls will average
-more than 30,000. Of these 5,000 are “gold men”, that is, officials, clerks
-and skilled laborers, all of whom are American recruited through the Washington
-office. In the month of September, 1909, there were approximately 44,000 employees
-on the Isthmus on the rolls of the Commission and the Panama Railroad.
-There were actually at work, on November 3, 1909, 35,311 men, 27,672 for the
-Commission and 7,639 for the Panama Railroad Company. The salaries and wages
-of these men are paid once a month.</p>
-
-<p>This Quartermaster’s Department also has charge of the property records,
-receives semiannual returns of property from all those to whom property
-has been issued, and checks the returns and inventories of the storehouses with
-the records compiled from the original invoices.</p>
-
-<p>The Subsistence Department has charge of the commissaries and the manufacturing
-plants which consist of an ice and cold-storage establishment, a
-bread, pie, and cake bakery, a coffee roasting outfit, and a laundry. These belong
-to the Panama Railroad Company, as, at the time they were established,
-money received from sales could be reapplied, whereas if operated by the Commission
-it would have reverted to the Treasury, necessitating reappropriation<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">23</span>
-before the proceeds of the sale could be utilized. They are, however, under the
-management of the subsistence officer of the Commission, who has charge of the
-various hotels, kitchens and messes.</p>
-
-<p>There are 16 hotels from Cristobal to Panama which serve meals to the
-American, or “gold” employees at 30 cents per meal. There are 24 messes where
-meals to European laborers are served, the cost per day being 40 cents; and there
-are 24 kitchens for meals supplied to the “silver” laborers (men paid in Panamanian
-currency), the cost to the laborer being 30 cents per day. There is no profit
-to the Commission. The commissaries and manufacturing plants are operated
-at a profit so as to repay the Panama Railroad Company for its outlay in six years
-from January 1, 1909, at 4 per cent interest.</p>
-
-<p>The Subsistence Department also has charge of a large hotel at Ancon
-for the entertainment of the Commission’s employees at a comparatively low rate,
-and of transient guests at rates usually charged at first class hotels.</p>
-
-<p>The Department of Civil Administration exercises supervision over the
-courts, which consist of three circuit and five district: the judges of the three
-former constitute the supreme court. The district courts take cognizance of all
-cases where the fine does not exceed $100 or imprisonment does not exceed 30 days.
-Jury trials are restricted to crimes involving the death penalty or life imprisonment.</p>
-
-<p>The Sanitation Department looks after the health interests of the employees.
-It is subdivided into the health department, which has charge of the
-hospitals, supervision of health matters in Panama and Colon and of the Quarantine,
-and into the sanitary inspection department, which looks after the destruction
-of the mosquito by various methods, as grass and brush cutting, the draining
-of swamp areas, and by oiling unavoidable pools and stagnant streams.</p>
-
-<p>To this Department also belong 11 chaplains employed by the Commission
-to attend the sick as well as look after the spiritual welfare of the employees.</p>
-
-<p>All moneys are handled by the Disbursement Department, which pays accounts
-which have been previously passed upon by the Examiner of Accounts.</p>
-
-<p>The Examiner of Accounts makes the examination required by law prior
-to the final audit of the accounts by the Auditor for the War Department. The
-pay rolls are prepared from time books kept by foremen, timekeepers, or field<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">24</span>
-clerks, subsequently checked by the Examiner of Accounts who maintains a force of
-inspectors. The time inspectors visit each gang, generally daily, at unknown
-times to the foreman, time-keeper, or field clerk, and check the time books with
-the gangs of workmen; the inspectors report to the Examiner of Accounts the results
-of their inspection not in connection with timekeeping but all violations
-of the regulations of the Commission that may come under their observation.</p>
-
-<p>Payments of pay rolls are made in cash, beginning on the 12th of each
-month and consuming four days for the entire force on the Isthmus.</p>
-
-<p>The last published financial report of this Department was as follows:</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">25</span></p>
-
-<p class="newpage p2 center ul"><i>Statement of Receipts, Disbursements, and Balances Available to June 30, 1909.</i></p>
-
-<div>
-<table id="statement" summary="balance sheet 1909">
- <tr>
- <td class="tdc head" colspan="4"><i>Receipts</i></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Appropriations by Congress</td>
- <td class="tdr">$176,432,468.58</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Rentals collected and returned to appropriations</td>
- <td class="tdr">264,393.76</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Collections account sale government property, etc.</td>
- <td class="tdr">4,235,141.50</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Balance due individuals and companies, account collections from employees</td>
- <td class="tdr">1,856.73</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in8" colspan="3">Total receipts</td>
- <td class="tdr"><span class="bt">180,933,860.57</span></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdc head" colspan="4"><i>Disbursements</i></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Classified expenditures</td>
- <td class="tdr">106,795,058.38</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Department of civil administration</td>
- <td class="tdr">$2,932,951.06</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Sanitary department</td>
- <td class="tdr">8,741,715.40</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in4">Hospitals and asylums</td>
- <td class="tdr">$4,656,125.99</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in4">Sanitation</td>
- <td class="tdr">4,085,589.41</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Department of construction and engineering</td>
- <td class="tdr">54,832,540.14</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in4">Canal construction</td>
- <td class="tdr">48,311,622.16</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in4">Municipal improvement on Zone</td>
- <td class="tdr">4,245,913.98</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in4">Municipal improvements in Panama and Colon</td>
- <td class="tdr">2,275,004.00</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Cost of plant</td>
- <td class="tdr">40,287,851.78</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Rights of way and franchises</td>
- <td class="tdr">49,107,914.89</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Rights acquired from the Republic of Panama</td>
- <td class="tdr">10,000,000.00</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Rights acquired from New Panama Canal Company</td>
- <td class="tdr">39,107,914.89</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in4">Payment to New Panama Canal Company</td>
- <td class="tdr">40,000,000.00</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in4">Less value of French material sold or used in construction</td>
- <td class="tdr">892,085.11</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Panama Railroad Company stock purchased</td>
- <td class="tdr">157,118.24</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Loans to Panama Railroad Company for reequipment and redemption of bonds</td>
- <td class="tdr">4,009,596.03</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Paid into United States Treasury for sale of government property, etc.</td>
- <td class="tdr">3,572,141.50</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Services rendered and material sold individuals and companies</td>
- <td class="tdr">2,764,001.30</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Unclassified expenditures</td>
- <td class="tdr">4,877,072.36</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Material and supplies</td>
- <td class="tdr">4,813,158.37</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Other unclassified items</td>
- <td class="tdr">63,913.99</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Advances to laborers for their transportation</td>
- <td class="tdr">48,783.26</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Bills collectible outstanding</td>
- <td class="tdr">517,585.79</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in8" colspan="3">Total</td>
- <td class="tdr">171,849,271.75</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Less amounts included in above but unpaid on June 30</td>
- <td class="tdr">1,694,355.70</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Salaries and wages unpaid on rolls to June 1, 1909</td>
- <td class="tdr">181,291.08</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Pay rolls for the month of June, 1909</td>
- <td class="tdr">1,513,064.62</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in4" colspan="3">Net disbursements</td>
- <td class="tdr"><span class="bt">170,154,916.05</span></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Balances available June 30, 1909</td>
- <td class="tdr">10,778,944.52</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Congressional appropriations</td>
- <td class="tdr">10,114,087.79</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Miscellaneous receipts of United States funds</td>
- <td class="tdr">663,000.00</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in2" colspan="2">Collections from employees account individual and companies</td>
- <td class="tdr">1,856.73</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl in8" colspan="3">Total</td>
- <td class="tdr"><span class="bt">180,933,860.57</span></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="4">Note. — By an act of March 4, 1909, additional appropriations were made to continue the construction of the Isthmian Canal, during the fiscal year 1910, available for expenditures July 1, 1909, as follows:</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Expenses in the United States</td>
- <td class="tdr">$225,000.00</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Construction and engineering</td>
- <td class="tdr">27,388,000.00</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Civil administration</td>
- <td class="tdr">630,000.00</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Sanitation and hospitals</td>
- <td class="tdr">1,915,000.00</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Reequipment Panama Railroad</td>
- <td class="tdr">700,000.00</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Relocation of Panama Railroad</td>
- <td class="tdr">1,980,000.00</td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl" colspan="3">Sanitation in cities of Panama and Colon</td>
- <td class="tdr"><span class="bb">800,000.00</span></td></tr>
- <tr>
- <td class="tdl tpad in8" colspan="3">Total</td>
- <td class="tdr tpad">33,638,000.00</td></tr>
-</table></div>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">26</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_7" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="VII_CONSTRUCTION_OF_THE_CANAL_PRISM">VII. CONSTRUCTION OF THE CANAL PRISM</h2>
-</div>
-
-<p>Excavation throughout the whole length of the canal is being carried
-on as much as possible in the dry as this has been found to be the cheaper method.</p>
-
-<p>Upon the Atlantic Division, during the fiscal year 1908–’09, a dredging
-fleet consisting of one sea-going suction dredge, two 5-yard dipper dredges and
-three French ladder dredges worked on the section between Mindi and deep water,
-removing 6,039,934 cubic yards, of which 427,005 cubic yards were rock. The
-rock is removed by blasting. Holes averaging 15 feet apart are drilled to a
-depth of 50 feet below sea level, loaded with dynamite and fired. At the close
-of the year nearly 3 miles of the channel from deep water were completed.</p>
-
-<p>The plans for breakwaters in Limon Bay were recently changed. Originally
-breakwaters were planned to extend nearly parallel to the axis of the channel
-to protect against filling by wave action. However, it was found that the
-northers entering between these breakwaters would lack room to dissipate and so
-vessels would be unprotected for a great portion of the distance to the locks.
-Accordingly two breakwaters have been planned which are to be so placed as not
-only to prevent filling but also to give shelter to shipping.</p>
-
-<p>On the Culebra section of the Central Division considerable trouble has
-been caused by the great rainfall. To carry the rain off quickly diversion
-channels have been constructed at a large expense of money and labor.</p>
-
-<p>Water falling in the prism is cared for by the cut itself. In the process
-of deepening pilot cuts are started from either end towards the summit which
-is now between Empire and Culebra. Drainage in either direction is by gravity
-through these cuts.</p>
-
-<p>The total amount excavated from the canal prism in this division during
-the past year was 18,442,624 cubic yards, 12,291,472 cubic yards being rock.
-At the close of the year 43,574,954 cubic yards remained to be removed. The
-material is loaded on the cars by steam shovels, is hauled to the various dumps,
-and unloaded by a huge plow-like apparatus which is drawn from end to end of the
-train. Part of the spoil aided in the rebuilding of the Panama Railroad; the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">27</span>
-rock from Empire and Bas Obispo went to Gatun for the dam, and some material was
-hauled to Balboa on the Pacific and was there used in reclaiming ground and in
-building a breakwater in Panama Bay to cut off silt-bearing currents which were
-filling up the excavated channel. It has been built out about 2 miles by dumping
-from a trestle built for the purpose. One mile more remains to be built.</p>
-
-<p>The slides in Culebra Cut have continued. The largest, called the
-Cucaracho slide, measures 2,700 feet along the cut, involving an area of 27 acres.
-During the year 1908–’09, 670,017 cubic yards were removed from this slide but it
-is estimated that 700,000 more are still in motion. Drainage seems to be ineffectual
-in these cases.</p>
-
-<p>The original summit at Culebra Cut was 333 feet above the sea; it was
-lowered by the French to 157 feet and the lowest point at the summit is now 143
-feet above sea level.</p>
-
-<p>The lake section of the Central Division extends from Gamboa to Gatun.
-The Chagres River here crosses the line of the canal 23 times, forming a series
-of peninsulas. A portion of the channel 2,700 feet long, 500 feet wide at the
-bottom and 50 feet deep, was completed May 25, 1909 and the waters of the Chagres
-turned in. A total of 1,784,459 cubic yards were taken out, of which 1,350,308
-were removed in 1908–’09. From the remainder of this division 2,625,283 cubic
-yards were excavated in 1908–’09.</p>
-
-<p>To secure the necessary width and depth between Pedro Miguel and Miraflores
-on the Pacific Division 1,279,600 cubic yards of material, of which 63,600
-are rock, must be excavated. The material still to be taken out between Miraflores
-and deep water is 13,000,900 cubic yards of loam and 1,725,000 cubic yards
-of rock. It has been decided to remove all rock between the locks and for 2
-miles below the Miraflores locks, in the dry. This will leave 3,600,000 cubic
-yards of loam and 123,000 of rock to be removed by dredging and blasting.</p>
-
-<p>The dredging fleet in Panama Bay for 1908–’09 consisted of one sea-going
-suction dredge, one 20 inch suction and pipe-line dredge, one 5 yard dipper
-dredge, and four French ladder dredges. They removed 8,475,931 cubic yards of
-material during the year. The channel is completed for about 5 miles from deep
-water in the Pacific.</p>
-
-<p>The entire present steam-shovel equipment on the Isthmus consists of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">28</span>
-forty-eight 95-ton, forty-two 70-ton, ten 45-ton, and one 38-ton steam-shovels,
-or a total of one hundred and one steam-shovels.</p>
-
-<p>Dry excavation for the first quarter of the fiscal year 1908–’09,
-(July 1 to October 1), cost 63 cents per cubic yard for direct charges and 12
-cents per cubic yard for general administration, making a total of 75 cents.
-Dredging cost 9 cents per cubic yard for direct charges and 2 cents per cubic
-yard for general administration. The average cost per cubic yard for excavation
-was 40 cents for direct charges and 8 cents for general administration, making a
-total of 48 cents.</p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">29</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_8" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="VIII_CONSTRUCTION_OF_THE_LOCKS">VIII. CONSTRUCTION OF THE LOCKS</h2>
-</div>
-
-<h3><i>Locks</i></h3>
-
-<p>As before stated there are to be 6 locks on the Panama Canal, 3 at
-Gatun, 1 at Pedro Miguel and 2 at Miraflores. All of these locks are arranged
-in duplicate, i.e., at any group of locks a vessel may ascend at one side of the
-middle wall, while another is descending at the other side. It is the intention
-that Pacific bound vessels use one side and Atlantic bound the other.</p>
-
-<p>The middle wall is to extend 1,600 feet above the upper gates and below
-the lower gates as an approach wall against which vessels to be locked may lie
-while waiting for the gates to open. The side walls will not be as long, and
-will flare out at their ends. The lock chambers are to be 110 feet wide and
-1,000 feet long and will pass vessels of 40 feet maximum draught in sea water.
-The upper lock in each flight is to be subdivided by additional gates into a 600
-foot and a 400 foot lock so that water may not be needlessly wasted in passing
-small boats. These smaller subdivisions may be used until vessels of over 550
-feet length require passage.</p>
-
-<p>The lifts will average 28 feet, but will vary with changes in tide, lake
-level, and conditions of lockage. The diagram below shows the entire lock system
-at Gatun.</p>
-
-<div id="fig_2" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 50em;">
- <img src="images/i_067.jpg" width="800" height="255" alt="" />
- <div class="caption">
- <p>Fig. 2.—General Arrangement of the Locks, Valves and Gates at Gatun.</p></div>
- <div class="captionl">
-<p class="in0 in4">
-S. V., Stoney valve.<br />
-G. V., Guard valve.<br />
-E. D. P., Emergency dam pier.<br />
-U. G. G., Upper guard gate.<br />
-U. G., Upper gate.<br />
-M. G., Middle gate.<br />
-S. G., Safety gate.<br />
-L. G.—U. L., Lower gate, upper lock. L.<br />
-L. G.—I. L., Lower gate, intermediate lock.<br />
-L. G.—L. L., Lower gate, lower lock.<br />
-L. G. G., Lower guard gate.<br />
-Ch., Fender chain.<br />
-Ga., Gauge.<br />
-L., Ladder.<br />
-St., Stairs.<br />
-Inc., Incline.<br />
-I., Intake.<br />
-O., Outlet.<br />
-<br />
-In each side of the wall<br />
-Between, <span class="in2">there will be</span><br />
-A and B—  3 cylindrical valves.<br />
-C and D—  7 cylindrical valves.<br />
-E and F—  10 cylindrical valves.<br />
-G and H—  10 cylindrical valves.<br />
-</p></div></div>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">30</span>
-Near the bottom of each wall will be a large culvert for passing water from the
-lakes into the upper chamber, and from chamber to chamber, and then out to the
-canal below the locks. The intakes (See <a href="#fig_2">Fig. 2</a>) will be located at “I” and outlets
-at “O”. The water enters and leaves the culverts through several small
-openings, the intakes being screened. The flow of water in the culverts is to
-be controlled by what is called the Stoney type of valves. These valves occur
-in pairs which are duplicated at each of the lifts so that if one pair is disabled
-the other set may be used while repairs are being made. On each side wall, at
-the middle gates in the upper lock there will be only one set of valves, but none
-in the middle wall. The flow between the culvert in the middle wall and the
-lock chamber is to be controlled by cylindrical valves capable of withstanding
-pressure on both sides. By using these valves water may be saved under certain
-conditions of lockage by cross-connecting the twin chambers through the middle
-wall.</p>
-
-<p>In each chamber 11 laterals of 41 square feet cross-section will be
-led from the side wall culverts while at the middle culvert there will be 10
-laterals having a minimum cross-section of 33 square feet. Each lateral will
-have five holes, each of 12 square feet area, opening up through the lock floor.
-The laterals leading from the middle wall culvert are to be controlled individually
-to provide for independent operation of the twin chambers.</p>
-
-<p>The lake levels and the desired lock levels are to be maintained by
-large steel miter gates. At the upper and lower end of the upper chambers of all
-locks there will be two sets of these gates operated simultaneously so that a
-vessel entering the upper chamber will always have two pairs of gates between it
-and the lake. At the lower end of each flight, besides the regular gates there
-will be guard gates mitering in the opposite direction. They are intended primarily
-for holding back the water in the canal below, when the lock above is unwatered
-for repairs but may be operated during lockages purely as a safeguard.</p>
-
-<p>As a protection to the gates heavy fender chains are to be stretched
-across the locks at critical places. They are designed by suitable retarding
-devices to bring a slowly moving vessel to rest before it can strike the gate.
-While the gates below are being opened the chains drop into recesses in the walls
-and across the floor.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">31</span>
-Near the upper end of the locks and 200 feet above the uppermost gate,
-an emergency dam of the swing bridge type will be provided to be used in case of
-accident to the upper gates.</p>
-
-<p>The following precautions against accident are to be observed:</p>
-
-<p>First. All vessels must stop some distance from the gates.</p>
-
-<p>Second. The lock operators here take the vessel in charge and control
-its passage through the locks.</p>
-
-<p>Third. If a vessel breaks away from the operators or fails to stop at
-the proper place, it comes against the heavy chains stretched across the locks
-and is either brought to a full stop or is greatly retarded.</p>
-
-<p>Fourth. In case a chain breaks, the vessel has two sets of gates to
-break, if at the upper level, where an accident would be most serious. Should
-all these barriers fail the emergency dam can be swung into place in a very short
-time.</p>
-
-<p>The floors of the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks will have 1 foot
-thickness of concrete on top of the rock as a wearing surface. At Gatun, however
-the rock is of a character susceptible to the weather. It has therefore
-been considered necessary, in constructing the floor here, to leave the rock above
-grade until just before the concrete is to be placed and then to scrape and
-wash the surface to be covered. The floor in the lower portion of the upper
-chamber is to be of concrete 3 feet thick. The rock here is considered thick
-enough to withstand the pressure from the water-bearing stratum below. Above
-the middle gate, however, this stratum is too thin, and a floor 13 feet thick of
-concrete is provided and anchored by rails set in holes and surrounded by concrete.</p>
-
-<p>The main floor level will be about 2 feet below the sills, in order
-that small objects dropped from vessels may be passed without being struck.</p>
-
-<p>The sills for the gates are designed as concrete arches in a horizontal
-plane, 31 feet thick throughout and of 100 feet radius at the extrados.</p>
-
-<p>The filling system is designed so that, with all valves opened the
-chamber can be filled in 8 minutes, but to prevent possible damage to vessels in
-the lock the maximum rate will probably not be allowed to exceed 3 feet a minute
-which would correspond to less than 15 minutes for filling.</p>
-
-<p>Most of the foregoing discussion is taken from the Engineering Record<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">32</span>
-of February 26, 1910.</p>
-
-<p>There has been much criticism of the lock sites, but the engineers now
-in charge seem to have perfect confidence in their work.</p>
-
-<p>During the fiscal year 1908–’09 the work of excavating for the Gatun
-locks was continued by steam shovels and one 20-inch suction dredge. Material
-excavated in the dry amounted to 933,546 cubic yards, and that in the wet to
-479,950 cubic yards. It was decided to construct curtain walls to stop any underflow;
-these will extend across the lock under the sill of the emergency dam
-and downstream outside the walls to the intermediate gates. As an additional
-precaution to making the concrete floor 13 feet thick as before mentioned a system
-of sumps under the floor with telltales in the walls will be built.</p>
-
-<p>The plant for the construction of the locks is practically installed
-and ready for work, it being operated entirely by electricity.</p>
-
-<p>At the Pedro Miguel locks 715,726 cubic yards were removed in 1908–’09.
-One lock chamber was completed to grade, but 45,000 cubic yards remain for removal
-in the other one.</p>
-
-<p>At Miraflores work was done the past year with steam shovels and one
-suction dredge. The total amount excavated was 1,147,527 cubic yards which is
-one-half of the total estimated quantity.</p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">33</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_9" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="IX_CONSTRUCTION_OF_THE_DAMS">IX. CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAMS</h2>
-</div>
-
-<p>The Gatun dam has aroused more adverse criticism than any other canal
-feature. Most startling statements have been made concerning it. Its history
-is worthy of notice. The first study of the Panama route under United States
-authority was made by an Isthmian Canal Commission of which Admiral Walker was
-chairman and Generals Hains and Ernst and Mr. Noble were members. With respect
-to the location of locks, the report of this commission said: “No location suitable
-for a dam exists in the Chagres River below Bohio”. Hains and Ernst signed
-this report. In a paper read before the American Society of Civil Engineers on
-March 5, 1902, Mr. George S. Morison, a very distinguished American engineer,
-said: “All engineers who have examined the route of the Panama Canal agree that
-the neighborhood of Bohio is the only available location for a dam by which the
-summit level must be maintained”.</p>
-
-<p>Under authority of the President, by executive order dated June 24, 1905,
-a board of consulting engineers was appointed to consider the various plans proposed
-for the construction of a canal across the Isthmus. The minority of the
-board, as has been stated before, recommended a lock canal with a dam at Gatun.
-The majority of the board, 8 to 5, opposed the idea of a dam and locks at Gatun
-on two grounds: first, that the introduction of locks in a treatment of the question
-was objectionable from many points of view; and, second, that the maintenance
-of a summit by means of an earth dam of immense magnitude to control the flood
-waters of this river introduced an element of great danger since the dam, without
-sheet piling, was proposed to be founded on the alluvial-filled gorges of the
-Chagres River, where the depth at one point extended 258 feet below the level of
-the sea.</p>
-
-<p>Of the minority above mentioned one member, Mr. Noble, was a member of
-the former Commission who had reported that Bohio was the lowest point on the
-Chagres where a dam was practicable.</p>
-
-<p>The report was reviewed by the Isthmian Canal Commission which included
-among its members Major Harrod and Generals Hains and Ernst. They all indorsed
-the minority report, notwithstanding the fact that in March, 1905, Major<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">34</span>
-Harrod was opposed to any lock plan, and that his two associates had said in
-1901 that no proper site for a dam existed below Bohio.</p>
-
-<p>It is true that every consideration of the Panama Canal type by any
-unauthorized body rejected the idea of a dam at Gatun, and its indorsement is
-confined to a minority of the board of consulting engineers and to three members
-of the canal commission who had previously either been in favor of a sea-level
-canal or who had said, in effect, that Gatun was not a proper site for the dam.</p>
-
-<p>The attitude of the majority of the board of consulting engineers upon
-this most important question is best shown by an extract from its report. “The
-United States Government is proposing to expend many millions of dollars for the
-construction of this great waterway which is to serve the commerce of the world
-for all time and the very existence of which would depend upon the permanent stability
-and unquestioned safety of all dams. The board is therefore of the opinion
-that the existence of such costly facilities for the world’s commerce should
-not depend upon great reservoirs held by earth embankments resting literally upon
-mud foundations or those of even sand and gravel. The board is unqualifiedly of
-opinion that no such vast and doubtful experiment should be indulged in, but, on
-the contrary, that every work of whatever nature should be so designed and built
-as to include only those features which experience has demonstrated to be positively
-safe and efficient”.</p>
-
-<p>The remarkable diversity of statement in regard to this dam is shown
-by the following quotations.</p>
-
-<p>Mr. Teller in a speech in the last session of Congress said in part,
-“Let me say a word or two about the great dam to be built at Gatun. We were
-told in the beginning that the engineers would find a foundation upon which they
-could build a safe dam. The French Government declared they had found such a
-foundation; our own engineers declared they had found it. It turned out that
-they had struck some floating pieces of rock in the mud, and when they had gone
-down 287 feet they found the same conditions practically that they found in the
-first 50 feet. The place where it is proposed to construct this dirt dam, which
-will be half a mile wide and 135 feet high (now 115 feet), is a great swamp. No
-such dam has ever been built in the history of the world, and the engineers of
-the world, with few exceptions, have declared it cannot be built. The dam at<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">35</span>
-Gatun is to be built upon a foundation of doubtful safety, and there is not an
-engineer in the country who does not know that it is doubtful”.</p>
-
-<p>Lindon W. Bates, in his “Retrieval at Panama”, says, “The utter indifference
-to real information as to existing conditions at Panama has been astounding.
-Despite, for instance, the private knowledge of the Commission in 1906
-through their last 15 months that the bores in these Gatun gorges were flowing
-bores, not one additional test had been undertaken in them. In summary of foundation
-conditions one thing is certain. First and foremost and indispensibly
-there must be at the Isthmus, since the underground conditions have been revealed,
-the safe barring off of permeable strata under the crucial dam. This cannot be
-done at Gatun for the high dam”.</p>
-
-<p>On the other hand an editorial in the Engineering News of February 25,
-1909, says, “We can testify from actual personal observation and study of the dam
-site and of the borings and pits that the Gatun dam will be as safe and permanent
-as any structure ever reared by man”.</p>
-
-<p>In the President’s message of February 17, 1909 there is this statement,
-“As to the Gatun dam itself, they (the board of engineers) show that not only is
-the dam safe, but that on the whole the plan already adopted would make it needlessly
-high and strong, and accordingly they recommend that its height be reduced
-by 20 feet, which change I have accordingly directed”.</p>
-
-<p>In the Engineering News of April 1, 1909 is the following statement,
-“If a private corporation, not subject to the clamor of public criticism were
-confronted with the task of throwing a dam across the Chagres Valley at Gatun,
-they would build a structure which would be not more than one-fifth the size of
-that which is now being built there”. Farther on in the same article a comparison
-of the Gatun dam with alluvial dams of India and the levees along the Mississippi
-is summed up with these words, “Compared with any and all of these the conditions
-for safe and permanent dam construction at Gatun may be considered ideal”.
-Is it any wonder that people are confused and disgusted when they attempt to obtain
-the truth?</p>
-
-<p>The length of the dam is to be 7,700 feet, but the natural surface
-reaches or exceeds the dam elevation in three places for about 700 feet in all.
-At the level of 21 feet above the sea it will be about 2,600 feet long in two
-sections, separated by Spillway Hill. According to the engineer’s report the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">36</span>
-dam will rest upon brown or blue clay and silt. Under the dam there are two geologic
-gorges, one 185 feet deep (below sea level) and the other 255 feet deep.
-These are filled with river alluvium and other deposits, consisting, according to
-official reports, of silt, soil, brown and blue clay, rotten wood, sand, and gravel — the
-most, if not all of it water bearing. The cross-sectional area of the
-shallower gorge is 205,000 square feet and of the deeper one 120,000 square feet.</p>
-
-<p>(For profile, cross-section, and plan see the following page.)</p>
-
-<p>The dam is to consist of two piles of rock 1,200 feet apart and carried
-up to 60 feet above mean tide with the space between them and up to 115 feet above
-sea-level filled by selected material deposited in place by the hydraulic process.
-A slip occurred at one of these rock toes during November, 1908, and caused considerable
-alarm throughout the country, so much, in fact, that the President sent
-W. H. Taft with a group of 7 noted engineers to investigate. They reported that
-“A full study of all the data and of the material, and of the plans that are proposed
-leaves no doubt in our minds as to the safe, tight, and durable character of
-the Gatun dam”.</p>
-
-<p>At the close of the fiscal year 1908–’09 three 20-inch suction dredges
-were depositing material over the area between the rock piles, and the fill had
-reached an average elevation of 16 feet above sea-level. A total of 2,501,372
-cubic yards was placed in the dam during the year.</p>
-
-<p>Excavation through the Spillway Hill was practically completed and
-30,464 cubic yards of concrete laid. During the year 359,821 cubic yards of material
-were removed from Spillway hill by steam shovels and placed on the dam.</p>
-
-<p>The original canal plans provided for a flight of two locks at La Boca,
-near the Pacific, and one at Pedro Miguel. Steps were taken to construct the
-former and trestles were built along the toes from which to dump material from
-Culebra Cut. The trestles failed after dumping began and material overlying the
-rock moved laterally, the movement continuing for two weeks in some places. After
-this result these dams were abandoned so that instead of locks at La Boca
-they will be built at Miraflores. Another reason for the change besides poor
-foundations is the military advantages of the latter over the former position.</p>
-
-<p>Both the dams at Pedro Miguel and Miraflores will be constructed of two
-rock piles, the portion between being filled by hydraulic methods. Very little
-work has been done upon them.</p>
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">37</span></p>
-
-<div id="fig_3" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 50em;">
- <img src="images/i_083a.jpg" width="800" height="267" alt="" />
- <div class="caption"><p>FIG. 3.—PROFILE ON THE AXIS OF THE GATUN DAM SITE SHOWING UNDERLYING MATERIAL AS DETERMINED BY BORING.</p>
-
-<p class="smaller">(From Report of C. M. Saville, Assistant Engineer, August 29, 1908.)</p></div></div>
-
-<div id="fig_4" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 50em;">
- <img src="images/i_083b.jpg" width="800" height="90" alt="" />
- <div class="caption">FIG. 4.—Revised cross-section of Gatun Dam as recommended by Board of Consulting Engineers, February, 1909.</div></div>
-
-<div id="fig_5" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 31.625em;">
- <img src="images/i_083c.jpg" width="506" height="800" alt="" />
- <div class="caption">FIG. 5.—GENERAL PLAN OF GATUN DAM.</div></div>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">38</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_10" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="X_SANITATION">X. SANITATION</h2>
-</div>
-
-<p>At Panama the seasons are divided into two well defined periods: the
-dry, or winter, and the wet, or summer seasons. By this occurrence of maximum
-moisture and maximum heat, the health conditions are made the worst possible.</p>
-
-<p>The dry season includes the months of January, February, March and April,
-the rainy season the remainder of the year. During the dry season the average
-temperature at Colon for 6 years was 70.5° F, with a monthly maximum of 90.9° F,
-which came in January, and a monthly minimum of 68.4° in the same month. During
-the rainy season the maximum average temperature for any month occurred in October
-and was 91.9° F. The minimum was 66.9° F., for August. A record of 15
-years at Colon shows a maximum rainfall of 154.9 inches and a mean of 130.2 inches.
-Four years’ records at Panama show a maximum of 84.73 inches and an average
-of 66.8 inches. At Culebra the records for 3 years showed a maximum of 98.97
-inches and a minimum of 64.25 inches.</p>
-
-<p>The most common forms of disease on the Isthmus are due to fevers.
-According to good authority the most sickly period is September, October and November,
-during which time dysentery and a severe bilious fever are very common.
-Foreigners seldom acquire the immunity of the natives from local diseases. The
-Isthmus by various writers has been called, “The Grave of the European”, “The
-Pest-House of the Tropics”, and one author says that here truly “Life dies and
-death lives”.</p>
-
-<p>On account of the health conditions the labor question is greatly complicated.
-For this reason extreme care has been taken by the United States Government
-to do all in the power of science to make the zone a healthy locality.
-Sanitation expenses will average at least $2,000,000 per year. The work has
-been under the direct supervision of Colonel W. C. Gorgas. The war on the mosquito
-has been continual and unrelenting. For the first two months of the fiscal
-year 1908–’09, the work in the Canal Zone, consisted of the collection and
-disposal of garbage and night soil, the cutting of grass and brush, and sanitary
-drainage and oiling. In the terminal cities the work consists of inspection,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">39</span>
-fumigation, grass cutting, surface drainage, and oiling undrained areas.</p>
-
-<p>This department also has charge of the hospitals and of the quarantine.
-As far as possible all the sick are concentrated at Ancon.</p>
-
-<p>Last year’s records show an improvement over the preceding year. The
-total number of employees admitted to the hospitals and sick camps amounted to
-46,194, representing 23.49 as the number of men sick daily as against 23.85 for
-the preceding year. The number of deaths was 530. According to these figures
-the Canal Zone is one of the healthiest communities in the world; but it must be
-remembered that the population there consists of men and women in the prime of
-life and that a number of the sick are returned to the United States before death
-overtakes them.</p>
-
-<p>There were no cases of plague or yellow fever originating on the Isthmus
-during the year 1908–’09. The last case of yellow fever occurred in May, 1906.</p>
-
-<p>A supply of perfectly healthful water has been secured by the construction
-of reservoir at different points of the Zone, and the Commission hotels and
-cottages have all the advantages of an excellent modern water system.</p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">40</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_11" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="XI_SOCIAL_LIFE">XI. SOCIAL LIFE</h2>
-</div>
-
-<p>Those who have endeavored to better the standard of social life at
-Panama have met with difficulties always connected with an enterprise of the character
-and magnitude of the great Canal. It is surprising what has been accomplished.
-Questionable amusements there are, but that is to be expected among
-such an assemblage of men. Nevertheless, the conditions of living there are
-gradually approaching what we find in the average community in the United States.</p>
-
-<p>There is a well organized school system in the Canal Zone. Twelve
-schools are maintained for white children and seventeen for colored children.
-The highest monthly enrollment was 675 whites and 1,417 colored pupils. There is
-a superintendent of schools and assistant supervisor of primary grades.</p>
-
-<p>Two high schools are in operation, one at Culebra and one at Cristobal.
-Children at other points in the Zone requiring high school instruction are given
-free transportation over the railroad by the Commission. Instruction is given
-in algebra, geometry, physical geography, general history, botany, English, German,
-French, Spanish, and Latin. There were but 25 children who took high school
-work in 1908–’09.</p>
-
-<p>In addition to the transportation given high school pupils, transportation
-is given to children in towns where no white schools are maintained. Last
-year children were also carried by wagon from Balboa to Ancon, as were high school
-pupils from Empire and Culebra. A boat and ferryman were employed in two cases.</p>
-
-<p>Quarters are furnished free to all the men, married and unmarried.
-Roosevelt, upon his return from Panama said the wives of the employees seemed
-satisfied with their home life and surroundings. The houses are excellent considering
-the conditions.</p>
-
-<p>Employees purchase all necessary supplies from government commissaries
-at about the same prices as are current in the United States. On every workday
-a refrigerator car runs from Colon to Panama and delivers to the various villages
-all orders previously placed for supplies such as ice, meat, vegetables and fruit.
-Payment is made by the use of coupons, their values being deducted from the employee’s<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">41</span> salary.</p>
-
-<p>Employees are allowed free medical, surgical, and hospital attendance,
-including medicines and food while in the hospital.</p>
-
-<p>Employees with salaries fixed on an annual or monthly basis receive no
-pay for overtime work but if their health requires it, will be granted a leave of
-6 weeks absence or less during the year with full pay. Those who are paid by
-the hour do, of course, receive pay for overtime work.</p>
-
-<p>A number of suitable church buildings has been erected by the Commission.
-They are two-story buildings, the upper floors being fitted up as lodge rooms and
-the first floor for religious purposes. Practically every religious denomination
-is now represented on the Isthmus by the chaplains employed by the Commission.</p>
-
-<p>Roosevelt stated after his visit to the Zone that “It is imperatively
-necessary to provide ample recreation and amusement if the men are to be kept well
-and healthy.” To this end four clubhouses have been completed at Culebra, Empire,
-Gorgona, and Cristobal and several more are contemplated. The four are alike in
-design, and consist of a front building of two stories connected with a rear
-building of one story. The front part is 135 feet by 45 feet, and contains a
-social parlor, a card room, a billiard and writing room on the first floor and an
-assembly hall on the second floor. The rear building, 100 feet by 28 feet, contains
-a double bowling alley, a gymnasium, shower baths, and over a hundred single
-lockers. The Commission, assisted by the Young Men’s Christian Association,
-manages these buildings. Besides furnishing a library of 787 volumes to each of
-these buildings provision is made for the delivery of 100 weekly and monthly
-periodicals.</p>
-
-<p>Last year 1908–’09, 2,140 employees availed themselves of regular membership
-privileges. The membership rate is 10 dollars per year. The fact that
-56,835 games in bowling took place during the year shows the extensive use made
-of these buildings.</p>
-
-<p>There are various athletic organizations on the Isthmus. Gymnasium
-activities have consisted mostly of basket ball and indoor baseball. Field
-sports are sometimes held on moonlight nights and holidays. An athletic park
-has been built near Cristobal.</p>
-
-<p>During the year there were 81 performances given by lyceum and vaudeville<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">42</span>
-talent from the United States, with an attendance of 18,225. Chess, checker,
-glee, minstrel, dramatic, and orchestra clubs have been successfully maintained.</p>
-
-<p>“These associations have held a vital relation to the canal construction
-in promoting contentment among employees, furnishing healthful amusement, effecting
-greater permanency of the force, and in elevating the standards of living”.</p>
-
-<hr />
-
-<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">43</span></p>
-
-<div id="chap_12" class="chapter">
-<h2 id="XII_ECONOMIC_IMPORTANCE">XII. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE</h2>
-</div>
-
-<p>The economic importance of the Panama Canal is a fruitful topic for
-discussion. Some authorities think that a large share of the world’s commerce
-will naturally and immediately use this new path between the oceans; but the general
-opinion of those best fitted to decide is that the canal will not be a paying
-investment, at least for the first years of its operation. As a German
-paper puts it, “Nobody thinks of remunerativeness any more. The fruits of the
-enterprise consist in indirect profits; they must be looked for in the military-political
-field and in the promotion of American commerce. In this lies the center
-of gravity of the situation”.</p>
-
-<p>From a commercial standpoint the canal will be of little or no advantage
-to Europe for the way to the whole of eastern Asia and Australia, inclusive
-of New Zealand via the Suez Canal will remain much nearer. For Europe, then,
-the only saving is in traffic with the west coast of America. In commerce with
-western South America England occupies first place, and is followed by Germany,
-the United States and France, in the order named. It is to be noted that vessels
-trading with the southern portion of the west coast of South America will
-prefer to go around Cape Horn rather than pay the tolls through the Panama Canal.</p>
-
-<p>The greatest commercial advantage comes to the eastern ports of the
-United States, namely 9,531 nautical miles between New York and San Francisco,
-so that New York on this route gains 2,889 miles more, for example, than Hamburg,
-Germany. The main fact, however, is that this saving is so large on the route
-from New York to Eastern Asia and Australia that it changes the present disadvantage
-of New York into an advantage when compared with many European ports.
-From Hamburg to Hongkong, via Suez, the distance is 10,542 miles; from New York
-to Hongkong, via Suez, it is 11,655 miles. The Panama Canal will give nothing
-to Hamburg but a saving of 1,820 miles to New York so that the distance will be
-707 miles less than from Hamburg. In routes to the more northern ports of
-eastern Asia, as well as to those of eastern Australia, the gain of New York is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">44</span>
-still greater. From Hamburg via Suez to Melbourne is 12,367 miles; from New
-York 12,500 miles. Via Panama, however, the distance from New York is only
-10,427 miles, so that New York will be about 2,000 miles nearer than Hamburg. In
-many cases therefore the Panama Canal will give New York a decided advantage over
-European ports.</p>
-
-<p>There are other than commercial reasons for building the canal. The
-effect which it will have upon the tropical districts of the west is worth considering.
-An author on “Social Evolution” in describing this region said that
-there are only two words which adequately represent the conditions of this country,
-“anarchy and bankruptcy”, and he suggests removing the anarchy by the substitution
-of strong and righteous government. Can any one doubt that the construction
-of an international waterway through the Isthmus will tend to improve
-administration in the American tropics?</p>
-
-<div id="i_map" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 50em;">
- <img src="images/i_098.jpg" width="800" height="265" alt="" />
- <div class="caption">
-
-<p class="center">
-<span class="smaller gesperrt">GENERAL MAP</span><br />
-<span class="small">OF THE</span><br />
-CANAL ZONE<br />
-<span class="small">AND THE</span><br />
-PANAMA CANAL<br />
-</p></div></div>
-
-<div id="i_map_left" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 50em;">
- <img src="images/i_098l.jpg" width="800" height="795" alt="" />
- <div class="caption smaller">(left)</div></div>
-
-<div id="i_map_middle" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 50em;">
- <img src="images/i_098m.jpg" width="800" height="796" alt="" />
- <div class="caption smaller">(middle)</div></div>
-
-<div id="i_map_right" class="figcenter" style="max-width: 50em;">
- <img src="images/i_098r.jpg" width="800" height="795" alt="" />
- <div class="caption smaller">(right)</div></div>
-
-<div class="chapter"><div class="transnote">
-<h2 id="Transcribers_Notes" class="nobreak p1">Transcriber’s Notes</h2>
-
-<p>Transcriber modified the original cover and added a map
-to it, taken from the original book. The modifications
-as well as the original are in the Public Domain.</p>
-
-<p>Punctuation and spelling were made consistent when a predominant
-preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed.</p>
-
-<p>The original text was typed, not printed. Consequently, there
-were more typographical errors than would normally be found
-in a book, and Transcribers corrected most of them without
-noting the individual corrections here.</p>
-
-<p>Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained; occurrences
-of inconsistent hyphenation have not been changed.</p>
-
-<p>Transcriber segmented the map at the end of the book into
-three larger parts for readability, in addition to retaining an image
-of the original.</p>
-
-<p>“Maratime” was printed that way, twice; “Maritime” did not
-occur in this book.</p>
-
-<p>Page <a href="#Page_3">3</a>: “concensus” was printed that way.</p>
-
-<p>Page <a href="#Page_15">15</a>: “built on the lock canal” was printed as “built on
-the sea-level canal”, but “sea-level” was crossed out by
-hand and replaced by what appears to be “Loc”. Given the
-context and name of the chapter, Transcribers decided it was
-intended to be “lock”.</p>
-</div></div>
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-<pre>
-
-
-
-
-
-End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Panama Canal, by Harry Clow Boardman
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