THE PRESENT ASPECTS OF THE PANAMA CANAL, 74 B 



States. This is an iiitei-esting exani])le of a curved concrete dam 

 built in a few days' time and containing little masoniy, yet it has 

 proved admirably adapted to its purpose. This dam will be raised 

 and strengthened so as largely to increase the capacity of the reser- 

 voir. A IG-inch cast-iron pipe will convey the water to a distributing 

 reservoir at Ancon, in the Canal Zone, at a suitable elevation on the 

 northeastern slope of Ancon Hill immediately adjacent to the city 

 of Panama. The supply has been based upon an estimated daily con- 

 sumption of GO gallons per head of population. The distribution 

 system is complete in every particular and adapted to any extension 

 required by the future growth of the city. The construction of this 

 waterworks system has progressed so far as to render it practically 

 certain that the city will receive the first public water in its history in 

 February next. 



The planning and construction of the sewer system has also been 

 pushed forward as rapidly as possible and it will be completed ready 

 for use soon after the introduction of Avater. The sewer system is di- 

 vided into three districts, each having an outfall into the sea water of 

 Panama Bay, at a sufticient distance from the shore to provide abun- 

 dant dilution. The system is designed to receive the sewage of the 

 city and a rainfall of about 1 inch per hour, any excess over the 

 latter being carried off on the surface. When it is remembered that 

 the city of Panama has never before had a sewer system it can readily 

 be api)reciated what a sanitary relief both the sewer system and the 

 water supply will be tii the city. 



The water-supply and sewer systems for the city of Colon have 

 also received the careful attention of the Conmiission. A suitable 

 source of water, however, has not been so easy to find as at Panama, 

 and the sewer system can not be constructed until a considerable 

 amount of filling with excavated material from the canal has been 

 completed. Both works, however, will be undertaken and finished 

 in the near future. Ah the population of Colon is under 6,000, while 

 that of Panama is nearly 1^0,000, the conditions bearing upon the 

 sanitation of Colon are the more easily controlled pending comple- 

 tion of its waterworks and sewers. 



It may be interesting to observe, although not in line with the 

 actual construction of the canal, that the Conunission among its other 

 duties is charged with that of the civil government of the Canal Zone, 

 a territory 10 miles wide, running across the Isthmus with the axis 

 of the canal as its center line, but excluding the cities of Panama and 

 Colon as delimited luider the treaty. Maj. Cen. George W. Davis, 

 TJ. S. Army, retired, member of the Isthmian Canal Commission, is 

 the governor of the Zone, and under his jurisdiction have been organ- 

 ized by the Commission most effective hospital and sanitary forces, 

 with Col. W. C. Gorgas, U. 8. Army, as chief sanitary officer. The 



