1906 FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 65 



scientific men of large practical experi- miles, which is to be cut to a depth of 

 ence, a body that is unsurpassed by from 66 to 8o feet, according to the 

 that in the employ of any other gov- number of locks employed. Then you 

 ernment in the world. have another level space, or almost 

 Now, let me say right here that it level space, to the Pacific ocean, about 

 seems to me that the Panama canal in- 8 miles, making in all about 47 miles, 

 volves the same problems that are in- Now, this service involves exactly 

 volved in the construction of irrigation the same problems on which the em- 

 works. You may 'call it a simple prob- ployees of the irrigation service have 

 lem as compared with the construction been engaged for fourteen years. It 

 of all the irrigation works that are involves study of the geological for- 

 contemplated in this country. The mations, careful stream measurements 

 work of investigation and planning through a series of years, so as to as- 

 now embraces fourteen states in this certain the extent of possible floods 

 Union. The topography of the coun- and prevent the destruction caused by 

 try has been studied, stream measure- such floods. It involves dam construc- 

 ments have been made, surveys of tion, ditch construction, and canal con- 

 canals and ditches have been made, struction, just as in the arid region, 

 dams have been planned, reservoirs and it involves protecting canals, 

 have been provided for, and they are Now, let us see whether it would 

 almost ready for construction, and not have been wise for the President 

 some are already commenced, and to have had a free hand to take hold 

 some have been finished. The Panama of this scientific branch of the ffovern- 



s v 



canal involves the same work. What ment, which is an evolution of four- 

 have you there? A line only forty- teen years, which had an administra- 

 seven miles long. The irrigation work tion already accomplished whose ex- 

 embraces the entire arid region, con- perience covered these various prob- 

 sisting of thirteen states and three ter- lems, instead of reaching out for a new 

 ritories. The canal is forty-seven miles administration, to be accomplished not 

 long. As you proceed from Colon, the by the aid of hydraulic engineers, but 

 canal runs through a flat country for to be accomplished by the aid of rail- 

 fifteen or sixteen miles, the govern- road engineers inexperienced in hy- 

 ment availing itself for a part of that draulic engineering, 

 distance of the Chagres River as a part The Bohio dam is about 80 feet high 

 of the canal. Then comes the Bohio above the surface, though its founda- 

 dam, 80 feet above the surface of the tion is to go down 150 feet to bed rock, 

 land, and about 150 feet down to bed Its length is 3,800 feet. That is a very 

 rock. Then you have this artificial long dam, of course, but at the Salt 

 lake as the result of the dam, which is River in Arizona the United States 

 to receive the flood waters of the government is now constructing, un- 

 Chagres and hold them, so that they der the Reclamation Service, a dam 

 will not tear the banks of the canal 270 feet high and 800 feet in length, 

 below. It is also constructing the Shoshone 

 Then we have the reservoir rein- dam, 310 feet high, with a length of 

 forced by other reservoirs upon the 200 feet. It is constructing the Rio 

 Chagres River, intended to control the Grande dam, 255 high, with a length 

 violence of the stream. The Bohio of 1. 150 feet. That dam is to be con- 

 reservoir is about 14 miles long. With structed at a total cost of $5,115,000 

 15 miles of the canal through the al- whilst the Bohio dam at Panama will 

 most level plain to Bohio and the 14 cost about $6,000,000. 

 miles of the Bohio reservoir you have Now, I ask, would it nothave been 

 a distance of 29 miles of the 47 miles better to have intrusted this work to 

 completed. Then, farther to the south, that branch of the government which 

 you have the Culebra cut of about 10 has been built up through the slow 



