Attack by Filling 121 



built was filled by this hydraulic method at the 

 request of the sanitary department and is now 

 producing a revenue. The cost of this work at 

 Colon was charged against the sanitary depart- 

 ment, but the large ground rents accruing have 

 not been placed to its credit. The extensive area 

 on which the new town of Balboa is being built 

 was formerly a tidal swamp. It was filled by 

 dumping soil from Culebra Cut upon it. It 

 was more expensive to dump waste in that 

 locality than at other established dumps, where it 

 would have served no purpose and had no future 

 value. But the difference of cost of dumping 

 was also charged against sanitation, although the 

 sanitary department has not been credited with 

 the rise in value of property formerly worthless. 



The work of filling the large swampy area north 

 of Ancon will be similarly charged. Of course the 

 paper cost of Isthmian sanitation is increased by 

 these charges. After the hydratdic fills near 

 settlements become thoroughly dry and receive 

 the necessary surface drainage, the value of 

 formerly useless property increases. 



