The Highest Dam in the World 



441 



vere, it should be explained that Roose- 

 velt is in reality a camp ; that practically 

 all of its inhabitants are gathered to 

 help along the gigantic Salt River Rec- 

 lamation project, which will cost over 

 ^3,000,000. The engineering problems 

 connected with the work are great. 

 Before the dam could be commenced 80 

 miles of road had to be constructed. 

 Most of the material has to be brought 

 from Globe, the railway station, which 

 is 40 miles away. The power canal, 

 which is to be 19 miles long, is well 

 under way. Its construction has in- 

 volved the excavation of about 600,000 

 cubic yards of material and the driving 

 of nearly 9,000 feet of tunnel. The 

 canal will furnish power to generate 

 electricity to operate all the works. 



The government will make on the 

 spot all the cement required, instead 

 of purchasing it. It is expected that 

 about 200,000 barrels of cement will 

 be required in the construction of the 

 Roosevelt dam, the power canal, and 

 the various Tonto improvements. The 

 cement used in the preliminary work 

 cost $5.35 a barrel, delivered at the point 

 where it was used. Bids were later re- 

 ceived for furnishing cement at $4.81 a 

 barrel. It will cost the government 

 $1.60 a barrel to make the cement on 

 the ground. If the cost of the plant, 

 $120,000, be added to the cost of the 

 200,000 barrels of cement required, the 

 total cost of the government cement will 

 still be only $2. 20 a barrel. This means 

 a saving of $2.61 a barrel, or a saving 

 of $522,000 on the entire work. After 

 the dam and canals have been completed 

 the cement plant will still be capable of 

 further use, and considerable salvage 

 may doubtless be realized. The ce- 

 ment mill is now in operation. The 

 fuel used in burning cement in the kilns 

 is crude petroleum from the California 

 oil fields. 



Map of Panama Canal.— In the October 

 number The National Geographic 



Magazine will publish as a supplement 

 a map of the Panama Canal region, 24 

 by 33 inches and in five colors. The 

 map was prepared by the Isthmian Canal 

 Commission and is republished through 

 the courtesy of Hon.TheodoreP.Shonts, 

 chairman of the commission. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REPUBLIC 

 OF PANAMA 



UNITED STATES Consul General 

 Joseph W. J. Lee, Panama City, 

 Panama, reports that the natural re- 

 sources of the Republic of Panama are 

 but little known to the world at large, 

 the interest in the monumental project 

 of a transisthmian canal overshadowing 

 them. The work of the Panama gov- 

 ernment in opening the country and 

 facilitating the exploitation of its re- 

 sources by extended improvements in 

 transportation and communication has 

 not been advertised as fully as war- 

 ranted by present accomplishment and 

 expected results. Harbors, highways, 

 and railways and a new city are among 

 the projects to which President Amador 

 has given his approval and upon which 

 work is in progress. At present the 

 central provinces of Los Santos, Cocle, 

 and Veraguas are the fields for the 

 greater part of these improvements, for 

 which $r, 050, 000 (silver) have been 

 appropriated. 



The harbors of Pescaderias and Puerto 

 Posada are to be improved, so that it 

 will be possible for passengers and 

 cargo to be received and landed at 

 wharves. With the exception of Pan- 

 ama City, the port of Agua Dulce is at 

 this time the only harbor on the Pacific 

 where it is possible for vessels to dis- 

 charge and load from piers. 



The project is to construct first good 

 roads and later railways, stretching 

 across the plains and foothills, through 

 the mountain passes, to the Atlantic, 

 and thus develop rich natural resources 

 which today lie dormant. 



Gold mines long ago abandoned have 



