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63D CONGRESS IST SESSION
APRIL 7-DECEMBER 1, 1913


SENATE DOCUMENTS


VOL, 10


WASHINGTON : : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE :: 1913









63D CONGRESS SENATE DOCUMENT
1st Session i No. 146





PANAMA CANAL







MESSAGE FROM THE

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

TRANSMITTING

A REPORT BY THE COMMISSION
OF FINE ARTS IN RELATION TO
THE ARTISTIC STRUCTURE OF
THE PANAMA CANAL












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JULY 29:, 91j.-Read, referred G ; o io nitti-aonTinteroceanic Can'al ;nd
*,.*"- message only ordered to be printed
AUGUST 5, 1913.-Ordered reprinted with the report of the Commission of
Fine Arts and accompanying illustrations


WASHINGTON
1913







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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.


To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I transmit herewith a report by the Commission of Fine Arts,
containing their recommendations regarding the artistic character
of the structures of the Panama Canal, made in pursuance of the
authority contained in section 4 of the act of Congress to provide
for the opening, maintenance, protection, and operation of the
Panama Canal, and the sanitation and government of the Canal Zone,
approved August 24, 1912.
WOODROW WILSON.
TmH WHITE HOUSE, July 89, 1913.
8


703294














THE COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS,
Washington, D. C., July 26, 1913.
The PRESIDENT,
The White House.
SIR: The act of Congress approved August 24, 1912, entitled "An
act to provide for the opening, maintenance, protection, and opera-
tion of the Panama Canal and the sanitation and government of the
Canal Zone," contains, under section 4, the following provision:
Before the completion of the canal the Commission of Fine Arts may make
report to the President of their recommendation regarding the artistic charac-
ter of the structures of the canal, such report to be transmitted to Congress.
In pursuance of the above authority and on the urgent request of
the Isthmian Canal Commission, the Commission of Fine Arts, find-
ing it impossible for all the members to visit the Isthmus without
undue delay, sent there a committee consisting of the chairman, Mr.
Daniel C. French, sculptor, and the vice chairman, Mr. Frederick
Law Olmsted, landscape architect. This committee sailed from
New York for Colon on February 4, 1913, diligently examined the
work and plans of the Isthmian Canal Commission, conferred with
the chairman and with many others engaged upon the work, and
returned to New York on February 27. The report of this committee
was submitted to and discussed by the entire commission and forms
the basis of the following report:
The canal itself and all the structures connected with it impress
one with a sense of their having been built with a view strictly to
their utility. There is an entire absence of ornament and no evi-
dence that the aesthetic has been considered except in a few cases as
a secondary consideration. Because of this very fact there is little to
find fault with from the artist's point of view. The canal, like the
Pyramids or some imposing object in natural scenery, is impressive
from its scale and simplicity and directness. One feels that anything
done merely for the purpose of beautifying it would not only fail
to accomplish that purpose, but would be an impertinence. In such
a work the most that the artist could hope to do would be to aid in
selecting, as between alternative forms of substantially equal value
from the engineering point of view, those which are likely to prove
most agreeable and appropriate in appearance.

GENERAL APPEARANCE OF COMPLETED CANAL.

At the risk of rehearsing general descriptions of the canal with
which Congress is familiar, it seems worth while to call attention to
the chief visual characteristics that will be presented by the com-
pleted work. (See Exhibit No. 1, general map of completed canal,
from report for 1912 of Isthmian Canal Commission.)






PANAMA CANAL.


In approaching from the Atlantic the first land to be seen is a
stretch of mountainous shore at the left of the steamer's course;
this is skirted at a distance of several miles for a few hours before
the low shore near the canal entrance comes into view ahead. The
first sign of the canal work to catch the eye will be a low lighthouse
just behind the left-hand end of a riprap breakwater 2 miles long,
which reaches out diagonally from the flat wooded shore of Toro
Point on the right. (See Exhibit No. 2, map from report for 1911
of Isthmian Canal Commission showing project for lighting and
buoying Panama Canal and approaches, and Exhibit No. 1.) It is
possible that an additional breakwater, also having a terminal light-
ouse, may be built at the left of the harbor entrance, which would
provide a nearly symmetrical and effective entrance. The course of
vessels in approaching is not far from the axis of the straight chan-
nel which extends from the end of the Toro Point breakwater up the
5-mile length of Limon Bay and is continued into the flat land at its
head as a visible canal. Through the bay this channel is to be
marked by pairs of buoys. (See Exhibit No. 2.) On the right the low
wooded bay shore is about 2 miles distant. On the left, a mile and
a half inside the breakwater light, a point occupied by the towns of
Colon and Cristobal projects within three-fourths of a mile of the
straight channel. The end of this point facing the ocean is con-
spicuously occupied by the rather long three-story mass of the new
hotel. (See photograph, Exhibit No. 3.) To the left is palm foliage
with a brownstone church and wooden hospital buildings and quar-
ters for railroad employees. Behind is the uninteresting wooden
town of Colon, and farther to the right is Cristobal, which together
present to the bay a utilitarian water front, part shabbiness, part
aggressive commercialism.
At the head of Limon Bay (see photograph, Exhibit No. 4) the
canal as a visible object begins. The bank on the left is somewhat
in advance of that on the right; both are very low and occupied by
a scrubby jungle rising into larger trees behind and at a distance
into wooded hills. The canal is 500 feet wide, with a few feet of
cleared ground on either side to be kept open for surveying and main-
tenance work. For a distance of a mile the line is straight and in
direct continuation of the buoyed channel through the bay; then it
bends slightly to the right and disappears from view. The vista
along the first reach of the canal terminates 2 miles beyond the bend
in the wooden houses of the town of Gatun, occupying hills some 150
feet high, crowned by a large black steel water tank on stilts silhou-
etted against Ihe sky. This tank, which is nearly on the axis of the
canal, should be incased in concrete, so as to form a solid tower,
permanent in appearance and in fact. The exact axis is marked by
two range lights on concrete lighthouse towers, one right in the town
of Gatun. These are not at present very conspicuous, but will prob-
ably be so painted as to bring them out sharply as an aid to naviga-
tion, thus further emphasizing the long, straight vista.
The first bend in the canal takes place just where it makes a long,
diagonal crossing with the narrower old French canal, and where
also the cut enters the higher ground of the Mindi Hills. These are
"hummocks from 10 to 50 feet in height. The deepest cuts are about
opposite each other at a point about one-third of a mile beyond the





PANAMA CANAL.


bend. Small beacon lights are planned to be placed at the edge of
the water on each side of the canal exactly at the bend and at certain
ether points. (See Exhibit 2.) From the bend the canal makes a
straight run of a mile across low, flat ground to the Gatun Locks, a
broad, low, symmetrical mass of concrete and steelwork, the axis of
which coincides with that of the canal approaching it, and the length
of which is a little over a mile.
All the concrete, except such as may be kept light in color by paint
or other surface applications, is rapidly discolored in the climate of
Panama to a mottled, blackish green, and the steelwork is to be
painted the dark battleship gray.
The Gatun Locks, like those at Pedro Miguel and Miraflores, will
form a sort of promontory projecting from the flat irregular hills
and embankments which retain the water behind the locks. The total
width occupied by the two locks side by side, with the central pier
separating them and the side walls with their towing tracks, etc., is
about 360 feet. Outside of these on each side is to be a flat earth space
100 feet wide or more, sloping just enough to drain the surface water
away from the lock. This is intended for use as a wharf for the
handling of material to be loaded on or unloaded from vessels when
passing through the lock, and for other purposes. At the outer edge
of these flat spaces the ground is to descend in steep banks. Each
pair of locks, of which there are three at Gatun, will thus form a sort
of raised terrace nearly 600 feet across and about 1,000 feet from
front to rear, and the next higher pair of locks will rise from it with
a transverse terrace bank some 30 feet in height. The top of the lock
masonry itself does not step up architecturally from one pair of locks
to the next, but rises by an ogee slope so as to enable the towing
engines to climb from level to level.
Beyond the Gatun Locks, for 23 miles through Gatun Lake, there
will be nothing that looks like a canal. So much of the shores (see
photograph, Exhibit No. 5) as are within close view of the channel
are generally steep and beautifully forested. There is a distressing
fringe of dead trees rising from the water everywhere along the
shores. In the opinion of the engineers most of these trees are likely
to rot off at about the water line in the course of two or three years;
but, as the water level will fluctuate several feet, it seems probable
that at least the stubs of numberless snags will continue to show above
the surface much of the time for a great many years. As very little
of the timber was marketable, the cost of clearing the forest before
flooding was felt to be too great to justify removing it except from
the navigable channel itself. This is much to be regretted.
The high bold hills around the lake make many of the distant
views very beautiful. The only canal structures in the lake section
are the aids to navigation-lighthouses, small range lights, and tri-
pods-all made of reenforced concrete, and nearly all open to criti-
cism as to details of appearance. Most of them are completed, and
it is too late to modify the designs.
Occasionally, toward the upper end, as the lake narrows down, the
edges of the channel show above the water surface as straight red
bluffs where projecting points have been cut through. Where the
channel departs from the flooded Chagres Valley the latter is barred
off by a railroad bridge, and the banks of the canal cut are at first






PANAMA CANAL.


so low that the transition is much less striking than where the canal
leaves Limon Bay.
The Culebra Cut section, extending 8 miles from this point to
Pedro Miguel Locks, is uniformly 300 feet wide, in a series of straight
reaches with slight angles between. The raw banks rise very irregu-
larly both as to height and as to rate of slope. Rarely clifflike, they
will generally become covered with vegetation, and look not very
strikingly different from natural steep hillsides. Altogether the
boldest and most striking feature immediately along the line of the
canal is at the point of deepest cut, through the continental divide,
where the rocks on both sides happen to be a hard trap which stands
very steep, and is safe from the breaks and slides which occur else-
where along the cut. The highest point of the cut, begun by the
French, is on the left side some 447 feet above the water of the canal.
At Pedro Miguel there is one pair of locks essentially similar to
those at Gatun. From this point the 2 miles to Miraflores Locks are
through another lake, much smaller than Gatun but of the same
landscape character, with irregular shores not at all canal-like in ap-
pearance. Two pairs of locks at Miraflores connect with the sea-
level canal on the Pacific side, which runs through flat land to the new
port of Balboa, now under construction. There are striking hills on
both sides at some distance from the canal. At Balboa, on the left
as one approaches the Pacific, a hill called Sosa comes close to the
canal with just a margin of navy-yard shops and docks between.
These shops promise to be rather ugly, but are so far advanced that no
material changes could be made in the plan. Turning to the left
around Sosa HIill the canal passes out through the bay among very
interesting islands, with bold headlands to the right.
There is no point on the Pacific side at which there is so distinct
at beginning of the visible canal as at the head of Limon Bay on the
Atlantic side.
SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS.

The following specific comments and suggestions were, at the re-
quest of the chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission, submitted
informally to him by our committee either while on the Isthmus or
by subsequent correspondence, in order that they might be made
directly effective so far as they commended themselves to the respon-
sible authorities.
1. ATLANTIC END OF THE CANAL.

The lighthouse at the end of the breakwater, the first structure that
will be seen by one approaching from the sea and the most conspic-
uous structure north of the Gatun Locks, if carried out as shown in
plans accompanying the report of the canal commission for 1912,
would not make as favorable or striking an impression as would be
desirable. (See plan and section for light and fog signal from report
for 1912 of Isthmian Canal Commission, Exhibit No. 6.)
It was recommended to Col. Goethals that the design of this light-
house should be restudied, and the architect of the Canal Commis-
sion has developed a design which meets the approval of this com-
mission. (See Exhibit No. 7.)






PANAMA CANAL.


2. CRISTOBAL.

The town of Cristobal consists largely of the quarters of canal
employees, standing in a coconut grove planted by the French and
facing on the bay. The town terminates in the De Lesseps house
with a statue of Columbus in front of it. Cristobal is being com-
pletely inclosed with wharves upon which it is planned to erect con-
tinuous sheds, entirely cutting off the view of the town from the
water. (See Isthmian Canal Commission plan Cristobal coaling
plant and docks, Exhibit No. 8.) It will make the town more agree-
able to live in and will enhance the appearance from the bay if the
space now open at Dock 15, between the end of the present shed of
Dock 11 and the southeast end of Dock 16, immediately opposite the
statue of Columbus, can be kept permanently open and free from
sheds. The desirability of this is undoubted if it is found to be
practicable.

3. ENTRANCE FEATURE.

The commission is impressed with the desirability of marking with
some dignified architectural feature the point at the Atlantic end
where the canal enters the land, sharply accenting the transition from
the buoyed channel in the open bay to the canal proper, and marking
a definite entrance. This impression is strengthened by the fact that
the plan for the lighting of the canal (see Exhibit No. 2) shows at
this point a pair of lights for which the design of the beacons already
in place at the Pacific entrance would probably be used (see photo-
graph. Exhibit No. 9, and plan of beacon from report for 1912 of
Isthmian Canal Commission, Exhibit No. 10). Structures of this
kind certainly would not accomplish the desired effect. Unfortu-
nately the shores here are very low, and it was learned that they are of
so loose a formation that they are at present worn back by the water
several feet a year, so that anything built here would be in danger of
finding itself surrounded by the sea within a few years. It was
stated, moreover, that there would be serious foundation difficulties
on account of the deep soft mud. We understand, however, that if
the other breakwater, which is projected opposite the present one, is
built this erosion at the head of the bay will probably cease. In that
case it certainly would be advisable to determine the exact conditions
as to foundations at this point since rock was encountered at a depth
of from 20 to 40 feet at several points in the vicinity in dredging the
canal, and, if the foundation difficulties are not too serious, to erect
a monument in the form of a lighthouse specially designed for the
purpose at either side of the canal, approximately in the positions
now marked for beacon lights 1 and 2. (See Exhibit No. 2.)
If it is found to be impracticable to mark this point monumentally,
we would recommend that beacon lights 1 and 2 be reduced to low
structures comparable with the illuminating buoys used to mark the
channel through Limon Bay. We would further recommend for con-
sideration the possibility of building lighthouses or some other form
of monument at the first high solid ground encountered in entering
the canal from the Atlantic, at the Mindi Hills, where the Gatun
Locks first attract attention. The chairman of the Isthmian Canal






PANAMA CANAL.


Commission, who expressed doubts as to the practicability of build-
ing anything of importance at the locations of beacon lights 1 and 2,
suggested this point as preferable. The bend in the canal would
throw any pair of monuments erected on the highest of these hills off
the axis in approaching from the sea. This is unfortunate, but it
could perhaps be obviated by erecting the structures on artificial
mounds exactly at the angle.

4. GATUN LOCKS.

(a) Lighthouse.-We advise the filling of the arches on the two
sides of the lower portion of the present lighthouse'on Gatun Locks.
(See photograph, Exhibit No. 11.) We feel this would improve the
design.
(b) Grading.-The tentative plan for grading seems good. Sug-
gestions for minor modifications and for possible locations of avenues
of trees on either side of the locks were furnished the chairman of
the Isthmian Canal Commission.
(c) Lighting fixtures.-At either side of all the locks at Gatun,
as well as at Miraflores and Pedro Miguel, are to be erected concrete
electric-light standards, already cast, with reflectors of a very peculiar
shape for lighting the locks. We recommended that the external
form of the fixtures should be changed to a more agreeable design.
It was the intention to make these fixtures of concrete, but we sug-
gested executing them in sheet copper, which would permit a less
heavy-looking design, and we believe would be decidedly preferable.
(d) Control building.-The designs for the control building which
is to be erected on the central pier of the locks were not susceptible of
much change at the time they were submitted to our committee, since
all or most of the steel for this building was then being fabricated,
and in any case the design was closely controlled by operating re-
quirements and the location of tracks, manholes, and other structures
which were in place before the architect was consulted. One of the
requirements, however, laid down by the Canal Commission for this
building will be so generally insisted on elsewhere that the resulting
appearance is very important. We refer to the extremely broad
overhang of the roof demanded because of the climatic conditions.
We have urged upon the architect of the Canal Commission that
where such excessive projections are demanded the pitch of the over-
hanging part of the roof should be flattened by a curve beginning
nearly over the plane of the wall in order to lighten it and distin-
guish it from the roof proper covering the mass of the building.
(e) The desirability of a change in the steel water tank at Gatun
has been referred to above. (See p. 6.)
Most of the suggestions in regard to the Gatun Locks apply with
modifications to the other locks.

5. ENTRANCE TO THE CANAL FROM THE PACIFIC.

It seems at first to be desirable that the entrance to the canal from
the Pacific should be marked in a manner somewhat similar to that
proposed at the Atlantic end. Unfortunately the conditions near this
entrance, particularly on the east side, will not admit of this treat-






PANAMA CANAL.


ment. The shore at this point is occupied by docks and coal storage
with which any extraneous structure would come in conflict. More-
over, there are points of interest as one approaches the canal from the
Pacific with which it would be unwise to attempt to compete by any
structure built for artistic reasons alone. The shore itself, with its
rugged range of mountains, is inspiring, and the islands guarding
the entrance are interesting in the extreme. The islands to the south
really will guard the entrance, as three of them are to be occupied
by forts with heavy guns. The second one, Perico, is most unusual
and picturesque. Naturally a wooded mound, rising abruptly out of
the sea, the top has been flattened for a fortress, and a spiral road-
way encircling the island leads up to it from the causeway which
connects this island with its neighbor, Naos, and thence with the
mainland. In our opinion, the only place upon which a monument
might be erected would be on the small round hill at Point Farfan,
which rises directly from the water at the entrance to the canal, and
is symmetrical in form. It would, however, be difficult to erect any
structure here that would not appear to be forced unless it were a
lighthouse, and the plan for lighthouses and beacons does not pro-
vide for a light on this eminence. All things considered, we are not
prepared to advise adding any structure to those already projected
at the south end of the canal.

6. THE ISLANDS OF NAOS, PERICO, CULEBRA, AND FLAMENCO.
These islands, referred to above, are, as already stated, connected
with each other and with the mainland by dikes or causeways. (See
photograph, Exhibit No. 12.) One of these causeways between East
Balboa and Naos is about 3:- miles in length, and as it may come to
be a favorite drive for the people of Panama it has been proposed
to plant it with trees throughout its entire length. If the trees were
planted near enough together to shade the road effectively they
would completely shut out from the ships entering or leaving the
canal the view of the city, which at present is very attractive. They
might also disturb the effect of the long low straight line which the
causeway now makes and which is a striking note in the picture,
and they would tend to make the shore continuous with the island,
and thus destroy the effect of its being an island. We therefore
doubt the wisdom of such tree planting. It may be possible to plant
groups of trees, presumably palms, near the ends of the causeway
without impairing its effect and the impression of Naos Island.
This should be carefully considered. The same arguments apply to
the dike connecting Naos and Perico, though not to the same extent.

7. PERMANENT TOWNS.
After the completion of the canal the work of maintenance and
operation will require the residence of a considerable permanent
population of employees on the Canal Zcne. It is expected that these
will be concentrated at five centers. Four of these are now occupied
by the construction force, and at these it is proposed to utilize the
present quarters, as far as available, with such gradual replacements
and changes as may prove necessary. These are: (1) Cristobal and
Colon, chiefly for those concerned with the port, with the sea-level






PANAMA CANAL.


section of the canal on the Atlantic side and with the Panama Rail-
road; (2) Gatun, chiefly for those working at the Gatun locks,
spillway, power plant, and features auxiliary thereto; and (3) Pe-
dro Miguel, and (4) Miraflores for those working at the locks of
those names. At the Pacific end of the canal the new town of Balboa
is to be created, containing the general administration offices and
provision for those working in them in the navy-yard shops and
docks, and in connection with the port and the sea-level section of
the canal.
A tentative preliminary plan for the town of Balboa had been pre-
pared by the architect of the Canal Commission and was discussed
with him by the committee at length upon the ground. The control-
ling feature of the plan is the administration building. The site for
this was selected by the Canal Commission upon the hill, about 100
feet high, forming a spur on the northwesterly side of the imposing
mass of Ancon Hill, which lies directly between the old city of
Panama and the canal. (See general map of Balboa terminals Trom
Report for 1912 of Isthmus Canal Commission, Exhibit No. 13.)
The plan showed the main avenue of the town on the lower ground
extending from this site (.t the existing road between the base of
Sosa Hill and the site of the navy-yard shops, the axis of the admin-
istration building coinciding with that of the avenue. Even from
the height of the lofty terrace of the administration building the
view of the canal when looking down the avenue would be cut off by
the roofs of the navy-yard shops, and the actual terminus of the vista
would be a foundry, set at an awkward angle with the town and
backed by a decidedly unattractive series of other shop buildings.
The architect agreed with the committee as to the unfortunate
orientation of the main axis, and after considering other alternatives
it was decided to recommend a general preliminary plan embodying
the following features (see diagrammatic plan kindly furnished by
the architect, Exhibit No. 14) :
The administration building to be placed, as previously planned, on Lone
Tree Hill, but facing directly toward the knoll on the southeasterly side of Sosa
Hill, with its court open to the northerly breeze.
The main avenue of the town to be placed on this same axis, to be flanked by
the public buildings of the town, connected so far as practicable by continuous
arcades, which would serve both as porches and as covered sidewalks; the
avenue to be not less than 120 feet wide between buildings, with an open parked
vista in the center, flanked by n row of trees on each side shading the roadways,
which would be next to the arcaded sidewalks.
The quarters for employees in the shops to be arranged along the slopes of
Sosa Hill above the southwesterly end of the avenue, on curvilinear roads fol-
lowing the contours of the hill :is far back as the topography of the hill allows,
and to extend southward on the high part of the dump as far as may be neces-
sary-the space between the drainage ditch and the present low level of the
tracks across the dump to be reserved for this purpose.
The quarters for the employees in the administration building to be arranged
In a similar informal manner on the slopes of the Ancon Hill to the eastward
and northeastward of the administration building.
The quarters for silver employees in the shops to be located south of Sosa
Low Hill.
The trolley tracks from Panama to be carried on the south side of Sosa Hill
from about their present terminus at the drainage ditch through the end of
the space reserved for silver employees to the navy-yard boundary.
This recommendation met with the approval of the chairman of the
Isthmian Canal Commission. In submitting it, however, the com-






PANAMA CANAL.


mittee pointed out that the general plan had as yet received practi-
cally no study in respect to the location and grades of the roads upon
the hillsides and the arrangement of the quarters thereon, and but
little as to the placing of the individual public buildings along the
main avenue.
Further, the committee explained, as set forth in their memoran-
dum to the chairman, that the quality of the final result, both in
matters of practical convenience and especially in matters of appear-
ance, will depend upon the proper handling of the innumerable
details which can not be shown on the general plan even more than
upon the quality of the general plan itself. Neither the Commission
of Fine Arts nor any paid professional advisor at a distance can
safeguard the work in regard to these details, which in the total will
make or break the artistic and practical success of the town. They
are always dependent upon the local executive organization and are
peculiarly so where the work is isolated and has to be pushed rapidly.
Practical experience in somewhat similar work undertaken for
public institutions and for companies engaged in the business of pro-
ducing and selling residential properties on a large scale, where the
attractiveness of 'the whole community is the principal commercial
asset, clearly indicates the importance of certain points in the organi-
zation for handling such work. One is that the town must be re-
garded as a single job which stands or falls as a whole, and that
every feature in it should be, as far as practicable, controlled by a
single compact organization devoted solely to that purpose and
capable of exercising a wise discretion as to matters of appearance.
Special parts of the work, such as electrical and mechanical equip-
ment, can and generally must be delegated to other organizations
working in collaboration with the office in charge of the town work
as a whole, but other parts can be successfully handled only under
the direct and complete control of that office.
On the architectural side, whether buildings are erected by outside
contractors or by an executive building department run by the or-
ganization itself, as is often the case with land companies, and
whether the original designs of the buildings are furnished by out-
side architectural offices or by the local architectural department of
the organization, it is vital to success that all the details of construc-
tion, no matter how trivial they may seem, should be settled and car-
ried out under the authoritative inspection of somebody of artistic
skill. It is impossible, even were it not too extravagantly costly in
time and money, to prepare plans and specifications so complete and
detailed as to make it safe to do without such watchful artistic over-
sight over the details of execution. Innumerable unforeseen ques-
tions constantly arise requiring almost instant decision which offer
two or more alternatives of nearly equal practical merit but very
different artistic value."
It is to be noted that the Canal Commission has an architectural
department, under the direction of Mr. A. 1W. Lord, who prepares the
general drawings in New York, with an assistant architect, Mr. M.
Schiavoni, selected by him, in charge of the office at the Isthmus,
where the working drawings are prepared. There is as yet no or-
ganization for the design and supervision of the outside work in con-
nection with the town and kindred matters. In the discussion of






PANAMA CANAL.


these matters with the chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission
the committee found that it was his intention to establish a municipal
department to have charge, in collaboration with the architectural
department, of the design, execution, and maintenance of the public
work other than buildings, including streets, sewers, water supply,
public grounds, and the grounds surrounding the quarters or resi-
dences in the new permanent town of Balboa. The municipal de-
partment would also have charge of the alterations and improvements
to be made in such of the existing towns as are to be permanently
retained. It is understood that he intended to organize this depart-
ment by appointing a chief and, as first assistant, a municipal engi-
neer and a landscape architect. He asked the assistance of the
committee in securing competent men for those positions, and they
submitted to him information in regard to a considerable number of
possible appointees.
8. MARINE RESERVATION.

Adjacent to the town of Balboa a large reservation has been set
apart for the permanent quarters of a detachment of marines. There
are to be erected several barracks, each housing 150 men, a number of
officers' quarters, and other buildings, together with a large parade
ground. The situation selected for the barracks and officers' quarters
is a very commanding terrace on the westerly side of Ancon Hill,
at a height of about 175 feet. The design of the buildings, and in
fact everything that is to be done within the marine reservation, is
entirely out of the hands of the Isthmian Canal Commission, and will
be determined by the naval authorities, but Col. Goethals suggested
to the committee to confer with the officer commanding the marines
on the Isthmus. with a view to considering these improvements with
those in the town of Balboa. The committee had a very interesting
and satisfactory interview with that officer, who explained the needs
of the post, and expressed a deep interest in its appearance and in
securing harmony between these improvements and those of the town.
Hle explained, however, that the matter was now out of his hands, and
urged that the Commission of Fine Arts confer with the naval
authorities at Washington upon the subject, which we have expressed
our entire readiness to do.

9. ARMY POST.

Col. Goethals further stated that a reservation is to be set apart for
a large Army post, but that the location is not yet determined.

10. COMMEMORATIVE MONUMENT.

The Commission of Fine Arts believe that a memorial record of the
building of the canal should be made in the form of an impressive
inscription upon a great monumental surface at some point of promi-
nence; and a careful examination of the whole length of the canal
led to the choice for this purpose of the east wall at the point of
deepest cut, 492 feet, at the continental divide. While the size and
design of this monument should be the result of careful study, we are
inclined to believe that it should be approximately 100 feet in height






PANAMA CANAL.


and somewhat more in width; that it should be severely simple in
design; that the lettering should be done in Roman V-shaped letters
large enough to be easily read by normal eyes across the canal; and
that the material should be concrete applied as a massive facing to the
irreaularly fractured trap rock of the cliff.
We strongly recommend this and regard it as one of the most im-
portant matters to be considered.
We suggest also the possibility of marking the highest point of
canal excavation on Gold Hill immediately over the proposed inscrip-
tion with some form of monument. This should be considered care-
fully by the designer of the principal monument.
Respectfully submitted.
THE COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS,
By DANIEL C. FRENCH, Chairman.

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PAGE 1

63D CONGRESS IST SESSION APRIL 7DECEMBER 4, 1913 SENATE DOCUMENTS VoL, 10 WASHINGTON: : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: : 1913

PAGE 2

63D CONGRESS SENATE DoCUMENT 1st Session f No. 146 PANAMA CANAL MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TRANSMITTING A REPORT BY THE COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS IN RELATION TO THE ARTISTIC STRUCTURE OF THE PANAMA CANAL JULY~~~ ~~ 29, .-ed rfr in~t Fon-lnteroceanic Can-ala~ind -message ony ordered to be printed AUGUST 5, 1913.-Ordered reprinted with the report of the Commission of Fine Arts and accompanying illustrations WASHINGTON 1913

PAGE 3

* C ** .*. S .S *..* .* ** C. .S. a. .C. 7 .O zzcC-. .-,

PAGE 4

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. To the Senate and House of Representatives: I transmit herewith a report by the Commission of Fine Arts, containing their recommendations regarding the artistic character of the structures of the Panama Canal, made in pursuance of the authority contained in section 4 of the act of Congress to provide for the opening, maintenance, protection, and operation of the Panama Canal, and the sanitation and government of the Canal Zone, approved August 24, 1912. WooDRow WILSON. THE WniTE HousE July 29, 1913. 70 3bo(

PAGE 5

THE CoMMISSION OF FINE ARTS, The PRESIDENT, IWashington, D. C., July 26, 1913. The White House. SI: The act of Congress approved August 24, 1912, entitled "An act to provide for the opening, maintenance, protection, and operation of the Panama Canal and the sanitation and government of the Canal Zone," contains, under section 4, the following provision: Before the completion of the canal the Comnil sion of Fine Arts may make report to the President of their recommendation regarding the artistic character of the structures of the canal, such report to be transmitted to Congress. In pursuance of the above authority and on the urgent request of the Jsthmian Canal Commission, the Commission of Fine Arts, finding it impossible for all the members to visit the Isthmus without undue delay, sent there a committee consisting of the chairman, Mr. Daniel C. French, sculptor, and the vice chairman, Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted, landscape architect. This committee sailed from New York for Colon on February 4, 1913, diligently examined the work and plans of the Isthmnian Canal Commission, conferred with the chairman and with many others engaged upon the work, and returned to New York on February 27. The report of this committee was submitted to and discussed by the entire commission and forms the basis of the following report: The canal itself and all the structures connected with it impress one with a sense of their having been built with a view strictly to their utility. There is an entire absence of ornament and no evidence that the esthetic has been considered except in a few cases as a secondary consideration. Because of this very fact there is little to find fault with from the artist's point of view. The canal, like the Pyramids or some imposing object in natural scenery, is impressive from its scale and simplicity and directness. One feels that anything done merely for the purpose of beautifying it would not only fail to accomplish that purpose, but would be an impertinence. In such a work the most that the artist could hope to do would be to aid in selecting, as between alternative forms of substantially equal value from the engineering point of view, tLose which are likely to prove most agreeable and appropriate in appearance. GENERAL APPEARANCE OF COMPLETED CANAL. At the risk of rehearsing general descriptions of the canal with which Congress is familiar, it seems worth while to call attention to the chief visual characteristics that will be presented by the completed work. (See Exhibit No. 1, general map of completed canal, from report for 1912 of Isthmian Canal Commission.) 5

PAGE 6

6 PANAMA CANAL. In approaching from the Atlantic the first land to be seen is a stretch of mountainous shore at the left of the steamer's course; this is skirted at a distance of several miles for a few hours before the low shore near the canal entrance comes into view ahead. The first sign of the canal work to catch the eye will be a low lighthouse just behind the left-hand end of a riprap breakwater 2 miles long, which reaches out diagonally from the flat wooded shore of Toro Point on the right. (See Exhibit No. 2, map from report for 1911 of Isthmian Canal Commission showing project for lighting and buoying Panama Canal and approaches, and Exhibit No. 1.) It is possible that an additional breakwater, also having a terminal lighthouse. may be built at the left of the harbor entrance, which would provide a nearly symmetrical and effective entrance. The course of vessels in approaeiing is not far from the axis of the straight channel which extends from the end of the Toro Point breakwater up the 5-mile length of Limon Bay and is continued into the flat land at its head as a visible canal. Through the bay this channel is to be marked by pairs of buoys. (See Exhibit No. 2.) On the right the low wooded bay shore is about 2 miles distant. On the left, a mile and a half inside the breakwater light, a point occupied by the towns of Colcn and Cristobal projects within three-fourths of a mile of the straight channel. The end of this point facing the ocean is conspicuously occupied by the rather lon a three-story mass of the new hotel. (See photograph, Exhibit No. 3.) To the left is palm foliage with a brown4one church and wooden hospital buildings and quarters for railroad employees. Behind is the uninteresting wooden town of Colon, and farther to the right is Cristobal, which together present to the bay a utilitarian water front, part shabbiness, part aggressive commercialism. At the head of Limon Bay (see photograph, Exhibit No. 4) the canal as a visible object begins. The bank on the left is somewhat in advance of that on the right; both are very low and occupied by a scrubby jungle rising into larger trees behind and at a distance into wooded hills. The canal is 500 feet wide. with a few feet of cleared ground on either side to be kept open for surveying and maintenance work. For a distance of a mile the line is straight and in direct continuation of the buoyed channel through the bay; then it bends slightly to the right and disappears from view. The vista along the first reach of the canal terminates 2 miles beyond the bend in the wooden houses of the town of Gatun, occupying hills some 150 feet high, crowned by a large black steel water tank on stilts silhouetted against the sky. This tank, which is nearly on the axis of the canal, should be increased in concrete, so as to form a solid tower, permanent in appearance and in fact. The exact axis is marked by two range lights on concrete lighthouse towers, one right in the town of Gatun. These are not at present very conspicuous, but will probably be so painted as to bring them out sharply as an aid to navigation, thus further emphasizing the long, straight vista. The first bend in the canal takes place just where it makes a long, diagonal crossing with the narrower old French canal, and where also the cut enters the higher ground of the Mindi Hills. These are +hummocks from 10 to 50 feet in height. The deepest cuts are about opposite each other at a point about one-third of a mile beyond the

PAGE 7

PANAMA CANAL. 7 bend. Small beacon lights are planned to be placed at the edge of the water on each side of the canal exactly at the bend and at certain ether points. (See Exhibit 2.) From the bend the canal makes a straight run of a mile across low, flat ground to the Gatun Locks, a broad, low, symmetrical mass of concrete and steelwork, the axis of which coincides with that of the canal approaching it, and the length of which is a little over a mile. All the concrete, except such as may be kept light in color by paint or other surface applications, is rapidly discolored in the climate of Panama to a mottled, blackish green, and the steelwork is to be painted the dark battleship gray. The Gatun Locks, like those at Pedro Miguel and Miraflores, will form a sort of promontory projecting from the flat irregular hills and embankments which retain the water behind the locks. The total width occupied by the two locks side by side, with the central pier separating them and the side walls with their towing tracks, etc., is about 360 feet. Outside of these on each side is to be a flat earth space 100 feet wide or more, sloping just enough to drain the surface water away from the lock. This is intended for use as a wharf for the handling of material to be loaded on or unloaded from vessels when passing through the lock, and for other purposes. At the outer edge of these flat spaces the ground is to descend in steep banks. Each pair of locks, of which there are three at Gatun, will thus form a sort of raised terrace nearly 600 feet across and about 1,000 feet from front to rear, and the next higher pair of locks will rise from it with a transverse terrace bank some 30 feet in height. The top of the lock masonry itself does not step up architecturally from one pair of locks to the next, but rises by an ogee slope so as to enable the towing engines to climb from level to level. Beyond the Gatun Locks, for 23 miles through Gatun Lake, there will be nothing that looks like a canal. So much of the shores (see photograph, Exhibit No. 5) as are within close view of the channel are generally steep and beautifully forested. There is a distressing fringe of dead trees rising from the water everywhere along the shores. In the opinion of the engineers most of these trees are likely to rot off at about the water line in the course of two or three years; but, as the water level will fluctuate several feet, it seems probable that at least the stubs of numberless snags will continue to show above the surface much of the time for a great many years. As very little of the timber was marketable, the cost of clearing the forest before flooding was felt to be too great to justify removing it except from the navigable channel itself. This is much to be regretted. The high bold hills around the lake make many of the distant views very beautiful. The only canal structures in the lake section are the aids to navigation-lighthouses, small range lights, and tripods-all made of reenforced concrete, and nearly all open to criticism as to details of appearance. Most of them are completed, and it is too late to modify the designs. Occasionally, toward the upper end, as the lake narrows down, the edges of the channel show above the water surface as straight red bluffs where projecting points have been cut through. Where the channel departs from the flooded Chagres Valley the latter is barred off by a railroad bridge, and the banks of the canal cut are at first

PAGE 8

8 PANAMA CANAL. so low that the transition is much less striking than where the canal leaves Limon Bay. The Culebra Cut section, extending 8 miles from this point to Pedro Miguel Locks, is uniformly 300 feet wide, in a series of straight reaches with slight angles between. The raw banks rise very irregularly both as to height and as to rate of slope. Rarely clifflike, they will generally become covered with vegetation, and look not very strikingly different from natural steep hillsides. Altogether the boldest and most striking feature immediately along the line of the canal is at the point of deepest cut, through the continental divide, where the rocks on both sides happen to be a hard trap which stands very steep, and is safe from the breaks and slides which occur elsewhere along the cut. The highest point of the cut, begun by the French, is on the left side some 447 feet above the water of the canal. At Pedro Miguel there is one Pair of locks essentially similar to those at Gatun. From this point the 2 miles to Miraflores Locks are through another lake, much smaller than Gatun but of the same landscape character. with irregular shores not at all canal-like in appearance. Two pairs of locks at Miraflores connect with the sealevel canal on the Pacific side, which runs through flat land to the new port of Balboa, now under construction. There are striking hills on both sides at some distance from the canal. At Balboa, on the left as one approaches the Pacific, a hill called Sosa comes close to the canal with just a margin of navy-yard shops and docks between. These shops promise to be rather ugly, but are so far advanced that no material changes could be made in the plan. Turning to the left around Sosa Hill the canal passes out through the bay among very interesting islands, with bold headlands to the right. There is no point on the Pacific side at which there is so distinct a beginning of the visible canal as at the head of Limon Bay on the Atlantic side. SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS. The following specific comments and suggestions were, at the request of the chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission, submitted informally to him by our committee either while on the Isthmus or by subsequent correspondence, in order that they might be made directly effective so far as they commended themselves to the responsible authorities. 1. ATLANTIC END OF THE CANAL. The lighthouse at the end of the breakwater, the first structure that will be seen by one approaching from the sea and the most conspicuous structure north of the Gatun Locks, if carried out as shown in plans accompanying the report of the canal commission for 1912, would not make as favorable or striking an impression as would be desirable. (See plan and section for light and fog signal from report for 1912 of Isthmian Canal Commission, Exhibit No. 6.) It was recommended to Col. Goethals that the design of this lighthouse should be restudied, and the architect of the Canal Commission has developed a design which meets the approval of this commission. (See Exhibit No. 7.)

PAGE 9

PANAMA CANAL. 9 2. CRISTOBAL. The town of Cristobal consists largely of the quarters of canal employees, standing in a coconut grove planted by the French and facing on the bay. The town terminates in the De Lesseps house with a statue of Columbus in front of it. Cristobal is being completely inclosed with wharves upon which it is planned to erect continuous sheds, entirely cutting off the view of the town from the water. (See Isthmian Canal Commission plan Cristobal coaling plant and docks, Exhibit No. 8.) It will make the town more agreeable to live in and will enhance the appearance from the bay if the space now open at Dock 15, between the end of the present shed of Dock 11 and the southeast end of Dock 16, immediately opposite the statue of Columbus. can be kept permanently open and free from sheds. The desirability of this is undoubted if it is found to be practicable. 3. ENTRANCE FEATURE. The commission is impressed with the desirability of marking with some dignified architectural feature the point at the Atlantic end where the canal enters the land, sharply accenting the transition from the buoyed channel in the open bay to the canal proper, and marking a definite entrance. This impression is strengthened by the fact that the plan for the lighting of the canal (see Exhibit No. 2) shows at this point a pair of lights for which the design of the beacons already in place at the Pacific entrance would probably be used (see photograph. Exhibit No. 9, and plan of beacon from report for 1912 of Isthmian Canal Commission, Exhibit No. 10). Structures of this kind certainly would not accomplish the desired effect. Unfortunately the shores here are very low, and it was learned that they are of so loose a formation that they are at present worn back by the water several feet a year, so that anything built here would be in danger of finding itself surrounded by the sea within a few years. It was stated, moreover, that there would be serious foundation difficulties on account of the deep soft mud. We understand, however, that if the other breakwater, which is projected opposite the present one, is built this erosion at the head of the bay will probably cease. In that case it certainly would be advisable to determine the exact conditions as to foundations at this point since rock was encountered at a depth of from 20 to 40 feet at several points in the vicinity in dredging the canal, and, if the foundation difficulties are not too serious, to erect a monument in the form of a lighthouse specially designed for the purpose at either side of the canal, approximately in the positions now marked for beacon lights 1 and 2. (See Exhibit No. 2.) If it is found to be impracticable to mark this point monumentally, we would recommend that beacon lights 1 and 2 be reduced to low structures comparable with the illuminating buoys used to mark the channel through Limon Bay. We would further recommend for consideration the possibility of building lighthouses or some other form of monument at the first high solid ground encountered in entering the canal from the Atlantic, at the Mindi Hills, where the Gatun Locks first attract attention. The chairman of the Isthmian Canal

PAGE 10

10 PANAMA CANAL. Commission, who expressed doubts as to the practicability of building anything of importance at the locations of beacon lights 1 and 2, suggested this point as preferable. The bend in the canal would throw any pair of monuments erected on the highest of these hills off the axis in approaching from the sea. This is unfortunate, but it could perhaps be obviated by erecting the structures on artificial mounds exactly at the angle. 4. GATUN LOCKS. (a) Liqthouse.--We advise the filling of the arches on the two sides of the lower portion of the present lighthouse'on Gatun Locks. (See photograph, Exhibit No. 11.) We feel this would improve the design. (b) Grading.-The tentative plan for grading seems good. Suggestions for minor modifications and for possible locations of avenues of trees on either side of the locks were furnished the chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission. (c) Lighting ftexhtres.-At either side of all the locks at Gatun, as well as at Miraflores and Pedro Migruel, are to be erected concrete electric-light standards, already cast, with reflectors of a very peculiar shape for lighting the locks. We recommended that the external form of the fixtures should be changed to a more agreeable design. It was the intention to make these fixtures of concrete, but we suggested executing them in sheet copper, which would permit a less heavy-looking design. and we believe would be decidedly preferable. (d) Control buildinq.-The designs for the control building which is to be erected on the central pier of the locks were not susceptible of much change at the time they were submitted to our committee, since all or most of the steel for this building was then being fabricated, and in any case the design was closely controlled by operating requirements and the location of tracks, manholes, and other structures which were in place before the architect was consulted. One of the requirements, however, laid down by the Canal Commission for this building will be so generally insisted on elsewhere that the resulting appearance is very important. We refer to the extremely broad overhang of the roof demanded because of the climatic conditions. We have urged upon the architect of the Canal Commission that where such excessive projections are demanded the pitch of the overhanging part of the roof should be flattened by a curve beginning nearly over the plane of the wall in order to lighten it and distinguish it from the roof proper covering the mass of the building. (c) The desirability of a change in the steel water tank at flatun has been referred to above. (See p. 6.) Most of the suggeztions in regard to the Gatun Locks apply with modifications to the other locks. 5. ENTRANCE TO TIIE CANAL FROM THE PACIFIC. It seems at first to be desirable that the entrance to the canal from the Pacific should be marked in a manner somewhat similar to that proposed at the Atlantic end. Unfortunately the conditions near this entrance, particularly on the east side, will not admit of this treat-

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PANAMA CANAL. 11 ment. The shore at this point is occupied by docks and coal storage with which any extraneous structure would come in conflict. Moreover, there are points of interest as one approaches the canal from the Pacific with which it would be unwise to attempt to compete by any structure built for artistic reasons alone. The shore itself, with its rugged range of mountains, is inspiring, and the islands guarding the entrance are interesting in the extreme. The islands to the south really will guard the entrance, as three of them are to be occupied by forts with heavy guns. The second one, Perico, is most unusual and picturesque. Naturally a wooded mound, rising abruptly out of the sea, the top has been flattened for a fortress, and a spiral roadway encircling the island leads up to it from the causeway which connects this island with its neighbor, Naos, and thence with the mainland. In our opinion, the only place upon which a monument might be erected would be on the small round hill at Point Farfan, which rises directly from the water at the entrance to the canal, and is symmetrical in form. It would, however, be difficult to erect any structure here that would not appear to be forced unless it were a lighthouse, and the plan for lighthouses and beacons does not provide for a light on this eminence. All things considered, we are not prepared to advise adding any structure to those already projected at the south end of the canal. 6. THE ISLANDS OF NAOS, PERICO, CULEBRA, AND FLAMENCO. These islands, referred to above. are, as already stated, connected with each other and with the mainland by dikes or causeways. (See photograph, Exhibit No. 12.) One of these causeways between East Balboa and Naos is about 3:1 miles in length, and as it may come to be a favorite drive for the people of Panama it has been proposed to plant it with trees throughout its entire length. If the trees were planted near enough together to shade the road effectively they would completely shut out from the ships entering or leaving the canal the view of the city, which at present is very attractive. They might also disturb the effect of the long low straight line which the causeway now makes and which is a striking note in the picture, and they would tend to make the shore continuous with the island, and thus destroy the effect of its being an island. We therefore doubt the wisdom of such tree planting. It may be possible to plant groups of trees, presulmablly palms. near the ends of the causeway without impairing its effect and the impression of Naos Island. This should be carefully considered. The same arguments apply to the dike connecting Nacs and Perico, though not to the same extent. 7. PERMANENT TOWNS. After the completion of the canal the work of maintenance and operation will require the residence of a considerable permanent population of employees on the Canal Zone. It is expected that these will be concentrated at five centers. Four of these are now occupied by the construction force, and at these it is proposed to utilize the present quarters, as far as available, with such gradual replacements and changes as may prove necessary. These are: (1) Cristobal and Colon, chiefly for those concerned with the port, with the sea-level

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12 PANAMA CANAL. section of the canal on the Atlantic side and with the Panama Railroad; (2) Gatun, chiefly for those working at the Gatun locks, spillway, power plant, and features auxiliary thereto; and (3) Pedro Miguel, and (4) Miraflores for those working at the locks of those names. At the Pacific end of the canal the new town of Balboa is to be created, containing the general administration offices and provision for those working in them in the navy-yard shops and docks, and in connection with the port and the sea-level section of the canal. A tentative preliminary plan for the town of Balboa had been prepared by the architect of the Canal Commission and was discussed with him by the committee at length upon the ground. The controlling feature of the plan is the administration building. The site for this was selected by the Canal Commission upon the hill, about 100 feet high, forming a spur on the northwesterly side of the imposing mass of Ancon Hill, which lies directly between the old city of Panama and the canal. (See general map of Balboa terminals from Report for 1912 of Isthmus Canal Commission, Exhibit No. 13.) The plan showed the main avenue of the town on the lower ground extending from this site t,: the existing road between the base of Sosa Iill and the site of the navy-yard shops, the axis of the administration building coinciding with that of the avenue. Even from the height of the lofty terrace of the administration building the view of the canal when looking down the avenue would be cut off by the roofs of the navy-yard shops, and the actual terminus of the vista would be a foundry, set at an awkward angle with the town and backed by a decidedly unattractive series of other shop buildings. The architect agreed with the committee as to the unfortunate orientation of the main axis, and after considering other alternatives it was decided to recommend a general preliminary plan embodying the following features (see diagrammatic plan kindly furnished by the architect, Exhibit No. 14): The administration building to be placed. as previously planned, on Lone Tree Hill, but facing liiroctly toward the knoll on the southeasterly side of Sosa Hill, with its court open to the northerly breeze. The main avenue of the town to be priced on this same axis, to be flanked by the public buildings of the town, connected so far as practicable by continuous arcades, which would serve both as porches and as covered sidewalks; the avenue to be not less than 120 feet wide between buildings, with an open parked vista in the center, flanked by a row of trees on each side shading the roadways, which would be next to the arcaded sidewalks. The quarters for employees in the shops to be arranged along the slopes of Sosa 11111 above the southwesterly end of the avenue, on curvilinear roads followiing the contoili's of the hill as far hack as the to ography of the hill allows, and to extend southward on the high part of the dump as far as may be necessary-the space betwEwln the drainage ditch and the present low level of the tracks across the dump to be reserved for this purpose. The quarters for the employees in the administration building to be arranged in a similar informal manner on the slopes of the Ancon Hill to the eastward and norohe: atward (f the adininistration building. The quarters for silver employees in the shops to be located south of Sosa Low Hill. The trolley tracks from Panamn to be carried on the south side of Sosa Hill from about their present terminus at the drainage ditch through the end of the space reserved for silver employees to the navy-yard boundary. This recommendation met with the approval of the chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission. In submitting it, however, the com-

PAGE 13

PANAMA CANAL. 13 mittee pointed out that the general plan had as yet received practically no study in respect to the location and grades of the roads upon the hillsides and the arrangement of the quarters thereon, and but little as to the placing of the individual public buildings along the main avenue. Further, the committee explained, as set forth in their memorandum to the chairman, "that the quality of the final result, both in matters of practical convenience and especially in matters of appearance, will depend upon the proper handling of the innumerable details which can not be shown on the general plan even more than upon the quality of the general plan itself. 'either the Commission of Fine Arts nor any paid professional advisor at a distance can safeguard the work in regard to these details, which in the total will make or break the artistic and practical success of the town. They are always dependent upon the local executive organization and are peculiarly so where the work is isolated and lias to be pushed rapidly. Practical experience in somewhat similar work undertaken for public institutions and for companies engaged in the business of producing and selling residential properties on a large scale, where the attractiveness of the whole community is the principal commercial asset, clearly indicates the importance of certain points in the organization for handling such work. One is that the town must be regarded as a single job which stands or falls as a whole, and that every feature in it should be, as far as practicable, controlled by a single compact organization devoted solely to that purpose and capable of exercising a wise discretion as to matters of appearance. Special parts of the work, such as electrical and mechanical equipment, can and generally must be delegated to other organizations working in collaboration with the office in charge of the town work as a whole, but other parts can be successfully handled only under the direct and complete control of that office. On the architectural side, whether buildings are erected by outside contractors or by an executive building department run by the organization itself, as is often the case with land companies, and whether the original designs of the buildings are furnished by outside architectural offices or by the local architectural department of the organization, it is vital to success that all the details of construction, no matter how trivial they may seem, should be settled and carried out under the authoritative inspection of somebody of artistic skill. It is impossible, even were it not too extravagantly costly in time and money, to prepare plans and specifications so complete and detailed as to make it safe to do without such watchful artistic oversight over the details of execution. Innumerable unforeseen questions constantly arise requiring almost instant decision which offer two or more alternatives of nearly equal practical merit but very different artistic value." It is to be noted that the Canal Commission has an architectural department, under the direction of Mr. A. W'. Lord, who prepares the general drawings in New York, with an assistant architect, Mr. M. Schiavoni, selected by him, in charge of the office at the Isthmus, where the working drawings are prepared. There is as yet no organization for the design and supervision of the outside work in connection with the town and kindred matters. In the discussion of

PAGE 14

14 PANAMA CANAL. these matters with the chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission the committee found that it was his intention to establish a municipal department to have charge, in collaboration with the architectural department. of the design. execution, and maintenance of the public work other than buildings, including streets, sewers, water supply, public grounds, and the grounds surrounding the quarters or residences in the new permanent town of Balboa. The 1minicipal department would also have charge of the alterations and improvements to be made in such of the existing towns as are to be permanently retained. It is understood that he intended to organize this department by appointing a chief and. as first assistant, a municipal engineer and a landscape architect. He asked the assistance of the committee in securing competent men for those positions, and they submitted to him information in regard to a considerable number of possible appointees. 8. MARINE RESERVATION. Adjacent to the town of Balboa a large reservation has been set apart for the permanent quarters of a detachment of marines. There are to be erected several barracks, each housing 150 men, a number of officers' quarters, and other buildings, together with a large parade ground. The situation selected for the barracks and officers' quarters is a very ccmnanding terrace on the westerly side of Ancon Hill, at a height of about 175 feet. The design of the buildings, and in fact everything that is to be done within the marine reservation, is entirely out of the hands of the Isthmian Canal Commission, and will be determined by the naval authorities, but Col. Goethals suggested to the committee to confer with the officer commanding the rnarines en fhe Ishnus. with a view to considering these improvements with those in the town of Balboa. The committee had a very interesting and satisfactory interview with that otfhcer, who explained the needs of the post, and expressed a deep interest in its appearance and in securing harmony between these improvements and those of the town. Ile explained, however. that the matter was now out of his hands, and urged that the Commission of Fine Arts confer with the naval authorities at Washington upon the subject, which we have expressed our entire readiness to do. 9. ARMY POST. Col. Goethals further stated that a reservation is to be set apart for a large Army post, but that the location is not yet determined. 10. COMMEMORATIVE MONUMENT. The Commission of Fine Arts believe that a memorial record of the buifling of the canal should be made in the form of an impressive inscription upon a great monumental surface at some point of prominence; and a careful examination of the whole length of the canal led to the choice for this purpose of the east wall at the point of deepest cut. 492 feet, at the continental divide. While the size and design of this monument should be the result of careful study, we are inclined to believe that it should be approximately 100 feet in height

PAGE 15

PANAMA CANAL. 15 and somewhat more in width; that it should be severely simple in design; that the lettering should be done in Roman V-shaped letters large enough to be easily read by normal eyes across the canal; and that the material should be concrete applied as a massive facing to the irreaullarv fractured trap rock of the cliff. We strongly recommend this and regard it as one of the most important matters to be considered. We suggest also the possibility of marking the highest point of canal excavation on Gold Hill immediately over the proposed inscription with some form of monument. This should be considered carefully by the designer of the principal monument. Respectfully submitted. TUHE CorMIssIoN OF FINE ARTS, By DANIEL C. FRENCH, Chairman. 0 -,. .-*.---.-

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ItXIIBIT NO. 3. COLON. NEW WASHINGTON HOTEL. EXHIBIT No. 4. ATLANTIC APPROACH. ENTRANCE OF THE CANAL INTO THE LAND AT HEAD OF LIMON BAY.

PAGE 17

Ex iTRE No. H GATUN L-AKE. DEAD TREES Al ONGSHORE.

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PACIFIC APPROACH. BEAC)> OPP ITE BALBOA

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Eximirr No. 11. ie IG GATUN LOCKS. LIGHTHOUSE ON THE LOCKS.

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--~--PREAKWATEP CCN E CI LLEBRA LAND W TH FERIC' ISLAND. C KY OF 'ANAr/A AN } ANCON HILL IN DISTANCE.

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* dCARiBRo EA N OW /, A 50' 30' / C~ San ueaven'wrals~a nme /aI \aavenur ~ 9 6 LF OF PA AMA --Cerrora / c EScale of Wi/cs Naranjos\.--NMuhrts .LuafOsa .t o NA Pt.Tor uilr Sas -f atn ak a TT oi 0. VB a so 0 ...Y.a. Mra 13* 0 N. Lagato jforte Cs GoRoAlc r seOl> rAy amo~r e. P t .D i eg o .4 .ti roG'rade can s. -aprt 40g. %OF PP. tMA A .k sa ar n a o SenateIGoc. o. aC 63d Cn. -i ---" ~ ic a Sns e c rVad a. e Miles -6orill* t~~ Rfs s .4bi re Laaot Kilometres~~RI 0Aoel abgill o t s 0 s.APOR LUog di nar(R. yo' 80 'iO6/TDE EST ROMGRENW/// 401til C.9'riftriu Se1at, ..o W 3 on .s e

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Plate 77. 4 41 ~Tbis por/,o, of Boocon' to bez // c Jame CO s/xwn, ', 'iv/h .d632, ezcpd//o/ pm~d% of roof, *) be 5-'6'.'uod of 5yo4 5' R/ -* -----------ec.ion hrouoh DAwo4oh5 IV~~ MhkrI Tea. ILI' .5ec,'ion-HB. .\ -'' B~-3~ -seechn cc-D ~ ~~ A ~ Or 0iA/1/J Of 461c / CXMoa'nfJsW~Iv 4039 4 43A. --------L 309" ISTN1MIAN CAN/\L COMMISSION DEPARTMENT O OSR'TO N NIe~N &ACIFIC DW-10 ronc& m 25 cal&son po?, z4 ,I--Nc F23 IAtK rS LIGHTING AND BUOYING CANAL 4&7 M6aIIAf L~~~ -----AE FE -AND ELECTRIC LAGHTS le -AC C1V1 --oc~~~-14 63 In ../eq. ,-1.ca/014 -. / i./K L. .c/// S7nat' x,. No.;f6 decng., ,t -Ds.

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P/ate 89 Pt -wl R m 0"' -w PaaPt-1oPRe ma P-o----------/\N----------------'A e -/ Taoo tl 4J 0 c1K ~ PaP~1l .*' ~ 0 -~ *' ~ '~0A)Pt 'H S\Pt liujat~'&~~ ?f O ~ '~% -0E? -~ ~ /XNX~E -~ 1 ~~ 7 .~ .L A S REVEN AA S .1 T N1O / 'FLN CO LCO MSS --'---F:R ~'-~--' ?' -H .u7 19 E~r~ -~ -,-, -1 -~ P A A A CA A N A PIC E sca i:10,00 ------w. -A N1R-ITORC .TOLNGANI.C -"atCD---./63dCog.'.tSe4

PAGE 24

Plate .97 ;K Lk~j) C NV ISTHMIAN CANAL COMMISSION N DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING R~o OFFICE OF ASSISTANT TO THE CHIEF ENGINEER UEBA CAA ZONE GENERAL PLAN OF BALBOA TERMINALS COROZALCAAE ----Subni A pr v Assistw.nt to the Chief Engineer. Cha m o~~~F Entineer INF OR~ PEF NS GC NAMtN CN E"Senate Dec. No. /4'6 ; 63d Cong., 1st Seas.

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Plate 97 C Q* K COROZAL S CANAL COMMISSION DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING SO O OFFICE OF ASSISTANT TO THE CHIEF ENGINEER GENERAL PLAN OF BALBOA TERMINALS .WCALE Assista.nt to the Chief En~ginee. 'Cha r dCiF Enieer. Somat. De. Kb. /M ; 63d Cong., it Seas.

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-_Plate 76 A LANTERN. -A7'^, PLAN oF LANTERN I AI,} ...FpCAI PLA ..56'-W4 ~ l M8V '.SL. I ~ -~y-ANODECK. N~b -Bev Room. Br:D KOO fcMe A -' A#6' 1 /11 88. ~ -4.AZ O O Ofl O OE -A-~ ~ ~ O M --_MK C E 8 0000008 Ovnao88 -W~ s AN h I /I OR Mo 0 00 -+'--Z 0 -8-E' 0 -0 KI-CH-+ I IL 7,/c '1~a. jj J N I E R O L o .c~ Cor4 4'6 --,9'.,--A-C Z-' PLAN oF LIVIN QUARTERS. W_ PLAN OF 0Fc.< K L Ca0 ENG MTC-ROOM -uROOM. -,A1 A. -f p PU P c 6o ffg q5ER ICITR A OL/'.2PLANA fATCH-Roc* -IA ALLA KOC Roc' Room SALL BAeL-sTr. c R' c ISTHMIAN CANAL COMMISSION r DrPARTMENT Of CONSTRUCTIONAND IZNGMNERING iOrrNCr Or 11r ssBsTA.T citir ruewIer:R D 7.7 7 -g -----//'s ----s-7N -\ LIGHTING AND BUOYING CANAL --46-?" ------E-WEST BREAKWATER LIGHT AND FOG SIGNAL IAER ALSETONAD L RPLN IA AA 'l"* V ICAL 4ECTION-AA. PLAN or PUMP RAOOM r CLTENN. OF,4AT-5,RO,, Senae Do. No 16 63d Cong., Ist Sess.

PAGE 27

g Ia '1~ _ _ _ t ELEAT ON vO10 NM FCT1ON TflR0UGH -'--_ __ __ ___ __ __ __ _ __ __ ___ -_ AWVnz MEt.s n -I E)SC'T1ON-THRUGL CE -0Y ANTERN 0 S9A&. ~i -y WATC4I PWMg 4 ~~-------_ y p ------l~ _--_ 4 --T 'V 40.M -SIA-L, -I4 --sO T-A$ JUt-1N V I4rT -I-I9 AI xO --I ISTHMIAN CAN ,L COMMISSION -3 ~ I OFFICE OF AUSTINt LORD, ARCHITECT -00V.r I AT LIGHTH TIT BUJOB\T o. INDRAWl ITTRACED Ei wiEO-E~\Ah d ICHECUD B Y HT YC ISCALB = 0 EM Senate Doc. No. /'/ ; 63d Cong., lit Sess.

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?LA 'F Tos-F1 -M OA tjiUAI&~ bI t ddv.4str-9*.-c 9:1 \ .IV -srok~&Is. .e -~* I -a .~ D'4~.taI%Q/~ e,.hI~s C& uZJ -*,ALH % -A 00 1 NE4 0 LA 0 )4DT UAiC ? X *--* * -." ? ; A ISTHMIAN CAN ACMTSO OFIC F UTI .OD,-C *1~' -45-FIF-H-AV-.,*NEW YORK ~~~ Roc~aSI~a I ~ ~-oiA t@. T* ~its L* -N~ BOYN ---CA 4 WL a.S-'-BtAXeWATE. LK,9L -af \>:. --ROYD-\.n1C M N I ) 'AC A'I _ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ t_ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ Seat o\ N./'6 6d o-. 1tS-i

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* z 50I I I (j 7 I I ISTHMIAN CANAL COMMISSION GENERAL PLAN -CRISTOBAL COALING PLANT January /1911 -:Notelt Dinsions morkedY 'in above diaqrsm art not drown scol,buO Ai be find by ech bidder to suit tki Reqiremintsof #1 is mothintry and App*Mu ISHIA AhnL CW Cief bOn coSvoin. y-tOo. imay b locsitidt cry contient point slont end fl(s in r. -E e D-nContours aturi sure bnterval,S bot ---Contours Rock surface, aVefa d fAwt Itmaye be .oc /fed;at anCyg.onvenient ti~~~~~ 4eI r LKED 39.o~.Iour~Sroe nlre.5Nt