The Sunday Oregonian., February 21, 1915, SECTION FIVE, Page 9, Image 65

FORTY ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES ARE
USED TO TOW SHIPS THROUGH CANAL
Vessels Are Taken Through Locks at Rate of Two Miles an Hour and Are Always Under Control of Engines
Traveling Along Walls.
I . '
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It n'ftir 'hi
FOKTV eltx-tric locomotives ' of
unique design are used to tow
shipping: through tlie hu(re locks
of the Panama Canal. When the canal
was bcins planned it was apparent that
the various winch and capstan systems
in voitue for towingr ships through
existing canals and locks would not
do at all for Panama
After a thorough study of the en
tire problem of maneuvering ships
through the locks at Tanama, it was
evident that they could not safe
ly proceed through the locks under
their own power, and that a substi
tute for the ship's power should em
brace ability to place the ship In
proper relation to the Hock, capability
for keeping- the ship in its course, ac
celerating and retarding the ship
without rupturing the lines and the
lines when once attached should be
used without change for lockage in
flight.
Korka KrreI at Gatua.
In passing through the canal from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, a vessel
enters the approach channel in Llmon
Bay, which extends to Ciitun. a dis
tance of about seven miles. At Gatun
it enters a series of three locks in
flight and is raised 85 feet to the level
of Gatun Lake. It then steams at
full speed through the greater part
of the channel in this lake, for 2 miles
to Has Obispo, where it enters the
Oulebra Cut. Jt passes through this
cut. which has a length of nine miles,
and reaches Pedro Miguel, where it
enters a lock and is lowered 30 feet.
Then it passes through Miraflores
Iake at Miraflores. It is lowered 55
feet through two locks, to the sea level
after which it passes out into the Pa
cific through an 8 mile channel.
There are two channels at Gatun,
one for traffic in each direction. The
channels are separated by a center
wa'.I 8330 feet long. There are two
tracks, one for towir.g and the other
for the return of the' electric locomo
tives when returning Idle. This, how
ever, refers only to the outer walls.
For the center wall, there is only one
return track in common
turn track in common for both me motor .3 o.. -v - , . . . n-a M -- -- fTI "V7"
RETAILERS DEPART PRAISING PORTLAND'S HQj PJT A L I T Y
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t 11ERCIIAXTS KHO .,. PAKTS O, PICT UK US O.TSIO, MILTAOMAH HOTEL CON "EXTIOX, IX PORTLAMI.
DEAL.Ei:S in merchandise of all kinds
ramc from ail parts of Oregon to
attend the annual convention of
the Oregon Retail Merchants' Associa
tion In this city the past week. With
each yearly gathering of the merchants
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the towing tracks. The system of
towing utilises normally not less than
four locomotives. Two of them are
opposite each other in advance of the
vessel, and two run opposite each
other following the vessel. The num
ber of locomotives is. however, in
creased when the tonnage of the ship
demands it.
Locomotives Control Siilpa.
Cables extend from the locomotives
and connect with the vessel. When the
leading locomotives are started they
tow the vessel while the trailing loco
motives follow and keep all the rabies
taut. The vessel is always under com plete
control quite independent of its
own power. '
When the locomotive reaches one of
the inclines between the locks, the
grade, of which may be as much as 44
per cnt, or when it Is towing a ship,
the cog rail system is utilized to enable
the locomotive to climb the grade and
in the other case to exert traction nec
essary for pulling the ships. The cog
or rack rail is laid between the track
rails and the locomotive is provided
with a cog wheel cr rack pinion to en
gage the vail.
A rack rail is also provided on short
portions of the return ,track so as to
lower- the locomotives safely from one
level to the next. The steepest slope is
26 degrees, or 44 per cent.
Three phase, 220-volt alternating cur
rent is used for operating the loco
motives, and the current is supplied to
the locomotives through an under
ground contact system. A specially de
signed contact plow slides between two
"T" conductors and transmits the
power to the locomotive.
Each Axle Has Motor.
The working parts of the locomotive
are supported by two longitudinal up
right side frames of cast steel, con
nected by transverse beams. The loco
motive is thus mounted on four wheels,
carried on two axles, the wheelbase
being 12 feet, and the overall length of
the locomotive over 32 feet. Each axle
is driven by Its own motor, independent
of the other; and the construction is
identical at both ends of the machine.
The motor is of the tnree-pnase type
Convention of Oregon Association
their number has increased, and upon
the occasion of the convention, just
held, the biggest number of retailers
evej; gathered in the state assembled.
Business sessions were held at the
Multnomah Hotel, and tho big assembly-
J
and it is geared by a. pinion, and spur
gear to the countershaft.
The two traction motors are con
trolled by suitable controllers installed
in the cabs at the ends of the loco
motives; and the circuits are such that
both motors can be controlled from
either cab, and can be operated singly
or in multiple as desired. Current is
taken from the supply conductors by a
special current collecting device.
In connection with each motor a
powerful brake is installed: and as
during operation the motors are at ail
times geared either to the axles or to
the cog wheels, the truck wheels are
not provided with any brake rigging.
Passing now to the features which
render the locomotive peculiarly adapt
ed for towing purposes, it i. observed
that the drum, ;n which the towing
cable is wound, is located midway be
tween the ends of the locomotive and
above the upper member, of the side
frames, so that the cable can be led
off on either side of the machine and
through a wide range of angles to the
line of travel.
A motor with bevel gear pinion Is
used for driving the drum at a liign
speed when coiling the -cable that has
been cast ofT. and it remains per
manently in gear. Another motor, with
worm gear drive is used for taking in
the cable when it is under load, and
the drum operates as a windlass or
capstan.
Two Miles an Honr Is Speed.
Each of the two main traction mo
tors has a rating of 75 horsepower, and
is of the slip ring, induction type, op
erated by a system -of contactors with
roaster controller in each cab. The mo
tors, bv means of the change in gearing
from straight traction to rack rail
towing previously described, drive the
locomotive at a speed of two miles an
hour when towing and five miles' an
hour when returning idle. These mo
tors act as induction generators run
ning above synchronous speed when
the locomotive Is passing down the
steep inclines and thereby exert a re
tarding brake effect to keep the speed
uniform.
Th windlass will pay out or wind in
cable at the low rope speed and at the
Draws to City Largest Number of Merchants Ever Assembled in State-Delegates Discuss Problems and Are Ln.ei -
room of the mezzanine floor was filled
with delegates and others, for all mer
chants, whether members or not. were
welcomed to the meetings.
Delegates from the various local as
sociations which make up the units
that form the state association were
full tow line pull of 25,000 pounds,
either when the locomotive is running
or at rest.
The windlass will pay out or coil in
cable at the high rope speed with the
tow line taut, either when the locomo
tive is running or at rest.
The windlass is equipped with a
safety friction device, which is ad
justable for any predetermined value of
the tow line pull.
The locomotives have a net weight of
86.300 pounds and a gross slipping
weight of 92,600 pounds. They were
mounted on specially designed slcds
and shipped from Schenectady by rail
to New York, where they were leaded
on board the ships as deck cargoes by
means of 125-ton floating derrick.
Million Tom Pass In Three Months.
The towing system was devised and
patented by Edward Schildhauer, elec
trical and mechanical engineer of the
Isthmian Canal Commission.
During the first three months ' of
commercial -operation of the canal,
from August l5vto November 15, the
cargo transported through the canal
and towed through the locks by the
locomotives amounted to 1,079,521 tons.
During the fiscal year ending June 30,
1914. the Panama Railroad carried 643.
178 tons cf through freight between
the two seaboards and In the preceding
fiscal year 594.040 tons. From this it is
seen that between six and seven times
as much cargo is passing over the
isthmus now as passed over this route
when goods were transshipped by rail.
MAW'S RETURN NOT HAPPY
i -
Motlcru Knoch Arclcn, Hack ATtcr 21
Years, Gels Poor 'Welcome.
BtXGHAMTOX, X. Y., Feb. 13
Twenty-one years ago Adam Rundal
responded to Ms wife's request that
he go out on Saturday night to get the
supply of groceries for over Sunday
with the remark, "sure I'll go and I'll
lbrirg Them back with me. tie nas
. . l:.. l 1 h a
JUfcL reiurnca i nis iiuiu .,
groceries on the list which his wife
gave him 21 years ago. He knocked
at the door of his little home and
then walked in.
His daughter, grown to womanhood,
met him at the door and streamed in
fright, thinking him a burglar. He
reassured and told her. after learning
who pho was, that he was her father
and asked for her mother, if she were
living. The girl told him her mother
was at a dinner beir.g given irT a
downtown restaurant.
She ll be glad to see me.'- remarked
Rurdal. "I'll leave the groceries here
and go and fetch her."
He found the restaurant and en
tered, ricking out his wife from the
members of the party. Walking up
to l:er. he said: ' Hello. Anna. I vo
brought the groceries home, let's go
up and have supper." The wife fainted,
but a man at her side jumped up and
ordered Rundal to get out. "hy7
said Rundal. "Because she's my wife,
replied the other. Henry Pickering,
who married Mrs. Rurdal 10 years ago.
after all hope of Rundal's return had
been given up.
"She ain't, she's mine.1 shouted
Rundal. and struck at Pickering. Run-
joi nrreKted. Jn couti
he said.
I just went away to warren cuv..
la where I've been ever since. I
thought I'd like to see my family
again and came home."
The .ludge told him to go back and
never return again.
LIBERTY BELL HEARD FAR
Toll Kings Over Telephone From
Philadelphia to San Francisco.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 15. Telepho
nic communication between Philadel
phia and San Francisco formally was
inaugaurated over the Bell system by
three taps on the Liberty Bell, the
sound of which over the wire was the
signal to a bugler in far Western city
to plav "The Star-Spangled Banner.
The strains of the National anthem
were distinctly heard by 200 persons
who held receivers to their ears in this
city- . . ... ,
Mayor ttoipn. in dm
speaking to Mayor Blankenburg here,
urged Philadelphia to send the Liberty
Bell to the Panama Exposition, and
Mr Blankenburg promised to do all he
could to give the people of the coun
try an opportunity to the historic relic.
The commandant of the Philadelphia
Navy Yard talked to the commandant
of the Twelfth Naval District in San
Francisco, and prominent men of both
cities also talked with one another,
while Alexander Graham Bell in Wash
ington listened to the conversations.
-Jeweler's Sign Helps Thief.
ALLENTOWN, Pa., Feb. 15. Evi
dently taking advantage of a sign.
rf'Will be back at 12 o clock, a Doia
thief smashed a rear window ana
looted the jewelry store of Charles H.
Meinhofer. in the busiest part of Allen
town, for $1000 worth cf stock. Police
were stationed within less than 100
feet, and people" passed by the thou
sand, bound for dinner.
loud in praise of Portland's hospitality.
Their stay was" made pleasant by a
theater party, attendance at a hockey
match at the hippodrome, an auto ride
about Portland and a banquet at the
Commercial Club.
At the banquet "Wednesday night.
PENCIL FIRST
FOR GARDEN WORK SEASON OF 1915
" - - " 1 ' - t
Harmony of Colors, Time of Bloom, Effect Desired and Relationship to Scheme of Neighbor Are Features lo lie
Considered by Anyone Outlining Plans.
BV STELLA U'ALKEH DURHAM.
RH you going to have a gai-den
this year? But, of course, you
arc, for everybody in Portland is
going to grow something this season,
so as to do his part In making the city
beautiful for the Fair visitors who are
coming this way. The man with only
a parking strip in tront of his prem
ises and a drying yard In the back can
do his part as well as the one with a
large estate. For the matter of that the
one with only the window ledge of a
hall bedroom at his disposal for gar
dening purposes tan do his. For what
a itv- beautiful we should have if every
parking strip and window ledge were
mode, to do its utmost!
But whatever the space to bo culti
vated, now is the time to begin, for the
successful way to begin a garden is
with paper and pencil in February, not
with spade and hoe in April.
The average city lot offers three op
portunities for interesting planting
the parking -strip, a border on one or
both sides of the house and the back
yard If you have only a small strip at
the base of your house or between your
house and your neighbor's, do not de
spair on that account, but plan" your
plantings accordingly. In this case the
plants mavall be shaded, making it
necessary to use only plants suitable
for a shady border.
Uniformity Is Advised.
To begin with the parking strip: By
all means hold a consultation with
your neighbors up and down the street
before you decide what to plant there,
and plant according to the good Ameri
can svstem "the will of the majority.
If the majority vote is for a hedge or
Caroline Testouta. by all means plant
Caroline Testouts and make the street
parking uniform, even though your own
heart yearns for a stately row 01
spreading chestnuts.
Few care to break up their front
lawns with flower beds, but even a
small lot usually affords space for a
border along the side of the yard. This
is the city gardener's best opportunity,
for If his border runs the entire length
of the lot he can have in it enough va
riety to afford Interest throughout the
entire year without the least sacrifice
in the effect of the whole.
As to the back yard, the all-important
rule, if you wish to make it a real
pleasure to the family, is to plan first
of all for privacy. If you can afford to
build a stone wall around it so much the
better it will keep out your neigh
bor's dogs and chickens as well as his
prying eyes. But privacy doesn't have
to be purchased at the price of a stone
wall. Shrubbery or vines will enable
you to hang out the Monday's wash or
drink a pot of tea al fresco, without an
audience.
Begin your plans by measuring all
available space for planting, then make
rough drawings, giving dimensions and
exposures. If the main border is to be
a mixed one, for all-year-round interest,
it is better made with an irregular
edge.
After deciding upon the location and
dimensions of the border, among' the
first things to consider are whether
the plantings are to be permanent or
for a single season and whether you
want landscape effects or are most in
terested in having cut flowers as nearly I
all the year around as possible, for it
is entirely possible in the climate of
Western Oregon to have an abundance
of cut flowers for nine months in the
year.
Or suppose you wish to have a com-
which was the final gathering of the
merchants before the convention' broke
up more than 400 covers were laid.
The visitors were the guests of the
Manufacturers' Association of Oregon.
Viands, mostly grown in Oregon, were
provided, and the importance of boost
TOOL IN PREPARING
2.
1
bination of all of these. As perennials
do not. as a rule, bloom the first sea
son if raised from seed and are expen
sive if many plants are purchased, you
can begin a permanent border this
season with a few perennial plants and
manv annuals grow from seed. In the
Fall the annuals can be replaced by
perennials started from seed during the
Summer.
If an amateur at flower gardening,
by ail means plant bulbs. They are
about as sure as death and taxes, at
least some kinds are. while it requires
great care to raise perennials from
seed, and many of the commonest an
nuals, while they germinate readily,
have to be tended carefully. It Is o.ulto
possible to have a garden entirely of
bulbs that will provide cut flowers
from March to November, as it is also
with herbaceous perennials.
.Xntlve Shrubn Sucicratril.
The permanent mixed border should
begin with a "background of shrubbery.
Oregon woods provide a great variety
ol native shrub to be had for "the
diggin'" if you know where to find
them. Among the better known native
shrubs" are sweet brier, Oregon grape,
syringa (mock orange), rhododendron,
wild currant. Scotch broom and azalea.
For a shrubbery background there Is
nothing prettier than some of the mnnv
varieties of spires. In making a plan
ing home-grown products at every op
portunity was impressed upon the re
tailers. The convention wm the final to be
held in Portland for several years. Al
bany and I-a Grande having been the
meeting places of the stat,e association
- ' ' ; Vj O
...-.' Va. tin
AP
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on paper, ho sure to note the time of
blooming of tho shrubs well us tl
perennials and annuals so as nut lo
have those that bloom at the same time
together. Also tHkc rare ns to colors
among the blooming shrubs. Hut for
that matter tin) iin-stlon of hiunmny
in colors must be thought of through
out the border.
The following list of bulbs slid peren
nials has been mado up with the idea
of assuring cut flower for nine months
of the year and has no reference to
the grouping of plants in the border.
Howover. by selection from this list
and grouping Hcconlin to Individual
taste a border could he made up t
small expenditure of time or money
that would ! a thing of beauty 1 1
Itsel' and a Joy for many ruomia be.
cause or the many blossoms for cul
ling it would Meld.
Y low t r fur Marrh In November.
HulhH or Tutiirit. lVrenri.Ml.
Muich
April. .
Mv. . .
June. .
July . . .
A Utt 11
j rf'i.t Hi-. ...
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: t-i-i mi li I rm
M .itlon iih l III
J H I'll II!"!'' Til -
(ila.lloltiM
I iironl uv
Wall fl" r.'
Oilnm'tinf
i ; a t ! I m ' . ! I n
IK .ih inline
I M 111 i'a tiu H
Hht.Iv rtlli-r,
A I f-ri'-'tie .1 ii pollli a
l'hr H.-inthftii'iMi
without saying
-epi'-niniir .la
it-Hi-
( ii-,iilitr. . . I ';i iMH
N.,m:.bi-r. 1 'uliliiiH
Of course It anc.i
that the time of blooming of all flow
ers is dependent upon the enprlt ea of
i-l iiil-it on l'a ll
taineO.
i.a navi i iv o var.-i. NeM vc:tr t!ie an
nual , -no V Oil tl.,n u ill he hi Id at A"-
torla.
A photograph taken Jul oulflde tbj
Multnomah Hotel allows clearly a large
number of well-known merchants of
the state.