REPORT OF THE PANAMA RAILROAD COMPANY. 19: From Gamboa bridge to Juan Grande (2 miles north from Gamboa).— As previously outlined, this section of the line was built because it opened up several important dumps for waste material from the Culebra Cut. A comparatively small force was kept at work on this section the entire year. Only small water openings were put in permanently, the larger valleys being left with an open temporary trestle. One temporary connection was built from the Gorgona gravel pit to land a steam shovel to work on large side-hill cut. The excavation of the remainder of this section was done by hand labor, and task work was here used to good advantage. The located line here crosses several long valleys and it is at these points the Canal Commission proposes to establish dumps, the material to be hauled out of the Culebra Cut over the new Gamboa bridge and dumped from trestles driven on the relocated line. There is dump ground available for 10,000,000 cubic yards. About 1 mile of trestle was driven on this section. This part of the line is now about complete except the two or three large culverts which will have to be put in next dry season. | | : Pedro Miguel to Corozal.—After general operation was suspended in August, there was no work done on this section except at the Miraflores Tunnel, and on the construction of two permanent arch culverts, one at the Pedro Miguel River and one at the Caimetillo River. | | The Miraflores Tunnel is laid out on a tangent, 595 feet long, and has a grade throughout for drainage in both directions. Construction work on the tunnel has kept up constantly during the entire year, and for the most part, work was carried on day and night. A connection track from the Panama Railroad to the north approach was completed in October, and this line is used for bringing the material and supplies. A second connection track was more recently started, leading to the south approach, and this is now 90 per cent complete. The north approach was taken out at first by hand labor, and afterwards by steam shovel, and involved moving of 10,000 cubic yards of earth and rock. The south approach was taken out by task work entirely, to the amount of 30,000 cubic yards. ‘The excavation of the north end of the tunnel proper was begun in September. A drift or heading, about 6 by 8 feet, was carried through to coincide with the crown of the arch ring, and this drift was followed up by the excavation of the entire semicircle of the arch. Timbering was required throughout. A 5-piece arch ring 12-foot by 12-inch and 12 foot by 14-inch posts were used. The distance between timber sets varies from 5-foot centers at the north end, where the material is rock, to 3-foot centers at the south end, which isin earth. The tunnel section provides lateral clearance of 7 feet 6 inches from center of track and vertical clearance of 22 feet above rail. The north end is in solid rock, although of a treacherous character, but for about 200 feet on the south side, clay is encountered, which has a tendency to slide. Excavation is completed and timbers placed throughout 90 per cent of the length of the tunnel. _ {On all of the small cuts and at the tunnel portals so-called ‘‘task work” was used with much success. Under this system the laborer gets paid not by the hour or day, but by the number of Decauville cars of material excavated and placed in embankment. That is, the laborer is paid 10 cents gold for each car of material excavated from the cut and placed in the embankment. As these cars hold about