The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-23
THE PANAMA CANAL.

DisoOuraging Reports from the Isthmus-
Effect of the Climate the Workmen, z
Montreal Gazette.
Nearly six months have passed since your cor
respondent visited any of the canal works out
side of Panama, until Monday last, when he
visited Pedro Miguel, Paraiso, Culebra, Empera
dor and Las Cascades. During the time referred
to, although the company claimed to have near
ly sixteen thousand men of all ranks in their
pay, but little substantial progress has been
made as far as an ordinary observer can esti-
mate it With the exception of an embank-
ment connecting with the Panama railroad, just
outside this city all seems dull and quiet. AT
Pedro Miguel, where the American dredges were
being put up by an American company, nothing
is being done; two are ready, but are not being
used. Parts for three more are exposed alter
nateiy to intense heat and moisture--very de-
structive agents At Corasal there are some
new buildings and more are being put up.
There. as at Emperador and Paraiso, very val
liable plant remains unhoused including loco
motives boilers etc. and damage amounting to
thousands of dollars daily is known to be going
on Time that might be used in building prop
eF shends is FILTERED away in embellishing
banks n9ar houses, setting out tropical trees
and plants to make the landscape attractive
C'est magnifaue, Inais cen'est pas lie canal
Just before Mr. Dingler left for France say
16, 900 men were at work. The wet season IS
now in, and to-day not more than 1000 of ell
ranks are employed. Quite recently, owing to
the very siekly season, 440 of the 5000 were in
the hospital apart from nearly lGO under treat
ment at home. This tells its own story about
this deadly climate The laborers now are
nearly all Jainaicans. At GOrgoma, canal
camp, between Saturday last and Monday noon,
three canal chiefs had died We hear of the
deaths of chiefs-as for the men, they die on the
line and are buried, and no attention is paid to
the matter. Two American carpenters are in
an unnamed grave near Emperador. The death
rate a few months ago, from careful estimate
WAS 100 and decimal, nearly no per 1000 for
all ranks. yellow fever kills the whites
laria the natives aud negroes. Many an able
bodied, we'll built negro is cut of in from twenty
four to thirtysix hours after his seizure. Many
are placed i'll the ambulance cars of the canal
company and die en- route Mono but those liv-
ing here and familiar with such painful sights
can form any idea of this country,
To return to the appearance Of canal works.
Lack of spirit and lack of energy were every
where observable. Heavy rains interfered
greatly with work. Earthworks swept
away by tho tropical downpour. A few hours
rain caused a small stream to rise in such a
manner that railway bridge was swept away,
stopping canal work there One may safely
say that during the long rainy season. from
May to the middle of December, fully half the
time originally calculated on by De Lesseps is
lost owing to the rains, small Hoods and the
stubborn fact that, while the company claimed
to have 10000 in their employ at the close of
the dry season, only 1000 are working Some
contractors are losing money, and great deal
of it. One firm of Americans threw up their
dredging contract rather than lose men and
money.
The statement of the great Frenchman that
he will be here to open the canal in 1888 excited
great merriment, and was fatty eontradieted by
the Star and Herald of this city. This paper
ridicules the idea, saying that we who i've
here know how little is being done" Chaos
confusion. and bad management are said to
be observable in all departments. Only one
thirtieth of the actual work Is complete. A
day on reckoning is coming when the Paris di-
reotors will have to face the unfortunate share
holders,