The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-08

the city. They acted as such until a
compromise was reached and the blue
coats again resumed their saunterings.
The Chinaman is an important factor
In the life of Panama. He owns near
ly all the largest stores and is gem
orally prosperous. The laundry of Hop
Who in the United States becomes in
Panama the 'Lavanderia de Hop
Who,' but as a rule he leaves such
work to the natives and engages in
merchandising. The import duties on
luxuries are very light and there is
much smuggling, so John is able to
sell many things very cheaply, COM
pared to prices they bring in the
States. He rides in carriages. lives in
good houses and marries into a fair
class of native people. He is not con-
sldered so good as white man, but is
better than negro or a native, and
IN fact, compared to his position else
where in the civilized world, his social
and business position in Panama is
quite enviable. The Germans do near
~ all OF the banking and much of the
business. of Panama, and nearly all
or them are married into the best class
OF native society. The head offices of
the Panama canal are here and furnish
a distinctly French element to the
town, one which lives much to itself
however. and is quite exclusive. In ali
the humber walk of life the Jamaica
negro Is much in evidence.
The climate of Panama is not es-
pecially healthful, but it is not so bad
as it's reputation would lead one to be-
heVe AT the end and at the begin
ming of the rainy season fever is prev
alent and the city is really never free
from it, but if the voyager will OBJ
serve the ordinary rules of prudence
and refrain from drinking the city
water there is little danger of con-
tracting any disease. During the vel
low fever epidemic no one knows who
IS to go next, and the pernicious ma
lara is nearly as bad if not worse. in
its deadly effects.
There is a constant stream of travel
through Panama toward the west coast
of South. America between South
America and the United States and Eu-
rope. Several lines of steamers handle
this traffic, and the register of the
Grand Central Hotel at Panama is as
cosmopolitan work as a trip around
the work. Mining interests. rubber.
hard woods and even foreign politics
are here represented, for it is a dull
day in the lobby when an ex-ruler of
some country or other is not sitting
land.
The employees of the Panama Rail-
road do more work than any Others.
but, as one man remarked, 1--WE don't
90 much. We earn our salaries staying
mere, and, after all, perhaps they do.
Inc foreigner who has adopted Pana-
ma as his home rises early in the
morning. After his coffee he takes a
drink, brandy, perhaps. With his
breakfast he takes wine, between
breakfast and dinner more drinks; at
dinner more wine; after dinner a LID
uor; after the liquor more drinks until
bedtime. There is more drinking in
Panama among those who have the
price than in any place on the two
continents, and the newcomer who at
tempts to keep the pace with the sea-
soned veterans will rue the day, The
Panama man will tell you that more
men have died of too much drinking in
Panama than ever died of the fever,
and from what one sees this is not
difficult to believe.
The insects of the night, the heat Of
the day and the discomforts of the
menu are all forgotten, however, when
comes the cool of the early evening.
Then the lights are soft, the tropical
Foliage of the parks is exquisitely beau
tiful. The falling shadows soften the
lines of buildings and hide the dirt
of people who live but for the day.
The youth and beauty of the town
finds its way to the public thorough
fare, to the sea wall or to the short
trolley line, with it's open cars. 1t Is
the social hour, the hour for love MAX
ing and all the pleasant things of life
and it is then that life in Panama
does not seem so very bad after all.