The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-29
MILLIONS MUST BE EXPENDED
BEFORE CULEBRA IS LEVELED
Well. Known Railroad Man in Interview With the
Constitution, Tells of Panama it Was,
as 1t Is, and as 1t Can Be.
Atlanta CONSTITUTIONS

II cou.d see the Pacific ocean ne lslh-
Inus IS cnIy Al mles vide petween Coon
aid Panama, and TO one standing 81
eltner pace it almost seems that the
ueat4ng or the SURF on the ogheT snore -
auaIple. Inc next teennE tnat came
over me vas one OF wonaer that nauon
Ike the United states mad for SO long a.
lowed TIE jstnmlLn canal to remain I'M
cut wnlle the TRACE or continent Ian
gulshed tor the lack OF such a Wateway
20 reach the teemms rnnlionS OF the
Orient"
IL this manner began W. Z. Christian.
assistant general passenger agent OF tea
Seaboard AIR Line Runway, when asked
yesterday to give his impressions OF the
country and the causes tnat are now tie
center of interest of tho world~-Panama
and the canal.
In 1898 Nj. Christian went 10 the 18th
mus as staff repi esentatlyc OF The New
York Press, and his letters written FROM
that place were syndieates by Mcclure, OF
Philadelphia, and published in all the
lsanng American newspapers and other
periodicals.. Later Mr.. Christian repr"
serted The New York Herald on SIM
liar mission in Cuba, during the spanish
American war. IN that struggle he was
sergeant Of the First North Carolina reGi-
ment. In newspaper work, Nj. ChristlaL
has had more experience than falls to
The lot OF most members OF the pro-
il eeion, and recognizing his peculiar fit
ross for the work, The Press secured his
services TO investigate at first hand the
great Panama scandal. which shocked the
world when its details were made public
some years ago.
IL prosecuting his work on the isthInus.
Mr. Christian spent six weeks on the
scene, covering the entire territory en-
bIaced in the operations Of the French
Canal Company, End lie probably knows
n;orc about the land and the subject now
ctfore the American people than any man
now residing in this country.
BURSTING OF FRENCH BUBBLE.
Mr.. Christian consented - tell me re-
suits of his observations in toe land OF
the insect and the teYcr, and the lnlorIna-
Jon turnlsned by HIN Il mere gwen to
the public:
IN give you a description os Panama
as il WIS, as il is ana as il can he,
said Mr.. Christian. When 1 went there
IN 1898 the great bubble in winch the
Frenchmen had Invested their millions
nad burst, and al those who lad robbed
the company We're gone. only few
decrepit caretakers remained snerG The
thousands of laborers had been busy at
heir tasks-cniy theee and The Tmten-
ing bones of those who had perjshed on
the lever haunted marshes OF tho most
.errible land on the g.obe.
standing in ghostly silence, decayiDg
rom the moist winds that blow contin-
dally during certsin hours Of the day,
we're she splendid palaces built by the
french officers who came over TO build
The canal Among these establishments
was the house of De Lesseps, the engi
neer who designed the canal. All OF
them were falling to pieces, and neglect
showed on all sides.
4 had access to the books OF tho COM
oany through the courtesy OF II. De SOFA,
one OF tho engineers CT me canal. and
rom thede books | Discovered exactly
what had beer expended, both on the
canal and on the houses and other eX-
rayasances of the officers. Some OF
those residences were the biggest swlndles
eier perpetrated on any people. The
louse occupied by De Lesseps could have
0een built fer $i5oCo. but it was placed
On the books Of the company at cost
Of $50 ,00G a few cae-st0ry buildings
called hospitals, all OF which could have
oeen erected for $4,000, Wee charges
I'D at 500, 600.
'tThc total amount expended on the
istfmue. as figured by ne froIa the COM
pany's private books, vas $3.50, 100000.
with this great sun, the canal was
cut for distance OF exactly 20 miles
II miles Oh Que side the i5thmus and
on the other. Twenty-seven miles re-
main TO be cut. aud the pert remaining
is the hardest OF ELL for it requires thai
mountains be moved kind OF noun
aims that require money Us well as faith
20 move them.
CULEBRa IN THE WAY.
Directly in tbs path OF the survey
stands Culebra, ''tne snake" as II shame
gn,acs, and before the first ship crosses
The isthmEs OF Panama this snake must
oe destroyed; The mountain must not
only be brought down 10 level with
tho surrounding country, but even rs
.cots must be dug NJ. III spite Of the
millions spent in cutting its gray sides,
Culebra stands today almost as il it had
neyer known tho prick OF the laborer's
,hovel Millions more will have to be
pOucss0 IQi0 tnGt DtiAtfA Sa!i1 Ia uSdtL
before the mountain disa ppeai's from tbs
path OF progress aud the waters of the
Atlantic ard the Pacific unite. This, or
system OF locks IN connection with
Ckagrcs river, is said by eminent en-
gincers 10 be the, only solution Of tho
sthmian waterway
1T is the Cbagres which makes the
country unhealthy Annually it over
lows its banks and rushcs over the low
,wamp lands, leaving vegetable and an
NAL matter 30 decay Under the fierce
rays OF the tropic sun and breeding
strange and swift death FOR tho people
sho inhabit the isthmug. It is the source
IF tho most dangerous fever ever known,
| fever that e-en ,Ie native Africans,
brought over by DE Lesseps and h-s
7omrany. could not withstand N the
slightest degree. Thousands and thou
'ands OF them succumbed so it's attacks
shortly after they We're landed on the
atal coasts. The laborer. picking stead
ly It the wall of the canal, would com
olain q a slight indisposition. and would
can against the bank to rest a moment,
Ii, that position death would strike hun
aud there today his bones lie This IS