The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-05-29
the PANAMA ROUTE
J. May &c ABANDONED
Everything Now Seems 70 De-
pend on Major Blacks
Sanitary Report.
CANT BE MADE SANITARY
Practically Impossible for White Men
to Live on the !sthmus-Co!ombia
Preparing for Another $10,-
100000 Holdup.

Washington, May 23.-Major William
M. Black. who accompanied Admiral
Walker and General Hams to the 18TH
mus of Panama to look over the canal
property, is still on the isthmus exam
lining into the sanitary conditions there.
Major Black performed excellent work
along sanitary lines in Cuba and his
report upon the situation at Panama
and Colon is awaited with interest.
His presence in that quarter of the
world is causing renewed interest in the
statements of Senator Morgan and
Others that climatic and sanitary con-
ditions in the egion through which
the proposed canal is to pass are such
that it is practically impossible for
white men to live there. General
Hams returned to the United States
convinced Of the truth Of these state
ments. The deplorable sanitary condi-
lions during, the progress Of work by
the old French company will be re-
membered. If those conditions cannot
be improved under the regime of the
United States the loss OF life among the
workers employed on the canal will be
frightfui. The French exerted every
effort to secure proper sanitation and
expended vast sums Of money to that
end, but they were unsuccessful. The
hospital and similar buildings erected
by them are still standing, but are
going into decay and will require a
large amount of money to restore them.
Report May Be Discouraging.
1t is considered probable by many
Well-informed men that Major Blacks
report will be OF such nature as to eff
fectually call 4 halt on the Panama
canal project. 1t is believed that this
report will suggest a very large sum
OF money for the sanitation Of the line
OF the canal and the cities Of Panama,
and Colon and there are men who
know the isthmus we'll who declare
that they would not be surprised If the
report should be practically to the eff
feet that no amount Of sanitation
would make the conditions on the 18TH
much better than they were when the
French company was operating there.
In that event they are not sanguine
about the prosecution of the work, es-
pecially In view OF the reports that are
reaching this city TO the effect that the
Colombia: congress will amend the
treaty providing that $4,000, 900 instead
of 100000 00 shall be paid Colombia in
the transaction transferring the canal
from the French company to the Unit
ed States government.
Preparing HoIdup.
Both official and unofficial news leads
to a belief now well grounded, that Co.
lombia is preparing to hold up the United
States for more money, and that If the
. treaty is ratified at Bogota, 1t will be
amended raising the amount to be paid by
the United States from $10,0G000O to 500, OOO,-
900. Should this result, this government
will have no further excuse for dickering
over the route.
Almost everything confirms the feeling
that Colombia, as well as the Panama
company, proposes to get oil it can Co
lombian Legislators see no reason why the
Panama company should get 100000 for
property worth less than half that
amount, while Columbia is to get only
$1O,0O0,0O0
If the treaty should not be ratified the
franchise and property would be forfeited
to the government by the French COM
pany The government would then be in
q position to sell to the United States,
and If this government Is willing to pay
the Paris corporation $40,OOOOOO, it would
be willing to pay Colombia $21,O00,OC0, the
original estimate Of the Walker commits
sion.