Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-07
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Admiral Walker Discusses
Panama Canal.
MEN NOW AT WORK
MAI. BLACKS VIEWS ON THE
HEALTH OF THE PENINSULA.
Payment Made by Secretary Shaw To-
day-New Discoveries in Alaska
Mr.. Underwood on Parker.

anna canal commission, was engaged with
the President almost an hour today dis
cussing matters connected with the canal.
AS the work progresses he expects to ma
1t necessary to talk frequently with the
President who, by act of Congress, Is the
supreme authority in everything con-
nected with the enterprise Admiral
Walker stated that the same force that
was at work on the canal under the
French company is employed by the United
States There are between 700 and 80
men," he said, land the laborers are most
ly Jamaica blacks. So soon as the trans
fer was made l telegraphed authority 10
continue right along as If there had been
no change in ownership. No, there is no
scarcity of labor on the isthmus at this
time. We have many applications for
work, and we understand that 1t will be
comparatively easy to increase the working
force by 1900 black men whenever we are
ready to do So We have not reached any
decision whether we win do the excavatins
and other work directly with our own
forces or whether we will let the work out
by contract.
81 do not consider that the sanitary prob
lem confronting this country is such an
immense one / have travelled over every
foot of the country between the cities Of
Panama and Colon, and know the country
we'll I was sick three days at one time
and had a little of the fever, which is as
much part of the country as colds anu
catarrh are in this country. nave traV-
eled for days in the swamp regions oI the
interior and never saw a mosquito whlch
carries yellow fever, malaria, etc. thihk
that the larvae are devoured by the pro
life animal life of the canal region. Inc
larvae of the mosquito are never found
where there are fish, and as there are nsn
in nearly all of the interior swamps sup
pose they eat the larvae. AT any rate, there
are few mosquitoes in the swamp country
This Is not true at Panama ana Coioh,
where the negligence and carelessness OF
the people cause the breeding OF Inilions
OF mosquitoes. This Is wholly due TO their
own carelessness. In what is known as the
railroad section of Panama the people nave
nearly eliminated mosquitoes by care IN
keeping water and not allowing utehsne ~
any kind to stand around Win Wa.e, AZ
them long enough to breed mosQulloes.
.''That is a question that 10 being consio-
ered II contract work is determined OH
the contractors will give employment 10 tne
men now seeking something 10 90. II VIC
do not use contractors, we VIII ihcrease
the force of laborers to severai lnousahu.
I suppose the laborers receive an average
OF about 70 cents a day in American money
and they are fair grade of workmen.
When Admiral Walker was asked II 'neIe
was any change in the proposition to con-
struct a lock canal, he said that this kihd
of canal would be built. A sea-levei
canal would cost many millions OF dollars
more than a lock canal, he declared.
Mai. Blacks Views.
Major w NJ Black, former Engineer
Commissioner of the District of Columbia,
reached the United States the last OF
April from Panama, after year spent In
investigating conditions from one end OF
the isthmus to the other. He Will return
there next Tuesday with General Davis for
the purpose of assisting in the details OF
taking over the canal He will remain
there some time until relieved. He talked
with President Roosevelt this morning
az believe l look to be pretty healthy
snac,nen to have spent year In Panama,
and to be just from there, said Coionel
Black whose experience in Havana ana
other points in Cuba Immediately after the
Spanish war gave him reputation as one
Of the most experienced engineer officers In
the army.
The Panama Payments.
This afternoon at 3 o'clock Secretary
Shaw signed the warrant upon the sub
treasurer in New York for $40,0OO,0O0 in
payment for the Panama canal property.
The warrant is drawn in favor of J. p.
Morgan & Co, and is directed to the New
York subtreasurer Only about s13,000,000
of the total will really come out OF the
subtreasury, as there are on deposit with
ten large banks in New York 27,Oo0.U0
recently withdrawn by order OF secretary
Shaw from national bank depositaries and
lodged with ten large depoSitaries In New
York. awaiting requisftion- The deposi-
taries Will be instructed to pay to Morgan
& Co the proportions held by them, and
on the back of the warrant will be credited
the payments of each bank. This Will snow
upon the warrant when 1t is returned Ihe
warrant. after the payments are made Will
l., Cd hiSfnr
will be placed in a glass case. 1t is expect
ed that the settlements between Morgan &
Co and the ten banks for the S27.0O00O0
will be merely a matter of bookkeeping, a
swapping of balances and accounts.
The warrant signed the same as all
| other warrants, except that Secretary Shaw
himself signed this warrant and 1t was
| countersigned I'm person by Controller
| Tracewell In the average warrant the
| function of the Secretary is performed by
| an assistant, and that of the controller by
| Chief Clerk Force The interest In the
| signing of the warrant was so great that
| a number of witnesses were present. Sec
retary Shaw conferred with President
| Roosevelt during the morning and found
| that there was nothing In the way of maxi
| ing out the warrant and sending ii to Nor
| gan & Co. this afternoon.
| The warrant is the largest drawn on the
| Treasury Department in the history of the
| government Six years ago this country
| paid Spain 500, COO GOO and the amount paid
| then was IN four warrants of s5,000.000
| each Previous to that the most historical
warrant was ss.O0o,00o In payment for Alas
| ka.
New Discoveries in Alaska.
| J. w. Ivey one OF the representatives OF
| Alaska here during the session of Congress
| called at the White House today. He said
that Alaska was greatly disappointed at the
| failure OF Congress to enact legislation for
/ the territory. What we needed worst OF
4 all gaid legislation thai
/ would open roads. The hauling of supplies
| ls the worst and most costly feature OF
| mining in Alaska. With good roads there
| would he endless development in gold min
/ ing In the territory and many millions OF
dollars would be added to the wealth of this
country There ss gold everywhere in Alas.
| ka, but the cost of transporting food sup
| plies without roads of any kind is so great
| that men hesitate at anything except tha,
| promis,ng the largest return for the money
| spent Besides gold we are now discovering
oil in immense quantities. the finest crude
petroleum In the world, with coal In i'm.
| mense quantities. / expect to see Alaskf