The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-01

&c bestowed colloquially and affection
ately upon Col. ]. R. Shaler, general
sunerintendent of the Panama Rail-
road. Col. Shaler is dean of the for
zion colony on the isthmus, chief of all
Americans who reside here, and far
and away the most influential man in
the new republic. That element of the
incubation of which he is the leader
having played an important part in
the recent revolution and being, by
force of circumstances, compelled to
figure conspicuously in the future af-
fairs of the isthmus, it must be con-
That COZ shaler is king of the
1sthmus" is a fact one discovers very
soon after landing from the steamer at
Colon. All questions are referred to
him for decision; his dictum has the
force and effect of law and his advice
&c unhesitaungly accepted. and follow
cd The distinction conferred upon
him by the title he bears was never
sought by Col. Shaler. 1t is a natural
SEQUEL to his personality and the ex-
ercise of his talents during residence
of almost a decade upon the isthmus,
for Col Shaler is strong man among
weaklings; a man of genius among
men who have little capacity for the
ini+iatfon; a man of determination
among a race of equivocators.
A native of Kentucky, Col. Shaler
carries his rs years with all the
sprightliness of exuberant youth. Tall
and lean, nodded like a genuine
thoroughbred, with muscles like steel
wires his bushy hair and gigantic
mustache and imperial are of the
wilderness of new-fallen snow. This
mana veteran of the Civil War; an
EXPERT in the management of railroad
properties, fearless and resourceful-
does each day the work of a man of
half his years. Every detail of the
management of the Panama Railroad
passes under his immediate supervis-
ion: in his private car he journeys
several times each week between Co
lon, where he resides, and Panama,
attending to the railroads business.
1t is true that the railroad. with it's
forty-seven and three-fourth miles of
track, is not an immense affair, but as
the sole medium of transit across the
isthmus and a highway for the COM
merce of the world, it is of first i'm
portance, and with it's enormous bust
ness it requires for it's successful con-
duct the guiding hand of railroad
genius.
ShaIer Is Improving the Isthmus.
But busy as are his hours with the
railroads. affairs, this American King
off the Isthmus'' finds time ample for
non-oficial matters. AS the executive
head of a railroad which has to all in
tents and purposes, under the canal
treaty, been sold to the United States
government for 100000 Col. Shaler
knows nothing of the inside details
of the secessionist movement. Here
on the isthmus they say, however, that
if the whole truth could be known
the Republic of Panama would be re-
vealed as being very largely q creature
of Col. Shaler's genius, and in proof
of their contention they point to the
leading role assured by Arrange, the
railroads special agent, in bringing
about isthmian independence. From
the Colonel himself there can be OBJ
tained only an admission that the
IdlltOdu Was lnl6INSl6u III UldlIldIll-
ing the freedom of transit across the
isthmus. 1t had nothing to do with
the revolution itself, and while it lent
its freighthouse for a fort on the fou
its freighthouse or Nov. and 3, and
while Col. Shaler persuaded the COM
mander of the Colombian gunboat Car
tagena to sail away from the 18TH
mus, leaving. Col. Torres and the Co.
lombian troops in the lurch, these were
but simple steps toward keeping 18TH
milan transit open.
Col. Shaler has been at his present
post for about nine years, and the
impress of his personality and capa-
pllties is found all over the isthmus.
Prior to his advent the railroad was
thing separate and apart from Pan
anna. Under its concession it declin-
ed to acknowledge the regular police
authority on the isthmus, and the man
VINO committed a crime and succeed
ed IN reaching the railroad property
was free from pursuit. Col. Shaler
has changed this. The Panama police
authority now extends over the rail-
road property, and a great impetus has
peen given to order and the security
OF life and property.
Substantial Betterments.
In a more substantial way the Colo
mel has encouraged the development of
the lsthmus. Before his time rates on
AoOdl Ifelgnt traf11c across the lSInfnuS
We're so prohibitive that persons liv-
ing inland could not avail themselv es
OF the wondrous fertility of the soil.
1t has been Col. Shaler's policy to fur
hlsh adequate means for local freight
transportation; banana and rubber
plantations and cattle ranges are now
appearing along the line of the rail-
road, and the people are being edu-
Gated to avail themselves of the OPP
pertunities afforded for the profitable
cultivation and employment of the
land. The La Boca terminals of the
road, three miles form Panama and
Immediately adjoining the Pacific ter
minus of the proposed canal, are an
other proof of this mans constructive
aplllty. These terminals, with plenty
OF frackage room, a steel pier 1000 feet
long, equipped with electric cranes and
an an modern appliances for cargo han
ulihg, have revolutionized trans-isth-
Ilan commerce and added immensely
70 lhe value of the railroad property
ohder the direction of this same gen.
Jus much of the line of the railroad
mas peen rebuilt with heavy rails
peLter curves and fewer of them, more
SUBSTANTIAL bridges, imported cypress
YES and cut-stone ballast, so that to-
udy, IN a physical sense, the porperty
compares faSorably with the better
Examples of railroad engineering in
the states.
Inc man who has done these things
Inv es,, IL 80 n fc