The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-04
REPORT WARNS
ADVENTURES
NMURN| Important News Monday Shoppers
American Minister Tells of
the Existing Conditions
on the ISthmus of Panama
POSITIONS ARE FILLED
cost Of Living Is High and
Opportunities for Securing
Work Are Not Numerous

WASHINGTON. Sept. s.--John Bar
rott the American Minister to Pan
aua. hes made q special report TO the
= ate Department relative TO the pres
ent ard future conditions on the 18th
mus as affected by the building OF
Tho Panama canal. which is Intended
T. prevent sore disappointment on the
rart Of adventurous Americans at
tfacted toward Panama by the resump-
ton Of the work on the vast enterprise.
j. is understood that the Panama
commission is especially DESTROYS 70
secure the widest publicity for the
warning sent out by Minister Barrett.
The report in substance is as follows:
No man seeking a position as
clerk, stenographer. typewriter. engi-
neer foreman or any similar class
should come 10 the isthmus in expec-
tati0n OF securing a positions unless he
has made some previous arrangement
for employment or has sufficient funds
10 pay his expenses in Panama and
return 20 the United States II he finds
no opening. More men of this kind are
TOW coming 70 Panama and Colon
than there are positions to be filled.
The cost OF living is very high, prices
having increased nearly 300 per cent
Do the last six months, and there is a
great shortage OF cheap and whole
some lodging and boarding accommo-
datioDs.
while Panama and Coloh, as well
rs tov-nsTn the zone and In the interior
~ Panama, are sure TO experience a
considerable measure Of material and
Industrial progress through the exca-
walton OF the canal. there are not at
present many opportunities for the es-
"a blishment OF new mercantile, bust
ness and professional firms, and there
should not be an thrush OF merchants,
business and professional men in the
expectation OF finding considerable and
ready openings for establishing them
selves.
Sit is the consensus OF opinion
among members Of the commission and
hers who have studied the situation
that both Americans in the United
states and Panamans have greatly
AKA gcerated the increase of population
lich win result from the construc-
tiln 81 the canal and Of the number Of
men who viii be employed by the com
mission for the carrying on OF the
Undertaking. Including those who
win be employed on the canal and
hers who viii come. the increase VIII
Doe about 5000 people. This number,
moreover. win not be coming here at
once. but gradually through a period
q years and as they may be required.
There is not yet any real boom in
Panama. in Colon or in the zone, but
rents Tor houses. stores and offices have
doubled and trebled during the last few
months and are now almost exOrbitant-
D. high. in fact, the Panama landlords
are-sOme Of them-sO unreasonable in
their charges that there is danger OF
their driving business from Panama
proper into neighbOring zone.
THE disagreeable and unhealthy
atures q the Panama climate have
been ridiculouslv overstated by those
u DO have studied the situation super
ncially while passing across the 18TH
mus ia transit or who desire to create a
sensation. AS a matter of fact there
has not been during the months of
July and August d single uncomfort-
able night for sleeping, while the aver
ge days have not been hotter than
those 81 New York and Washington.
There has been hardly a single instance
of serious illness among the consider
Die number Of young men who are
here in the employment Of the Canal
Commission. while the percentage Of
sickness among the larger group Of la
horers employed at Culebra is not
greater than that upon similar excava-
ton work in the United States.
There has not been a single case Of
yellow fever for over a month, and
there IS less malaria than is often found I
in sections Of the United States where
there Is considerable turning of the soil. /
My corrections Of overdrawn criticisms
~ the Panama climate must not, how I
ever. be interpreted as meaning that
there are not unfavorable features here. I
They exist, as they do IN all tropical /
lands. and. Of course, the conditions OF
maintaining health and enjoying life /
are not By any means as favorable as
those IN the average temperate climate. |
When the present able sanitary corps |
~ no have charge Of improving health ]
conditions IN the isthmus have carried ]
out their plans for the Improvement OF
fhe canal strip and OF the cities Of Pan |
ena and Colon there is no reason why /
this fsthrnus should not be one of the 1
healthiest places IN the world.