The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1904-08-12
DIGGING PANAMA CANAL
Thousands of Chinese, Japanese and
Philippines want the Job, but
Admiral Walker VIII
Employ Amer
leans

Between twenty and thirty thousand
laborers will be employed in digging
the greatest canal on earth. 1t will re-
quire four months and the labor
of over 5000 men TO put the whole canal
zone from Colon to Panama in thor
oughly sanitary condition. First the
whole country will be ditched and
drained, and then an elaborate system
of water works will be installed. Pure
water will be conveyed in pipes to both
terminals and all the small villages be-
tween. The whole country is at pres
ent hotbed of tropical diseases. The
laborels will be housed in insect proof
houses. Great quantities of insect
powder and crude petroleum have been
shipped there to be used in exterminat-
ing insects and mosquitoes. 1t is be-
lieved what was done for Cuba under
American occupation can be done for
Panama.
Probably twenty million dollars could
be saved by employing cheap labor, but
this is contrary to the policy of the pres
ent administration.
Another serious problem which has
been presented to the commission is the
question of the employment of labor.
!, Thirty-two propositions have been re-
ceived from companies employing Chi
nese labor, offering to furnish the gov
ernment coolies to be employed on the
canal at a cost of 62 ceLts for each la
borcr per day. The companies guaran-
tee to feed and clothe the laborers. their
propositions contemplating the impor-
tation to Panama OF large quantities OF
clothes worn by the Chinese at home,
together with cargoes of rice and such
other articles of food as they are accus
toned to. 1t is also proposed to con-
struct bamboo houses for the Chinese
laborers, aud the companies agree tC
return the bodies OF all Cinnamon who
may die on the isthmus to- their native
country unless death should be caused
by some contagious disease. 1t is nee
essary for the companies to guarantee
to return all the bodies of dead China
men to their native country in order tC
induce the celestials to 60 to Panama.
Another proposition has been submit
ted to the department by Lieutenant C.
o. Thomas, of the quartermaster's de-
IN M want ITpito6 Statoc orp,v ,ubo pa
Gently supervised the construction OF
the military post at Batangas, Philip
pine Islands, and is now supervising the
construction of the new post at Los
Banos Lieut.. Thomas recently asked
authority to take 1000 Filipino laborers
to Panama to work on the canal. He
offered to supply skilled carpenters AT
$1,50 per day and rations, stone masons
at 81 per day and rations, and laborers
at 10 cents per day and rations. He re-
ports that he has employed Filipino la.
Dor almost entirely in the construction
of military posts and roads in the Phil
ipines and that it has proven exception
ally efficient. The bridges and other
pnblic works constructed by Filipino
labor have been pronounced by engi-
neers to be the equal of anything con-
structed in the states in point of work
manship. The secretary of war has
forwarded the proposition to Admiral
Walker.
Similar propositions have been re-
ceived from japan, the japanese offer
ing to furnish skilled mechanics at 81
per day and laborers at Go cents per
day.
The Porto Eicans are particularly
anxious to assist in lhe construction ot
Uncle Sans great ditch. Thousands
of applications have been received from
Porto II co requesting employment. II
has been urged as reason why Porte
Rican labor should be employed thai
the island is today impoverished and
that it would be a gracious thing on the
part of Uncle Sam TO employ Porto
Ricans, thus furnishing the idle on the
island employment, which in turn would
furnish relief to thousands of families
that are now practically destitute. II
is also argued that the Porto Ricans are
acclimated and would thus prove n.uch
more efficient and valuable to the gov
ernment than laborers brought from
the states.
1t is understood that a majority of the
commission are opposed to employing
foreign labor on the canal. They be-
lievc that as far as possible American
workmen should be employed. They
are daily receiving hundreds of appi-