Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-18

q
Coastal roads are practicable through
out the length OF Cebu, Negroes. Leyte,
Mindoro and Samar. from lloilo to Cap'z.
on Panay Island. and a railroad system
that Of Luzon. the resources Of that island
being so promising.
The cost of construction Of these lines,
including structures and bridges, would not
exceed an average of 5000 per mile for
narrow gauge roads. using sixty-five-pound
rails with maximum grade Of 2 per cent
and minimum curve of eight degrees The
equipment would cost about $4,000 per mile
more. On some OF these lines the expense
would be considerably lessened.
THE government has frequently invited
the attention of capitalists to these railroad
projects. and its policy toward railroad
ity.
Water Transportation.
Water transportation, as compared with
land transportation, Is we'll developed" said
Mr.. Beardsley, having been fostered more
or less throughout the entire history of the
islands. 1t Is almost wholly in the hands
of foreign companies. COastwise trade has
been and will remain the only method of
distributing merchandise and collecting and
marketing products. Likewise the nav
igable rivers of the islands will remain
important arteries of communication be-
tween the interior agricultural regions and
the markets and seaports. What effect
recent congressional laws will have upon
this important service is a serious prob
lem.
practically none Of the harbors is pro-
vided with wharfage facilities. The meth
Cd OF loading and discharging cargoes by
means of lighters Is slow, dangerous and
expensive, and frequent damage to goods
In transit Is incurred These conditions
warrant an expenditure of considerable
sums or money annually on the part of the
government for wharf and dock construc-
md for ofy,tn {y,tp
suflclent depths of water at bar formal ions
ana Tor the necessary dredging to provide
ample wharfage areas.
contracts have recently been let for the
Improvement of the following two impor-
taht harborS: The construction of a con-
crete masonry dock and bulkhead about
900 feet long, reclamation of about thir-
teen acres of land adjacent to the con-
sested portion of the city, and the dredging
OF the harbor to permit vessels of twenty
three feet draft to enter, will furnish Cebu
me shipping center second in Importance to
Manila. with good harbor facilities Three
hundred and fifty thousand dollars has been
appropriated for this work, which is to be
completed about February /, 1906
me dredging of the harbor, diking and
construction of breakwater at Iloilo will
provide this the third largest seaport, with
ample improvements. Ore hundred and
nIty Thousand dollars has been appropriate
ed for this work. which will be completed
about May /, 1895
w lille these appropriat tons will not COM
plete the works. it is the intention of the
government to provide the necessary appro-
priauons from time to time, as commercial
interests enlarge. until these harbors are
equlpped 10 meet the needs of navigation
other ports for which provisions have been
OF are TO be made are Batangas on Batan-
gas pay Dagupan and San Fernando. on
Lngayen gulf: Legaspi. on the Gudf ar
Aipay, ana numerous others. The dredging
OF the Pancipit river by which Lake TaaI
can pe connected with the sea- is work
OF considerable magnitude, which will open
up large area of rich country Prenara
tioh OF plans and advertisement of this
work mas been authorized by the civil com
mission. The Pampanga river. the Mis-
slsSippi of the Philippines must be con-
trolled In a manner similar to that used in
curbing the Father of Waters .dikes
ana levees along it's banks
Production of Electricity.
me harnessing of the Botocan Falls and
VI 'iie rivers Callroya and Lamot, IN the
province of La Laguna. and of the Angat
'Nei IN buiacan, and the transmission of
electrlc power thus procured to the city of
MAMMA ana vicinity, is the largest cleo
tr1cal problem now receiving considera-
tion- 1t is expected that thirty or forty
thousand horse power can be generated
from these combined projects a power suf
llcient 10 meet the needs of the new street
railway, the lighting and mechanical naads
or the city for several years
The work of the bureau of engineering
Is ., OF special Importance in training the
Filipino how to work with American tools
ana accustoming him to American meth
ods. success In these lines will have n far
reaching effect upon the demand for Amer
lean machinery and tools, and will raise
the standard of agricultural methods
throughout the islands,"
What is your opinion of Filipino labor?"
l asked Mr.. Beardsley
1t has been the experience of men con-
nected with these works that the Filipino
Is reliable, effective laborer, provided he
Is directed by foremen who know their
business and who understand the native
characteristics His services in the past
have been impressed and obtained by coer-
cion. He is Malay, proud and brave at
home He Is lacking in the white mans
appreciation of the value of life. and is
therefore timid when removed from the
immediate vicinity of his barrio He is pc
cul1arly dependent upon his employer His
wants are few, nature having been bounti-
full, and the advantages of a savings bank
are unknown. The products of native la
Dor wherein he is his own taskmaster are
frequently of high grade. In general. he
compares favorably with the laborers of
other tropical countries. The employers
who understand local conditions and are
willing to skfllfully and patiently train ma
tive laborers uniformly report satisfactory
service for common labor, in mechanical
lines higher efficiency is reached, and as
clerks and tracers their services are excel