The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-09-04
POINTS ON PANAMA
Barrett Tells What Can and
Cannot Be Done

WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. 3.-John
Barrett, the American minister to Pana-
ma, has made special report to the state
department relative to the present and
future conditions on the isthmus as af-
fected by the building of the Panama ca
nal which is intended to prevent sore dis
appointment on the part of the adyentur-
Gus Americans attracted toward Panama
by resumption of the vast enterprise 1t
is understood that the Panama commits
sion is especially DESTROYS to secure the
widest publicity for the warning sent
out by Mr.. Barrett The report in sub
stance is as follows:
Flrst-No man seeking position as
clerk, Stenographer, typewriter, engineer,
foreman or any similar class of labor
Which the average American is willing to
perform should come to the isthmus in
expectation of securing a position unless
he has made some previous arrangement
Tor employment. More men of this kind
are now coming to Panama and Colon
than there are positions to be filed The
cost of living is very high, prices hav-
ing increased nearly 800 per cent in the
last six months.
Secend-There are not at present many
opportunities for the establishment of
new mercantile business and professional
nrmS, and there should not be an thrush
OF merchants, business and professional
men in the expectation of finding consid-
cradle and ready openings for establishing
themselves
'.Third-It is the consensus among
members of the commission that both
Americans in the United States and Pan
anna here have greatly exaggerated the
increase Of population which will result
from the construction of the canal and
that including those who will be EN-
ployed on the canal and others who will
COr7Ya he.
OU0 people. This number moreover will
not be coming here all at once, but grad
ualiy through period of years and as
they may be required.
'.Fourth-There is not yet any real
boom in Panama, in Colon or in the zone,
but rents for houses. stores and offices
nave doubled and tripled during the last
rev months and are now almost exorbi-
family high
Flfth-The diSagreeable and unhealthy
features of the Panama climate have been
rldiculouSly overstate by those who have
studied the situation specifically while
passing across the iSthmus in transit or
Who desire to create a sensation. AS
matter Of fact, there has not been DUR
{ ing the months of July and August sin
gle uncomfortable night for sleeping,
while the average days have not been hot
Ter than those of New York and Washing
ton. There has not been a single case
of yellow fever for over a month and
there is less malaria than is often found
in sections of the United States where
there is considerable turning Of the soil.
My corrections of overlrawn criticisms
of the Panama climate must not however,
be interpreted as meaning that there are
not unfayorable features here. They exist
as they do in all tropical lands. When
the present able sanitary corps who have
charge of improving health conditions in
the isthmus have carried out their plans
for the Improvement of the canal strip
and of the cities of Panama and Colon,
there is no reason why This isthmus is
not one of the healthiest places in the
world