Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-13
HUGE SANITARY PROBLEM.
Health of Canal Zono Of Supreme I'm
portancc.

Washington, Feb. 12-Wbile there will
he considerable delay in negotiating con-
tracts for the construction of the new
Panama Canal. no time practically will
he lost on that account AS soon as the
new commission is appointed and posseSs-
ion OF the French property is formally uc-
quircd, work Will be advanced under us
immediate direction along certain lines
which are essential preliminaries to the
general contract This will take up the
time when the new commission is deter
mining the plan of canal construction
writing out its specifications. and giving
prospective bidders a chance to study
their own proposals. These things may
take considerable more than year.
But the tasks over which no question Of
plan is involved can be pushed at once.
The continuation of the French work,
which is necessary to keep the existing
canal from damage. will be maintained
harbor at Colon is another necessity
apart from the general canal plan. Its
construction can begin quite soon. The
,ulcbra cut is a definite work which can
lot by any method be avoided, and so the
commission will probably save time by
tsknS the contractors to undertake con-
,trlIction after this obstacle has been con-
;idcrably reduced. But more important
han any other preliminary work is. per
lanS, the sanitary plans, which must be
extensive and thorough.
The new commission will employ one of
lie most distinguished sanitary engineers
II the United States, and, probably in
0njunction with the Marine Hospital and
.'ublic Health service, will institute Il
comprehensive system of keeping the
cgiOn free from pcStilcncc. 1t is pointed
ut ti.at with low class laborinss popu-
alton summoned from other tropical
ountrics, conditions would be ripe tor
uch an intcrmixturc of infections as
.Oulu be extremely dangerous. y good
harp outbreak of -Asiitic cholera on the
sthmus at any stage of the work would
ialay compl. ton Il year. besides greatly
Increasing the difficulty in getting help.
nj all -hinc nlNinr Ipt those
,ortS during the construction period and
ur own coast cities it is felt that the dan
cr Of transmitting tropical diseases
would he very great and therefore on our
own account quite as much out Of con-
sidcration for the health of the Isthmus.
the most radical measures OF sanitation
will he adopted and enforced The Amer
can Public Health Association has been
assured by those Interested i'll canal con-
Struction that this will he the case.
A new commission will naturally not get
to work quite so soon as II the Ola
commission were to be rcappontcd as
body since new men VIII have to make
preliminary studies to a certain extent
reaching a definite conclusion independent
Of the reports of their predecessors.
While it is not expected that the conclu-
stems of new body would differ greatly
there is always a distinction in the scru-
tiny that is Siven to "A study which is pro
posed Il lasis for legislation, and one
upon which actual work will proceed
Even with this delay, if it may he so
termed. il is believed here that the canal
will he in operation eight years from the
day that the Senate ratitcs the treaty
and perhaps earlier The decision to re-
gard the Srooncr act as applicable to the
new conditions saves some time al the
Cauitol and makes the ratification the
last substantial step before the appoint
ncnt of the commission.
1t is believed that the enterprise will
attract ii great deal of American atten-
ton, perhaps dividing with the st. Louis
fair. ASiatic war and The presidential
campaign the interest OF tho ncwspa per
reading public for the summer. At all
events, the coming months seem likely t.
tie not lacking i'll topics Of commanding
Importance.