Evening star., 1904-04-25
WORK ON THE CANAL
Not Likely to Begin Under a
Year.
PRESENT CONDITIONS
VISIT OF THE ISTHMIAN COM
MISSION TO THE IsTHMUS.
Reception by the President at Panama
Sanitary Work That Must
Precede Construction.
Ar LA BocA

copyright 1904 by the National Press Association
Written for The Evening Star.
With the isthmian canal commission
reached Colon April 3, after a pleasant and
rapid voyage, and landed at that most in
teresting spot amid a downpour Of rain.
This came as an unwelcome surprise. The
rainy season does not usually begin until
the lst of May, when il makes up for lost
time by raining continuously for eight solid
months. Fortunately, however, the rain
which greeted us did not last but two days
and the commission was favored with a
brand OF weather which enabled II to explore
the isthmus under comparatively comfort
able conditions.
Conditions at Colon.
The ancient town of Colon, or Aspinwall,
as It was formerly called. is not an attrac-
tive place at best, and viewed between the
raindrops IT does not I'LL one with yearn-
Ing desire to spend the rest of his life there.
The first thing you are apt to do, after
landing and taking good look around, is
to examine your pocket book to make sure
that your return ticket is still with you.
The next, to inquire as to the time the next
boat leaves. l do not know of any other
place on earth in regard to which such q
varied assortment OF information is to be
b
been there tell me it was a pest hole.
Others, in a position to be equally we'll in
formed, have declared 1t to be a health re-
sort, so that when l reached the place l
was in frame OF mind which led me to
expect the worst. hope for the best and ac-
cept what l found.
The general atmosphere there is depress-
Ing. The air is moist and humid, and per-
ueated with sickening odor arising from
the native section. The town is located
along the beach and is shaped like a cres-
oent. At one end the American quar-
ters, occupied by the resident Ameri-
cans mostly employees of the Panama
Railway Company. are located. At the
other, known as Christopher Colon are the
touses erected by de Lesseps which will be
the headquarters of the commission while
on the isthmus. The section of the island
Occupied by the American residents Is not
an unpleasant place.
The houses are all situated facing the
ocean and most OF them are equipped with
large 'front.' yards. whose luxurient flower
beds would make the eyes of an ayera &c
suburbanite bulge with envy. They have
asphalt walks. good roads and as there Is
q constant breeze from Off the ocean they
manage to Keep pretty comfortable. The
most unpleasant feature with which the,
have to contend is the impossibility OF Sc.
curing water fit to drink. They have to de.
pend entirely upon rain water which is
Kept In large iron tanks. Needless to say
these tanks form an attractive breedine
PLACE for the ever busy isthmts niosouito O
The utter absence Of decent drinking water
II any part Of the isthmus is one Of the
serious problems which will be presented
10 the sanitary commissioner for solu.
ton,
The DeLesseps' houses at the other end
n Colon are most delightfully."- located They
eYe situated on AN artificial neck of lant
Ppun!ng some distance out into the sea ant
tho beautiful tropical flowers and foliag.
with which they are surrounded present
most pleasing picture to the eye Between
these two points are the business sectior
6hd native quarters II one could tax,
an underground route in going from tn,
american section to the DeLeeseps prop
erty II would not be so bad. but as you mus
9f necessity pass through the intermediate
portion, the only thing to do Is to hole
Your nose and get to the other side a:
Quickly as possible.
The Native Quarter.
E8N& Wf6$ vSfSf niaSn bavA .v.r .ean