Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-15
THE NEW REPUBLIC
Population and Resources of
Panama.
HEALTH CONDITIONS
HOSPITALS TO BE ESTABLISHED
BY ISTHMIAN COMMISSION.
Enthusiasm Caused by the Prospects o.
the Canals Completion - Report
From Consul General Gudger.

From Consul General Gudger.
In a report to the Department of Com
merce and Labor United States Consul Cen
eral Gudger says:
The republic of Panama, the youngest
member in the galaxy of nations. COM
menced it's national life November B. 1903,
with practically the unanimous support of
all the people of the isthmus
such were the conditions that not drop
of blood was shed gun fired in its de-
Tense Almost as one man the population
arose and declared for an Independent and
free government. Men of all classes and
callings joined in the movement and en-
listed under it's banner The soldiers of the
mother country, Colombia, stationed here
without a dissent declared their allegiance
to the new republic.
"At mass meeting declaration of in
dependence was Enthusiastically adopted,
and a junta of three men vas named to
conduct the provisional government. the
news spread through the interior, and all
towns and provinces, without exception,
Joined the movement
Later general elections were ordered ana
constitutional convention was assembled
in the city of Panama, which adopted
constitution republican in form, which re-
SembleS almost every respect inc I'm
stitution of the United States. By this
constitution a president, three vice presl-
dents, Judiciary and other necessary ad-
juncts to complete a permanent organlza-
ton of the government were PROVIDED lot.
Political Divisions.
The republic is divided int, seven prov
inCes, as follows:
Provinces. Capltais'
Panama observation-disclosures. Panama
Colon. 49,. L., roro
Bocas del Toro. ...............-.. Bocds uei ho'o
Chiriqui .....-....--...-...'--' pa' Sa,.os
Los Santos ............--..'. s sos iane0S
Neragua ............-....-.. SahtIhso
Cocle. ...........'...-'''.' fehono"e
I'm each of the provinces there is gov
or-alcalde-together with other neces-
sary officials
are Panama, Aqua Dulce, Pedregal, Monti-
10 and Puerto Muds; and on the Atlantic,
Colon, Bocas del Toro and Puerto Bello.
Railroads and Post Roads.
There is but one railroad in the republic,
and this extends from the Pacific at Pana-
ma to the Atlantic at Colon. and is operated
by the Panama Railroad Company. 1t is
forty-seven miles long and was completed
In 1850 the first train passing over the
isthmus Janary Is of that year. The cost
of this road was S,5OO,OcO, and the gross
earnings for the year ending DECEMBER OF
1903, were 81 ,267, 57O91. The majority of
the stock Othirtyfour thirty-fifths), form
erly owned by the French Canal Company,
has passed to the United States govern
ment The roadbed is in good condition and
the rolling stock answers the purposes for
the present. The principal, offices of the
company are located in the city of New
York
There are no dirt roads leading into the
interior. 1t is doubtful If there exist in the
entire republic twenty-five miles of road
over which carriage could pass with
ease.
no dr,t1 given in a
port made under date of July Is. 1904. 1t
may be here stated that tax of about 10
per cent is chargeable on the invoice price
of articles usually kept and sold In dry
goods and grocery stores, while on liquors,
business establishments, etc, the tax Is
special and much higher.
Population and Resources.
Few countries of the size Of Panama
have such large coast line. From the
Costa Rican boundary on the Pacific and
Atlantic 1t stretches to the mouth of the
Atrato river on the Atlantic and to Puerto
Cocolito on the Pacific. the dividing line
between Panama and Colombia-a distance
including both sides, of not less than 600
miles.
THE territory lies between degrees 10
minutes and 0 degrees north latitude. and
II degrees and So degrees west longitude
from Greenwich.
1.-The area of the republic is 81 500 square
miles. In the widest place the isthmus,
which constitutes the republic, is about
100 miles, and at the narrowest between
81 and 40 miles, the extreme length being
nearly 400 miles
1.-The republic has a population of 800 Co.,
composed of various nationalities. There
are pure and even wild Indians, Spaniards,
Colombians, Panamans, Englshmen Ger
mans, Frenchmen, Chinese, Italians and
Americans. 1t is estimated that there are
some 10000 Jamaicans (who are English)
and about 1900 Chinese, most of whom
were attracted to the isthmus during
French canal days
1T is difficult to get data concerning the
country's resources, but 1t is generally be-
heved that the forests throughout the in
terror abound in hard woods and that the
hills contain minerals of great value. The
hills, mountains and valleys are practically
in the same state In which they were when
Columbus discovered the new world.
Climate and Health Conditions.
so much has been said and written on
the subject of health conditions on the
isthmus that little remains that will be of
interest, unless it be the correction of some
erroneous Impressions
The most ardent friend of Panama does
not regard II as a paradise or even as a
health resort. That it is not such a death
FOOL as most people at a distance think is
equally certain. For hundreds of years no
regard has been paid to sanitation. That
under such circumstances there should be
large death rate is not more than should
be expected. Sometimes one is inclined to
wonder how II is that any one can live con-
sidering the surroundings.
THE death rate in Panama during the six
mCrths ending July 1, 1904, was 81 in 1000,
calculating the population of the city at
10000 people. The natives claim that there
are here at least 25000 inhabitants, while
the census which is now being taken would
seem to indicate that 1t is even less than
10000.
During the construction of the Panama
railroad and when work was being pushed
by the French Canal Company the laborers
were badly housed, poorly fed and exposed
TO all kinds of Indictment weather. No won
der the record made that for each
cross-tie in the Panama railroad the life
of one of those who aided in Its construc-
ton was lost.
with good, comfortable quarters. pure
water constant warfare On the mosquitoes.
abundance of healthy food. and enforce
rnent OF strict sanitary measures. the death