Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-25
COL. BIDDLE PLEASED
RESULT OF INSPECTION OF THE
PANAMA CANAL ZONE.
Climatic Conditions Better Than Ex-
pected-No Yellow Fever or
Smallpox Encountered.

Col. John Biddle, Engineer Commissioner
of the District returned to his desk this
morning, sunburned and hearty, after
months vacation spent In Central America
looking over the canal property which the
government has acquired from the govern
ment of Panama and the Panama Canal
Company. Col. Biddle had always desired
to explore the canal zone, and when he
found that he could get his vacation at the
same time the Panama canal commits
sioners were to visit Panama and begin
their operations he took advantage of the
opportunity thus offered and gratif1ed his
wish to see something Of the canal route.
He spent two weeks in the republic of
Panama. and during that time visited
every nook and corner of the strip over
which the American people now have SOW
ereignty.
Il was much surpried and pleased with
what I saw during my stay in the canal
zone" said Col. Bidde this morning The
climate there surprised me first. There was
never a day during the two weeks l re-
manned there that the thermometer rose
higher than 50. and l was informed that
the temperature held between 20 and 50
during the entire time of my visit. The
nights were cool, and there was an ah:ence
of mosquitoes that surprised me.
Precautions Taken.
1--WE are informed by the medical people
that mosquitoes are the cause of many of
our woes, and SO we took precautions
against them. We slept under nettngs and
tucked them in under US at night, but
did not see any mosquitoes to amount to
anthing throughout my stay. When l
started for Panama l loaded up with all
sorts of rubber things to keep out the rain,
this Is said to be the rainy season, but
1 did not wear any of them. An umbrella
was all that was necessary, and believe
only used that twice during the whole time
l remained on the isthmus.
Il spent my time going over the canal
property, and by means of the railroad
trains, boats and other conveyances. was
able to examine things pretty thoroughly.
With Mr.. Wallace, chief engineer of the
canal commission, and others as guides.
l had difficulty in seeing all my time
would permit. and l was very much pleased
and surprised at the conditions. There Is
some little rivalry between the towns of
Colon and Panama. The latter is the seat
of government of the republic, and is quite
a town. 1t has considerably less rainfall
than Colon, even though 1t Is but forty
miles distant. Colon is hardly more than
the residence of the railroad and steamship
officials. but is pleasant place to live in
because of the northeast trade winds which
sweep 1t all day and reduce the tempera-
ture considerably. But, as l said before,
there was no hot weather during the time
/ was on the isthmus, or at least weather
that l would call hot.
Health of People Good.
1.-The health of the people who live on the
canal zone very good. l thought and
1 was much surprised at this. There were
no cases of yellow fever, smallpox or the
plague the canal property, although
there We're all three at points on the coast.
The excellent work of the marine hospital
service might be responsible for this. There
were two persons kept in quarantine while
l there suspicion that they had
yellow fever, but l learned that their all
ments developed into malarial fever only.
The canal commission was kept busy with
its meetings during the time I remained on
the ithmus, and the work seemed to be
getting on nicely"