The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-06-12
WORK ON PANAMA CANAL
Lafayette Young Tells What Has
Been Done There.

Lafayette Young, publisher of the
Des Moines Capital, recently arrived at
Chicago from Panama. where he spent
three weeks on the isthmus. In an in
terview with representative of the
Chicago Post Mr.. Young said.
The American people must have pa
tience if they want a canal. The thing
that surprises the visitor to the 18TH
mus most is the amount of useless
work and the amount of good work
that has been performed on the canal
by the French company Uncle Sam
got good bargain for his S4o,000,000
and still better bargain in the ten
mile strip called the canal zone. With
4 out the canal zone the United States
would have been subjected to everlast-
ing annoyance from the revolutions so
common in all the South and Central
American states.
THE Americans are gradually secur-
ing an organization for the canal work.
Chief Engineer Wallace has numerous
corps of engineers making surveys
which will be the bases of estimates,
after which it is expected that congress
will determine whether or not it shall
be lock or a sea level canal. Every
visitor comes away from the isthmus
with the conclusion that the canal
ought to be on the sea level. The lock
canal is as much out of date as the
hand moving machine. If the French
had built the canal on the plans on
which they were working less than 40
per cent of the vessels desiring to get
through could have done so, and the
Russian Baltic fleet could not have
gone that way.
Every visitor goes to Panama re-
garding the canal as a great interna-
tional project for the good of humani-
ty. He comes away thinking Of the ca
nal as purely local proposition, ham
pered in its construction by all kinds
of difficulties The climate is bad, fe-
vers and malaria are we'll nigh univer-
sal, large part of the inhabitants are
too lazy to work and only work long
enough to get money with which to
buy rum and they regard government
solely as means of graft The prob
lem of labor is the greatest one. The
average worker is not worth cents an
hour.
"A considerable number Of Ameri.
cans continue to visit the isthmus.
Some are looking for locations and
some are investing capital. Titles to
land are hard to secure and are consid-
cred unreliable, The soil of the isthmus
is as rich as any on earth and wonder
fully productive. | saw some good
southern cattle which We're sleek and
in good order. The sanitary depart
ment is cleaning up Panama. and the
system of drainage and water supply
will soon be completed. Certainly a
great deal has been done in all depart.
ments toward starting the canal work.
The sanitary department Is making its
fight against the mosquito, which is
charged with all the transmission of
yellow fever.
THE canal organization is In some.
what jumbled shape because so many
employees become discouraged and 90
home. There will be long wedding
out process before heads Of depart
ments and assistants shall be perma.
nent. Chief Engineer Wallace is the
one reliable, relentless worker. NJ
missionary among the Hottentots could
be more devoted than he, and the re
public will be fortunate If disease shall
spare him to complete his work. Mr.
and Mrs. Wallace live fin the building
which the French had purchased in the
heart of Panama for their canal di
rector. The house has been oyerhauled
and thoroughly cleaned, and bathtubs
have been supplied. Bathtubs have
not been numerous or popular in Pana
ma Mr.. Wallace built a shed on the
roof of his house to catch the breezes
and some American newspaper core
spondent gave out the impression thai
he had built roof garden. The shed
was built for $500, and the temperature
on the roof is ) per cent cooler than fl
the house, which alone justiies the ex
penditure.
t'0nce week Mr.. Wallace visits tho
great Culebra cut, where about 2,50t
men are employed digging the cana
through the great hill. The two open
ings of the canal into the two ocean,
afford a secure harbor at the presen
time in case of storms.
''The canal will cost many millions IL
excess of all estimates, and unless ths
people are prepared 70 count out thu,
money cheerfully they had better stoI
now. But it will be a great ciyilizer
1t viii make the little republic Of Pan
anna the only stable government Ii
South and Central America and will BIZ
a proud day for John f. Wallace if HI,
shall live to reunite the two ocean,
after 5000 years of separation