New-York tribune., 1905-02-27
URGE SEA LEVEL CANAL.
Continued from first page-


were hired in the United States. There are. he
says. several causes which are either reasons or
excuses for the discontent TO which reference
has been so frequently made in the press of
late. These he enumerates as:
The panicl1y feeling over the existence of yel-
low fever: asserted unful1lled promises as TO
accommodations and allowances made by mem
bers of she commission. by its officers or by It's
agents in the United States: the n-existence
the isthmus of amusements, diversions and
entertainments always at hand at nome: the
existing high prices of commodities, and of the
necessaries OF life, and homesickness'
Discussing the yellow fever situation General
Davis says:
Thirty-three cases Of recognized yellow fever
have been found the Isthmus of Panama
since last May. and of this number nine ter
minated fatally. There is man in the hos
pital to-day seriously ill from yellow fever; six
have recovered. Three new. cases have been re-
orted since February l. The whole city of
Pahama-and II is only IN I'anama :nat the m
fecton exists--is being thoroughly disinfected
and every house in the city is being funligated.
In the last two weeks one-stxth of all the houses
in the city have been fumigated. It will take
six weeks to complete this fumigation and dis
infection.
OF canal employees and their families coming
here from the United States only four out of
four hundred five hundred have been
sick from yellow fever, and of this number
terminated fatally
Discussing the lack of accommodation. the
Governor observes
The number of employees who have arrived on
the isthmus under appointments made in the
United States, who assert that they were told
by members of the commission by its en-
ployes in Washington that they all would have
quarters or residence and excellent accom-
nodations. is large and the assertions are so
positive that I cannot but believe there is some
basis for the statements made, and if any such
assurances promises given II was a
great mistake, L think. The picture ought to
have been painted worse than it IS, rather than
otherwise. so that the men arriving here could
not possibly find the real condition to be worse
than they expected to find it.
After reviewing the housing conditions at
length he concludes:
AS soon as land can be secured In the way
provided by treaty and by statute it will be
taken. and there will be delay in erecting
the necessary houses for all the employees in the
city Of Panama.
On the question of wages, Governor Davis says
the fact is there is no rate of wages conceivable
that would be too high, according to the notion
Of the Panama shopkeepers and barroom own
ers, hotel keepers and others, who are looking
for sudden wealth to follow the underta king of
this canal work by the United States But the
wages paid to the employees who come here from
home and to others of the same class hired on
the isthmus are in many cases % per cent
higher than they We're in the busiest period of
the French canal work, and in no case are they
less
Until quarters are available he says, it is not
advisable for married men take their families
70 Panama. Misery for all concerned has re-
suited in cases where this has been done There
is no suggested remedy for the complaint of
lack Of amusement.
However, plans for building for the Young
Mems Christian Association are now being pre-
pared. Continuing, General Davis says:
Other esta blishments Of the same class should
be created at other centres of activity along the
canal line. and doubt will be The barrooms
and gambling hels the principal attractions
now. and in the city Of Panama lottery tickets
are everywhere offered for sale on the street
corners. The gambling and drinking saloons
are. of course, made attractive and, unfortu-
nateiy they often patronized by United
States employees.
Because of the increased price of merchandise
of all kinds. the report says. the Canal Com
mission has just directed that the material and
supplies department establish a commissary
where win be kept for sale at cost price and at
a slight addition thereto to cover transportation
and incidentals, all Of the usual commodities
required by people at home. Heretofore
the canal employees have enjoyed similar privi-
lege accorded by the Panama Railroad commits
sary. The canal commissary was opened Feb
ruary l..
Concluding, General Davis says:
Casting up the matter in all it's phases I
would say that while this discomfort exists and
certainly will exist, probably for long time,
with respect to some of the employees, yet the
larger number are not unreasonable and accept
the situation they know that the government
is doing everything possible to make their lot
pleasanter, and they are Loyalty working and
carrying out their contracts.