Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-09

old buildings are. Governor Magoon has
tened matters materially by greatly i'm
proving methods by which lumber could
be taken directly to the places desired,
with the result that during the past six
months the entire force has been employed
and the work of construction has gone
steadily forward
There is now nearing completion Oh An
con Hill a government hotel. which is COM
monty spoken of on the isthmus as ''Tbn
Tivoli." This is to be in every way =
first-clasS, well-appofnted hotel. 1t will ac-
COmmodate about go guests and Will have
a number Of suites of rooms for married
employees. The governor of the canal zone,
the executive secretary and other higher
officials Of the zone government and of
the commission are to live therein. The
Tivoli' is expected to solve the problem
of properly housing the higher class en-
ployes on the isthmus,
At Corrozal and other places along the
line a number Of the old French quarters
have been repaired and married employees
are at present occupying them and are
quite comfortably situated. AT Culebra
about twenty sets of quarters have been
erected for married people.
The intention is, ultimately, to furnish
each single employe with a room by him
self, with bed, mattress quilt, mosquito
bar, lamp, bureau wash stand, chairs and
table, and married employees with proper
quarters and furnishings.
Now, just what has been done to give
these men the right sort Of food and plenty
of It?
Wrestling it'll the Food Problem.
During the months Of June. July and
August of this year the question of secur
ing adequate food supplies was a most Sc
rious one, and for time threatened a
crisis. For the two years preceding, the
crops in the republic had been almost
failures; the agricultural laborers deserted
their farms and plantations back In the
hills to come to the scene of the work on
the canal, where employment OF more
agreeable character, with considerably high
er pay and shorter hours, could be Sc
cured for the asking. During the month
of July the quarantine against La Boca,
the canal port of Panama, on account of
the existence Of a case Of bubonic plague
there, interfered seriously with the arrival
of foodstuffs from the neighboring prov
inces and barrios. Everything seemed to
combine to make 1t exceedingly difficult to
secure even enough of such food as is or
dinarily available on the isthmus-poor In
quality and unWholesome as 1t is--to meet
the necessities of the working force.
This scarcity Of food was, of course, most
severely felt by, the silver men" or negro
laborers, who feed themselves. Many Of
them were thrown on their own resources
for food and were reduced to living on
sugar cane, fruits, etc. AT this juncture.
Mr. Shonts arrived on the isthmus, and,
after comforting with Gov. Magoon, order
ed the construction of SubcommisSary stores
at every important 1dDUf camp dlOiS inc
route of the canal and obtained from the
Panama government consent to the open
ing of these commissaries to the silver
men until such time as the cost of local
supplies could be reduced TO reasonable
basis.
| These commissaries have been supplying
at prices Just enough above cost to pay
for the handling practically the same line
of wholesome dried, canned and boxed foods
that the commissary stores supply the
army.
Took Charge Of the Hotels.
On account of the quality and quantity
of food served In the two hotels at Cor
rozal and culebra, it was necessary. also
for the commission to cancel the leases of
the persons running them and to take d.
rect charge. A representative dinner now
consists Of soup fish, roast beef, tropical
butter, canned vegetables. fruits. whole
some desserts and coffee. Green things, of
course, are lacking largely and win con-
finus scarce until 1t is possible to carry
them down.
The men living at these hotels are
charged $50 a month for three meals day
This charge includes care of rooms and
service of walters.
That a full supply of adequate food from
the states may be assured to the employees
and laborers at all times while the canal
! is being built, the commission has equipped
! its two steamships with a refrigerating
I SYSTEM. ice duo CcAO otoIdS6 plants are
being built in Colon. and the Panama rail-
road supplied with refrigerator cars. When
| the entire system is Installed and in work
/. ing order, meats, vegetables and all classes
! of perishable foods can be shipped from
! New York and New Orleans. the two ports
| of embarkation being used, to the several
stores along the line of the canal.
| A bakery and a laundry are also being
built in Colon. A train runs each morning
| from Colon to Panama to distribute fresh
provisions.
| Until such time as the food problem can
! be satisfactorily solved and the other ma
| teriaI comforts of the men fully provided
| for the commissions larger plans for recre-
alton, including ciubhouses. athletic fields
| and sea bathing facilities. win be kept in
| allegiance Sunday excursions have been
run to the islands lying at varying distances
off the city of Panama; something has been
done in the way of providing base ball
grounds and tennis courts. but In other re-
speets the employees have been left to their
| own devices for amusement for the present
Caring For the Sick.
That the men may receive proper care