The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-06-17
PANAMA IS BAD PLACE
FOR EVEN STRONG MGI
Leading. Officers Die of Yellow
Fever and Complete De-
m0raliZation Sets In. .
Men at Work Make Poor prog-
ress and Conditions Are
Not A Bit Desirable. .

AVOV "a 5AV ~Vo4A GbOxVs
Boston, Mass. June 15-Since tho
death of the supervising architect, fol-
lowed by the death Of Auditor West,
both Of yellow fever, Generalization.
among the American canal employees il
complete, writes the Panama corres-
pondent Of the Boston Transcript.
Over forty office men left for the states:
on the last steamer, most of them
travelling steerage. AS many more
mechanics of the different trades also
deserted the 1sthmus. AS many more
are going on the steamer which carries
this letter, which leaves the forces
throughout the canal zone very much
depleted. Men are not arriving fast
enough to fill the vacancies, and Of
those who do arrive many return by
the next boat back.
The conditions under which the men
are living at Culebra are not at all in
keeping with proper regulations at this
time. The rainy season is on in earn
est, and even when it does not rain at
night. one awakens in the morning to
find blankets and clothing practically:
wet from the heavily moisture laden
air. In addition to this, the men are
frequently wet through during the
rains, and have no facilities for drying
their clothing. In the IL by II rooms
Of the new hotel the men are placed
two in room. This is plainly un-
healthful. If not absolutely threaten
Ing the efficiency of other sanitary ar
rangements. Every available house is
similarly crowded, and later arrivals
are being quartered in tents. The
marines are to be removed to Haute
Obispo, and this will, to some extent,
relieve the situation by rendering avail
able the buildings they are now oc-
cupying at Empire.
With an idea Of removing the office
men from the yellow fever districts of
Panama, they will shortly be provided
with quarters in the new hotel at
Corozal. It is evident that it is the in
tention to double these men up also in
rooms of the same size as at Culebra.
This will only add to the prevalent
feeling of discomfort, and result In
decentralization among those who have
thus Z. far escaped the yellow fever
scare. There are Ia Panama naensshol
sF6uf6 sfk1F~sEvslJ e1tle1 .5al ls
rooms at Coroxal III preference % b>
ing allowed fifteen per cent of their
salaries for communication of quarters
but as some night work is considered
necessary these men will be compelled
to stay in Panama. On the other hand,
there are many who would prefer to
stay there and draw their commuta-
ton. In spite Of this, they will be
compelled to remove to Corozal or have
their commutation cut off. ALL these
things act as continual pin pricks upon
the men and have their depressing ef-
fects. There does not seem to be that
necessary insight into actual conditions
which is certainly necessary In order to
retain even a small semblance of proper
organization,
In this connection it may be said that
the head of practically every depart
ment is in an acting capacity. The
chief engineer is in the states, as are
also the general Quartermaster,
mechanical engineer, and the health Of
ficer of Panama, A. M. Burt, is acting
supervising architect. Governor Davis
is to leave On this boat. Colonel Gorgas.
chief sanitary officer, who Is in per-
sonal charge of the yellow fever
situation, is acting governor.
The steam shovel output at ,Culebra
cut is now less than 5000 square yards
day, with eight shovels at work.
This Is due to the wet weather and lack
Of proper force and material to con-
struct and maintain dump tracks. The
spikes pull out Of the wet ties, and the
rails turn over, derailing whole trains
on their way to the dumps with ex-
cavated material. Dump benches have
also sloughed off in many, places, TAX ;;
ing track and cars with them. This
stops operation until dump service can
be resumed In addition to this, the
material (mostly -clay) is rendered
sticky by the rains and cannot be
necessitating shoveling from
the cars by hand. All this, added to
the other discouraging features Of the
work at Culebra, Is having Its bad ef-