Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-07
TO MAKE IT HEALTHY
FIRST DUTY REGARDING THE
ISTHMUS.
Actual Conditions Attending the Con-
struction of the Panama Canal
Are to Be Published.

Life on the isthmus of Panama is to be
made healthful, comfortable and enjoyable
during the continuance Of work on the
canal, according to announcement OF
policy made by Chairman Shonts of the
Panama canal commission. Mr.. Shonts
said:
Our first duty is to create sound under
lying conditions. This is now vastly more
important than the moving of dirt. The
men must have suitable houses in healthy
surroundings; they must have wholesome
and nourishing food at reasonable cost;
they must have suitable transportation ia
cilities to get to and from their work, and
they must have opportunity for recreation
afforded them. 1t will be the policy Of the
commission to provide these essentials as
quickly possible and to only increase
the working force, aside from the mechan-
les necessary to provide these necessities,
as fast the facilities indicated can be
furnished. The commission realizes that
its adherence to this policy will result In
the actual handling of less quantities of
material temporarily. but it also knows that
with healthy underlying conditions vastly
more will be accomplished later on at less
cost and with less friction.
To Publish Actual Conditions
1t will also be the invarfable policy Of the
commission to give to the public the actual
conditions as they exist the isthmus,
without any attempt to either color or con-
ceal. So much has been said by the press
of an exaggerated character about health
conditions there that 1t may be wise to re-
capitulate the facts regarding yellow fever.
There have been between nine and ten thou
sand employees on the isthmus since the dis
ease first appeared in May. During that
month there were twenty canal employees
stricken and two deaths. In June thirty
canal employees were stricken and four
deaths two Of those dying being Ameri-
cans appointed in the United States and
two persons appointed on the isthmus.
There were also three cases of fever among
employees of the Panama Railroad Company
and 10 deaths During the month of July
up to the 9Th, there have been no new
cases and there is but one employee under
treatment
"As an evidence of the consideration the
creation of health conditions is now recefv-
ing, it may be well to state that 12h per
cent of the total number of employees are
assigned to that work under Governor Ma
COON
Wages Considerably Increased.
I'm regard to the wages paid and the
statements that so many men have left be-
cause of reduction In salaries, the fact is
that wages instead of having been reduced
1914
every branch of the service on the isthmus
during the life Of the present commission.
1t VIII be the fixed practice of the commits
sion as far as practicable to fill the higher
and more desirable positions by the promo
ton of deserving employees. The entrance
or beginners, salary for the clerical posi-
tons such as bookkeepers, stenographers.
typewriters, etc, is 1880 per annum and
for craftsmen from $500 to $1,000 The
wages received in the outdoor railroad DO
sitions are from 10 to - per cent higher
than those paid in the United States. be-
ing in general for switch engineers S1o5:
engine foremen, 500; helpers $50; track
foreInen, 1888 to 500, and Supervisors. $3.50
to Sl15 per month. All he mechanical
tradesmen, such as carpenters, blacksmiths.
machlnists. etc, receive SO cents per hour
In addition, all employees are furnished
quarters or allowed 10 per cent increase in
pay in lieu thereof and are given six weeks
leave or absence per year on full pay
AS TO the amount of work actually done
complete reports have not been received as
yet at this office, although the acting chief
engineer cables some have been sent But
In order to know exactly what has been
done and what the actual condition of work
now is, the commission has sent two of IT'S
engineering members to the isthmus to
make personal examination of the ground
and make formal report of their tnvesti-
cation"