Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-22
MARKEL NAY GET JOB YET
Contract Likely to Be Rslst, Says Senator
Willard, Home from Panama
MATTER NOW PENDING At WASHINGTON
Nebraska Statesman Thinks white
Men Not suited for Lower
Grades Of work ON
the Canal.


Senator Millard returned home Saturday
morning from Panama and Colon, where he
has been for the last several weeks as a
member of the senate isthmian canal COM
mittee investigating conditions.
we were on the isthmus eight days
with members of the Isthmian Canal COM
mission, consisting OF Chairman Shonts,
Messrs. Ernest, Haines, Endicott and Har-
rod, and with the advisory committee, or
board, consisting of a group OF the most
eminent engineers of the world which in
cudes Mr.. welker. consulting engineer Of
the canal system of Holland; Mr.. Guer-
rard, consulting engineer of railways and
bridges OF France; Mr. Callinac, consulting
engineer Of the Suez canal; Mr.. Tink-
hauser, consulting engineer of the Kiel
canal, Germany: Mr.. Hunter, consulting en-
ginCer Of the Manchester canal, England;
Mr.. sterne, engineer OF the water works
system of Boston; Mr.. Pierson, consulting
engineer of the underground railway sys-
TEN Of New York; Mr.. Randolph, consult
ing engineer of the Chicago drainage canal
systemI Mr.. Ripley, consulting engineer Of
the Sault Ste. Marie canal. and Generals
Davis and Abbott, U. s. A, retired, of the
corps Of engineers" said the senator.
Board Completes Report.
This board is now in Washington COM
pleting its report, which will be ready De-
Gambler for submission to congress.
"rhis was my first visit to Panama
knew but little of the workings of the
canal and while not learning very much
on this brief trip, with so much to learn
1 am very glad went
''The sanitary conditions OF the canal
zone have been very much improved and
--1t,
They had quite siege of yellow fever
there, particularly during the months OF
June, July and August. The disease is
practically eliminated now and, while there
is some sickness there is no yellow fever
The plans of sanitation are quite elaborate
and will be completed by January l. The
advisory board may suggest some changes
I'm the methods of the work and plans,
but they will not be essentially important
.''In reference to the Markell contract,
have learned since returning TO the
United States It has been cancelled.
learned while on the isthmus the chief
engineer had decided he could feed the
employees there cheaper than is Indicated
I'm the Markell contract. He was OF the
impression the contract price per indi-
vidual was too high. Mr.. Markell. 1 under
stand, thinks differently. The matter ac-
cording TO my best information is merely
in allegiance and is pending further in
vestigation. the result of which will be
submitted to congress by January 1 and
the contract probably may be relet. Mr..
Markell is now in Washington looking after
his interests there.
whites and Blacks Employed.
cat present some 1900 negroes are
employed on the work and 1900 white
people. The pay roll varies according to
the character and capabilities of the work.
men. American mechanics, such as car
penters, receive about "a per day, while
the negroes receive so cents American
money, or about S1.60 of Panama money.
Is One American can do about as much good
work as two and one-half darkies, but the
engineers there say one American is
equivalent TO four negroes. The darlies
are largely from Jamaica, though some
come from Martinique. There are very
few from Hayti, as they would sooner
stay there and take part in the daily
revolutions The negroes obtain board
for about 30 cents per day. which gives
them 50 cents per day to go on, and that
seems to be ample for their needs. do
not believe from a cursory examination
of the conditions that white men can be
successfully employed on the harder
grades of work there. If they do they
viii soon become as demoralzed as the
darlSies from Jamaica, and they are de-
nloralized lot.
Ten Years TO Complete Work.
81 am inclined to think 1t will take az
least ten years to complete the work
The great work to be done is through the
Culebra cut / rather think the lock sys-
tenn of canal will have TO be adopted
This will require four or five locks while
Il is true tide lock on the sea level sys-
TEN would require but one or two locks
The tides are peculiar there. The tides
at Panama rise from fifteen to twenty-one
feet while these at Colon, an the At
lantic side, are but fifteen to eighteen
inches. rather think most OF the en-
gineers are in favor of the lock system for
the canal, as 1t can be constructed more
rapidly and az less cost than the sea level
canal.
During the French work on the canal
many great barracks were built for the
employees. These were permitted to so into
decay, but are being remodeled TO suit
American conditions and will prove good
quarters for the employees
Trade to be Obtained.
Regarding the trade conditions to ac-
crue 10 the benefit OF the United States
from the canal the principal advantage
will be in trade with the western coast of
South America. A glance at the map will at
once show why England and Germany
control so much of the east coast South
American trade. Your will observe the
eastern shores OF South America are much
nearer 10 Europe than 10 the United
States market ports. United States vessels
will have TO make a southeastern detour
10 reach Bahia and Rio Janeiro, while the
European trade tracks are almost a per-
feet tangent"
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