Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-10-19
RUSSIAN CANAL DICCERS
Those Now Tn Panama Proving
 Good Workmen.
LITTLE SICKNESS AMONG THEM
Peasants Who Fled From Native Re the Most Valuable Class of Men Who Have Worked on Ditch-Peace- full and Thrifty.

A new element that recently pre- l sented itself on the scene of the Pan anna canal activities Is the advent of
 large numbers of Russian immigrants, writes George V. Steep in the New
 York Tribune. At first this feature
 seemed to be of little value. in that it
 was feared that this class of labor
 would prove to be as unstable physic- ally as are all other northern work
 men who take service under tropical conditions. So far, however, there has
 been less sickness among the members of this colony than among any other foreigners on the isthmus, Whether this is due to their temperate habits, and so merely temporary condition, is as yet question to be solved. Men who are used to the luxuries that mark the homes of most north ern nations soon succumb to the rig ors of malaria and other levers, but these Russian peasants are men who have lived in the most simple manner known and who seem to be of almost perfect physique. They have lived temperate lives and easily adapt them selves to new conditions. They work with remarkable steadiness, in marked contrast to the Jamaicans and native Panaman laborers. They do little or no complaining and in the course of day accomplish double the amount of work accredited to an equal number of Ja- maicans
 These men are not temporary gangs and nomads. but are thrifty farmers, who have fled from their native land to escape oppression and who desire to settle in free country where they can follow their pursuits in peace. The large number Of Russians coming thus suddenly is due directly to the Russo Japanese war They are refugees, who decided, rather than go to the front to shed their blood in the cause of a na- ton for which they could have but lit tie love and in principles of which they had no faith, to give up their homes and seek peace in land where war is a thing of the past, where oppression is unknown and constant labor the greatest virtue. And these men are, they declare, only the forerunners of many thousands more who will come if health conditions continue good.
 In addition to being the steadiest and most valuable class of men who have thrust their spades into the ditch, they are practical farmers. That alone is sufficient guarantee for their future. They are known to be peace ful and thrifty, and their short resi- dence on the isthmus demonstrates that they are clean and have a tend ency to keep their surroundings in the 5ssta-of sanitary lconditiona As-aeyi- dence of the thrift that characterized them in their native land, practically all of them have little money saved. With this as capital they intend to make their futures.
 Tt is our desire" said linen Rolof- witch, a tall, staiwart fellow, who seemed to be a sort of leader, speaking through an interpreter, ito edd little to our savings by working on the canal and then return to our former agricul- tural pursuits somewhere of of the line" And this utterance was charac- teristic of each individual in the col ony.
 The plan seems good one, and there Is little to hinder them in their ef- forts. Public lands are abundant throughout the zone and the republic, and there is room for thousands of farms. The land has been cultivated only in small areas in widely separated districts. with vast jungles between. All of this land is rich beyond compare. Almost any vegetable will thrive in 1t The fruit industry will probably re- main the chief occupation, but there are fortunes to be made in rubber and cane.
 Truck gardens are now almost un- known, the few that do exist being conducted by the Chinese on the rolling country on the peninsula across the bay to the north from the city of Pan anna The supply is inadequate, with the result that the principal diet of the country is meat That in itself Is sui fcient to cause sickness among north erners in a warm, humid climate, but is is impossible to secure sufficient fresh vegetables at the present time, thus leaving a great field to be deyel- oped by small farmers.