The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-08-25
AN EXPERT ON PANAMA.
A French Engineer Who Spent Eight
Years There Gives an Interesting
Account Of Conditions.

completed a translation OF frenCi
report on conditions in Panama
which will prove interesting to thu
builders of the canal. 1t has beer
placed in the hands of the Cana
Commission, and they are studying
u carefully, as it contains mucl
that is of practical worth in getting
the gigantic task under way. Th'
report was made by c. Senderreger
a French engineer of note, whC
spent eight years on the Isthmus
under both the old and new re
gimes. II was published in Paris
in 1902, and has never before beer
translated into English.
Engineer Senderreger discusse:
four subjects i'll his report, namely
influence of climate, personnel
workmen and hygienic conditions.
In the light of eight years expert
ence there, his discussion becomes
possessed of great interest. In the
course of his discussion on the in
fluence of the climate, he says:
Il do not recall that / ever
really suffered from the heat, if il
was not at the commencement OF
the work in the fresh cuttings OF
the virgin forests when the reiiec-
ton of the sun from the dead timber
raised the temperature of the
atmosphere 10 a degree almost inn
possible to support. In the marshes
of the Valley of the Chagres, the
surveying was particularly painful.
The exhaustion of the prolonged
walk over miry soil; the biting, OF
giant mosquitoes and the torments
of the other parasites of the woods,
together with the great heat,
achieved render the torture insup-
portable.
However temperate it may be
at Panama, grace to the moderat-
ing action of a maritime climate,
the heat forbids to the white race
manual labor in the open air. The
effort of a prolonged walk in the
sun sufhces to elevate the pulse to
IFS per minute and renders res
piration quite painful. In the
shade, physical work continued re-
duces rapidly the force and the
health of Europeans. In a tunnel
at Bohio, Piedmentese and Tyro-
lese, engaged for the instruction OF
the native workmeu, fell below
their apprentices in the amount of
work performed. And with the
exception of two men, themselves
often sick during the entire dura-
ton of their sojourn OH the 18th
mus, all have disappeared or had
to he repatriated. Attempts made
with these same nationalities as
excavators have proven as un-
fortunately conclusive of their
inability to do the work"
Engineer Sendcrreger then goes
on to say that the only use that
can be made of white men in the
actual work on the canal is TO look
after the machinery and to super
intend the work of the black men,
who are the only ones fitted for the
work.
Speaking of the mortality rates
during the eight years that he was
on the Isthmus, Sendeueger says
that among whites it ranges from
10 to 20 per cent, dependent upon
the class of work they do for the
FIRST year. After the first year the
rate decreases, and one can sojourn
there without fear of yellow fever.
He says that the city resident Is
always in more danger than the
one who lives in the open country.
II will be necessary, he declares,
10 have twice as many white en-
ployes on hand as are required for
the work itself, if it is to go on
unchecked; that sickness and death
will always. keep half the force of
duty. II Gill be necessary to