New-York tribune., 1905-08-15
MR. SH0NTS RETURNS.
Val Report to the President
Congestion on the Isthmus.

Theodore p. Shonts president OF the Panama
Canal Commission. returned from Panama yes
7erday on the Mexico, accompanied by General
o. H Ernst another member Of the commission
He said that he had prepared fuil report ana
that the FIRST thing he would do would be TO
dispatch il TO President Roosevelt
Mr.. Shonts declared that there was no yellow
,1ever scare 10 speak OF, and that the total num-
her Of cases ia Panama in the last month, up
40 the time Of his sailing. was only thirty.
continuing, he said;
What are needed first OF all in the canal zone
are suitable habitations for the men, we need
more hotels for the gold men, as those hIllng
the executive and clerical positions are known
down there, and more ana better quar- les 4OI
rhe silver men" as The labOrers are called
These viii be provided at the earliest possible
moment While IL is true that the work on the
canal Is moi progressing as rapidly as II might
IL Is not true mat IL has stopped altogether.
The people OF tins country. or OF any olher
country. have idea of the magnitude OF the
preliminary preparations Tor the alsglhs OF lne
canal II they had there would not be 50 nnch
concern over the apparent sloWness with Whlch
Ehe work is proceeding
An obstacle has been lack Of docking facilities
a1 Colon. When ! left there over 1000 tons OF
Europeon freight was tied up on the DOCKS
there. I have set The machinery In motion
whereby this VIII all be cleaned UP within the
next thirty days. and after that expect 10 see
the freight handled expediuoUsiy.
We went 10 Colon with Mr. Stevens, the chlet
engineer, 10 see what had been done and what
should be done. We found he first thing OF I'M
portance 10 be the housing and supplying 10000
men When our government first took hold or
the anal every effort was directed toward max
ing the dirt ny ] think this was mistake
Time should have been given toward preparing
Tor the task by making arrangements TO care
Tor the employees. 1 found this one OF the con-
ditions remaining TO be settled.
i is true also that the labOrers were not
promptly paid and that matters were becoming
oongested on the railway and steamers The
r,eo9le of the isthrnus are not forehanded, and
l-a lar r1.7T~ T~ ion. nov q
by the influx Of the canal laborers the supplies
Tor living We're exhausted This caused the
prices 10 rise. and soon the laboring class found
that they could not earn enough 70 support
themselves. To offset this sub-commisSary sta
Iions were established To feed the labOrers.
made an arrangement with the President Of
Panama, until prices became normal on the
1sthmus. TO continue this system OF supplying the
Iaborers. ] believe there is some treaty clause
which prohibits entering into competition with
the merchants. In order TO keep up the supply
system q train runs out OF Colon every morning,
"a slzing supplies 10 every laborers' camp. Each
OF these camps has "A slb-comnlssary staIoh.
This steamer, the Mexico is already supplied
with refrigerating plant, and one is being in
stalled the Havana Supplies viii be en-
barked al New York the last thing before sail
.ng and these VIII be the first 10 be discharged
at Colon Al Colon "A large refrigeratng plant
IS now being established. from which all supplies
viii be issued promptly, so that shortly all
American employees viii be able 10 obtain the
same fare as they would at home
OF course, found the freight congestion caus-
3Eg considerable trouble This freight or
oered by the old commission TO be delivered at
certain intervals We hurried the matter up
and urged prompt shipment with the result
that 4 all got 10 the terminal point at once.
THE question OF double tracking the railroad is
-nuCh misunderstood in this country. The fact
Is II is ample 10 handle the commercial business
now, provided the proper methods are enforced.
Without a wish TO cTiticise any one, I can say
that the tropical conditions Of delay prevail
This railroad is situated 1000 miles away and
IS managed by man who has been eighteen
years ia charge and understands the road thor
ouEhly but his experience is all on this road
md therefore not I'D 10 our modern railroad
methods. Mr. Stevens. besides being an engi-
sleer ie an experienced railroad man.
There are about ten thousand employees on the
ssthuUs row; this number includes the laborers.
: have other things 70 say later on, after re
pOr- 10 The President.
General Ernst was equally optimistic IN his
views. but refused 70 go into details as 10 the
nature Of the report prepared for the President.
Mr. Shonts was met at the pier by his wife
HrE two daughters.