The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-07-07
ISTHMUS is TO BE
MADE HEALTHFUL
Commission Spurred to Action by
Recent Reports.
is LITTLE YELLOW FEVER
! PAY GOOD, WITH CHANCE FOR
PROMOTION.

iAIASHINGTON, July 6.-Life on the
wv Isthmus of Panama is to be
made healthfuI, comfortable and
enjoyable before the real work of dig
ging the canal is begun, according to
an announcement of policy made today
by Chairman Shonts of the Panama
canal commission. Mr.. Shonts said:
'Our first duty is to create sound
underlying 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 facilities to get
to and from their work, and they
must nave opportunity for recreation.
1t viii be the policy of the COM
mission to provide these essentials as
quickly as possible, and to only in
crease the working force, aside from
the mechanics necessary to provide
these necessities, as fast as the IA
clilties indicated can be furnished.
Yellow Fever.
so much has been said by the press
of an exaggerated character about
health conditions there that il may be
wise TO recaptiulate the facts regard
ing yellow fever. There have been be-
tween 5000 and 1900 employees on the
isthmus since the disease first appeared
in May During that month there were
twenty canal employees stricken and
two deaths. In June. thirty canal en-
ployes were stricken, and four deaths,
two Of those dying being Americans
appointed in the United States and
two persons appointed locally on the
iSthmuS- There we're also three cases
of fever among employees of the Pan
anna Railroad company and no deaths
During the month of July. up 10 the
present, there have been no new cases
and there is but one employee under
treatment.
Wages Paid.
I'm regard to the wages paid and
the statements that so many men have
teIJ because of reduction in salaries
the Iact Is that wages, instead of hav-
ing been reduced have been very con-
SlderaDly increased in every branch of
the service on the isthmus during the
life of the present commission 1t
Will be the fixed practice of the COM
mission, as far as practicable TO fill
the higher and more desirable posi-
lions by the promotion of deserving
employees. The entrance or beginners
salary for the clerical positions. such
as bookkeepers. stenographers, type
writer's, etc, is 81 800 per anDum and
wages received in the outdoor railroad
positions are from 10 TO % per cent
higher than those paid in the United
states being in general for switch en-
gineers, $125; engine firemen. sg5: help
ers, SO; track fOremen. sS3 to 500. and
supervisors, $3.50 to s175 per month. All
the mechanical tradesmen such as car
peHters, blacksmiths. TuachiniSts etc
receive 90 cents per hour In addi-
ton, all employees are, furnished quar-
ters or allowed Is per. cent Increase i'm
pay in lieu thereof. and are given six
weeks leave of absence per year Oh
full pay.
Formal Report Soon.
IN order TO know exactly what has
been done and what the actual con-
dltlon of work now is, the commission
mas sent two of its engineering mem
bers TO the isthmus to make a personal
examination of the ground and make
a formal report of their investigations
A cab}eGTaE0 received from Gov
eTnor MagoOn today reports no addi-
toual cases Of yellow fever and no
deaths. and but one case under treat
ment on the Isthmus of Panama