The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-06-07
MAKING PANAMA HEALTHY
Prophecy Of Retiring Governor, Home
With the Fever
General Davis Says That the Isthm rs
Will soon Be notwithstanding
Pure Water Supply.

New York City.-General G.. W. Da-
Wis, the retiring Governor of the Pan
anna Canal zone, and his two daugh-
tiers, arrived here on the steamship Al
lianca from Colon. General Davis has
been suffering with malarial fever.
He at first declined to leave the canal
zone before the arrival Of his success
sor, but was formally ordered to do so
by Secretary Taft. He ignored the ad-
vice Of physicians to leave some time
ago, fearing that his sudden departure
when health conditions were adverse
would be misunderstood. Secretary
Taft's message, however, ordered Cen
eral Davis to leave Colon by the next
ship, on the ground that his malarial
condition made it necessary for him
"at once to have a change Of air after
a years hard and dangerous service"
Concerning the general sanitary con-
dition of the Isthmus General Davis
said: ~ can safely predict that by the
end of July, hen the water and sew
erage systelns hove been installed.
there will not be ~dse Of yellow fever
on the Isthmus. The Government has
spent one-half million dollars for the
water supply, taking the water from
the head of the Rio Grande, some ten
miles away. This will give all the ca
nal zone a bountiful supply of excel
lent drinking water. Four hundred
thousand dollars is being spent on the
sewerage system. and this will make
the zone perfectly sanitary. In a short
period of time Panama will be as
healthy as Havana.
"The people of Colon are now salts
fed with the American occupation.
They are getting the benefit Of the
money the United States is spending,
and naturally the people are happy
over it.
1.-The account Of sickness in Panama
has been greatly exaggerated during
the year I have been there. For exam
pie, less than three per cent. Of the en-
ployes were in the hospital when l left.
We have accommodations for 600 or
700 patients. and at no time has there
been q call for half of them. The work
of the sanitary experts stamping out
yellow fever has gone on ~methodical!y
and scientifically. To be sure there
were two deaths from it shortly before
I left, but these are nothing in compar-
ison with the spread Of the disease in
the country before the American occu-
patton.
There are between 1000 and 5000
Government employees in the zone at
the present time. The Government is
doing everything to make them happy
and to guard their welfare. A number
Of excellent houses have been built for
them, and many more will be con-
structed. These houses are as good as
any in the smaller towns and cities OF
this country"
General Davis said that it was true
that a large number Of employees had
returned, but added that they had been
easily frightened by some exaggerated
stories about the psrils in Panama; and
had returned to the United States
without waiting to learn the truth.
The General said that he had re-
ceived great benefit from the sea voy-
age, that the malaria had practically
disappeared, and that he believed that
after q short rest In Westchester Coun-
ty he will fully recover.
The Alliance also brought twenty
five employees of the canal commission.
Some Of them had been on the Isthmus
eight months, and were returning home
in the regular order, while others left
the canal zone because Of the health
conditions there. AS many more ar
rived here last week, and some Of them
admitted that they had been driven
away by the fever.
The Alliance was detained at the
quarantine station while her passen-
gers and crew were examined by the.
health authorities. Two of the crew
were removed to the detention hospital
for further observation.