The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1905-07-13
Chairman Shonis Announces The New
Canal Policy
10 Be MADE MORE HEALTHFUL.
After That, Attention VIII be Direct
ed More Particularly to construc-
ton Of Canal ~ Not Much Yellow
Fever Says Sorts.

Vdouln6tOl, July o.-lAlo vi ehr
isthmus of Panama Is to be made
healthful, comfortable and enjoyable
before the real work OF digging the
canal is begun, according to an an
nouncement 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 NOV
ing of dirt. The men must have suit
able houses in healthy surroundings;
they must have wholesome and nour-
ishing food at reasonable cost; they
must have suitable transportation IA
cilities to get to and from their work,
and they must have opportunity for
recreation afforded them.
1T will be the policy of the CON-
mission to provide these essentials as
quickly as possible and to increase
the working force, aside from the
mechanics necessary to provide these
necessities, only as fast as the facili-
ties indicated can be furnished. The
commission realizes that its adher-
ence to this policy will result in the
actual handling of less quantities of
material temporarily, but 1t also
knows that, with healthy underlying
conditions, vastly more will be &C
complished later on at less cost and
with less friction
1T will also be the invariable pol
icy of the commission to give to the
public the actual conditions as they
exist on the isthmus, without any at
tempt either to color or to conceal.
So much has been said by the press
of an exaggerated character about
conditions there that it may be wise
to recapitulate the facts regarding
yellow fever. There have been be.
tween 5000 and 10000 employees on
the isthmus since the disease first ap-
peared in May. During that month
there were twenty canal employees
stricken and two deaths. In June
thirty canal employees were stricken
and four deaths, two of these dying
being Americans appointed in the
United States, and two persons ap-
pointed locally on the isthmus. There
were also three cases of fever among
employees of the Panama Railroad
Company and no deaths. During the
month Of July, up to the present,
there have been no new cases and
there is but one employe under treat
ment.
LAS an evidence of the considera.
ton the creation of health conditions
is now receiving, it may be well to
state that IL IL per cent of the total
number of employees assigned to that
work, under Governor Magoon.
in regard to the wages paid and
the statements that so many men
have left because of reduction in
salaries, the fact is that wages. in
stead of having been reduced, have
been very considerably increased in
every branch of the service on the
isthmus during the life of the pres
ent commission. 1t will be the fixed
practice of the commission as far as
practicable, to fill the higher and more
desirable positions by the promotion
of deserving employees. The entrance
or beginners salary for the clerical
positions, such as book-keepers,
stenographers, typewriters, ETC., is
$500 per annum, and for craftsmen
from $1,000 to $4,000.
The wages received in the outdoor
railroad positions are from 10 to rs
per cent higher than those paid in
the United States being, In general,
for switch engineers, $l25; engine
foremen, 500; helpers, SIS; track
foremen, $S3 to 800, and supervis-
ors, $3.50 to SITS per month. All the
mechanical tradesmen, such as car
penters, blacksmiths, machinists, etc.,
receive sc cents per hour. In addition
all employees are furnished quarters
or allowed Is per cent increase in pay
in lieu thereof, and are given six
weeks leave of absence per year on
full pay.
"As to the amount of work actually
done, complete reports have not been
received as yet at this Office, although
the acting chief engineer cables same
have been sent. But In order to know
exactly what has been done and what
the actunl condition of work now is
the commission has sent two Of its
engineering members to the isthmus
to make q personal examination Of the
ground and make formal report Of
their investigation.
! "A cablegram received from Gov.
ernor Magoon today reports no addi-
fional cases of yellow fever and no
deaths, and but one case under treat.
ment on the isthmus OF Panama"
Heavy Dansaoa Already.