Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-12-21
NEGRO LABOR A
FAILURE ON CANAL
So Says The Report Sent to Con.
gPess by The |sthmIan
Commission.
WILL Sooa Be READY TO DIG
Proposal to Furnish $4,000 Coolies
Still Under Consideration-The
First Stage of Preparatory Work
Virtually CompIcted-Some of the
Engineering Feats Pcrfc med.
(Bv Associated Press,

"h'"di itpoit Ol tnc lStn1nlan Cana!
commission was made public today.
ihe report deals at some length with
the work Of preparation, I'm the mat
ter of sanitation. housing of labor,
and installation OF machinery and
conmissary, which, the commission
states. Is row practically completed.
II also states the experience of the
commission In tho employment of Ia.
hor of various nationalitics. The re-
port says in part:
During tic year the first stage of
canal work. that Of preparation, has
/ virtually bccn passed. and the COM
mission finds itself In position to on
Ter upon the second stage, that of nc.
tlai construction of lock canal at
an elevation OF cighty.fivc feet, uu.
thori2cd by Congress IN juno last.
inc most serious problem that cpu-
irontcd the health department when
u was organized two years ago was
tho elimination Of yellow fever. which
had hecn an important facter In tho
failure of the French company. and
was regarded rs ono Of the most for
midable obstacles to American suc.
cess. This obstacle has beon com.
piotcly removed Although there has
never been so large number of non.
immunes on tho Isthmus MS during
tho past wear. there has not been n
single well-authenticated case of vol
low fever during that neriod. Tho
, isthmus Is now completely free of this
disease.
Recreation for Employees.
Iho commission has made some
progress In its efforts to Droyido
means OF amusement and recreation
for It's employees. hut not so much ms
would have been tho case had II not
been for the continued stress of worl;
OF more vital inheritance. Although
inc commission in November. 1905.
authorized tho construction of cIuh
houses at n cost not to exceed s75oo
each. 1t has not been found possibIo
MS vet to erect many new buildings
under this authority
Negro laborers a Failure.
9nother years experience with no.
gro laborers from nearby tropical Is.
lands and countries has convinced the
commission Of the impossibility of do.
ing satisfactory work with them. Not
only do they seem to he DISQUALIFIED
nv lack of actual vitality. but their
hisnosition to labor seems to he ms
iral! ms their hndilv strength. Few
~ lhem are steady workers. The ma
'orltv OF them work inst long enough
.o gct money to supply their actual
monty necessities, with the result that
wl'iie inc commission Is quartering
and caring for about $4,000 men tho
daily effective force is MANY thou.
sands loss. Many of them settle IN
the jungle, building little shacks. rails.
ing enough to keep them alive. and
wording only day or two occasion.
ally, as they see fit. In this way. nv
getting away from tho commissions
quarters, practical control over them
IL lost. and 1t becomes very difficuJt
ior ioremen to calculate on keon;np
their gangs filled
me experiment with laborers from
northern SDain has proved very salts.
| factory. Their efficiency is not only
more than double that of the negroes
! mt thcy stand tho climate much bct.
,nr. me chief engineer Is convinced
ny thls experiment that ANY white
man. so-called, under the same CON.
unions. VIII stand the climate on tho
| ,stlmus very much better than tbn
hiacks. who are supposed to no i'm.
mnne from practically everything I'm.
| VINO. as matter of fact, are subject
To almost everything"
| Employment Of Labor.
employees are secured other
through the Civil Service Commission
rmployment agents, or personal an
piiration. APP
On January 12. 1906. by Execr,iro
order OF the President, all cmnlo,
mehtS on the IsthmRs of Panama woro
excepted from civil service examina
| ,lon' with the exception, of tho fni.
| lowing named Clerk (all kindsl
ponkkecper. stenographer, typewritor
SURGEON. physician. interne. trainoI
| nurse and craftsman.
| Applications for employments :,
W" executed positions. including
among others. all the mechanical
'radns. railroad and civil engineering.
| pos','ohS arc selected, by means Of
cmpioyment agents of tho Canal Com.
mission travelling In various sections
., IN" United States. Tho Commits.
hmi' Us IN daily recent OF a large nun
neI OF applications from persons with
ordinary all'around experience. Tho
'-r'"o OF these persons. however
cannc, he utilized. as they have moi
S,"ciaiized along any particular limo
OF work. "''c
Engineering Work Of the Year
ne engineering work Of the wear
o"s hcen almost entirely preparatory
OWING TO the delay In the decision ss
10 me tyne OF canal 1t was fmnracti.
cable to locate permanent and VOL.
arranged dumping grounds for tho
disnosal of waste material. The con.
oral plan OF the work which has boon
oonn In the Culnbra cut has been In
putting tho various levels I'm proncr
condition for tho installation Of Tho
maximum number OF system OF