New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-12
HOMES TN CANAL ZONE.
Health Being assured, Comfort Of
Employes Has Been Cared For.
Iron me tribune Bureau ]

Washington. March 1.-THE new living quar-
ters for the men who digging the Panama
Canal supply one Of the strongest guarantees
that the managers OF that enterprise know their
business and VIII work with healthy men and
save money on hospitals. Machinery viii be
greater factor in cutting this canal than II has
been IN any earlier public work. but greater
number OF skilled men Will be required 10 run
N. machines than has ever before been gathered
IN the tropics. and It Is proposed To maintain
these employees in a higher state Of physical eff
cheney than has heretofore been attained 50 near
he equator.
The death rate on the Isthnus OF Panama
until about a year ago was VIGOROUSLY higher
han FOR any similarly populated territory Of the
same size on this continent Since that time
American energy has 50 reduced Il by the pre-
uminary work Of cleaning Up the zone and pro-
viding sewers and copious water supply 70 its
towns that the former plague spot begins 70
compare fsvorably with many OF the leading
cities OF the United States Further improve
unent Is declared 20 be possible. and 10 that end
he Efforts Of the commission VIII be continually
sxerted
The next step IN making the isthInus not only
aabitable. but comfortable and even attractive TO
he muscular, energetic men who must be i'm
ported 20 carry out the formidable task was
Intelligent human beings are accustomed TO- and
his has now been substantially accomplished.
The Canal Commission Inherited from the
French company over two thousand habitations
eli IN bad condition. many Of them only At TO be
burned. which promptly done Nearly one
thousand OF them thoroughly renovated
and are already in use, chiefly by the colored
laborers and their families They are palatiai
compared with the usual homes OF these people.
n the French regime the common laborers were
-equired usually 10 house themselves and live IN
native huts. The result was decrease IN eff
cheney and an increase in disease. which
5oubtedy contributed to the disaster in which
he French eventually became involved.
The American commission has insisted on pro-
viding these people with structures built with
Que regard TO hygiene and tropical conditions.
With this end in view, the Board Of Health OF
the canal zone at the outset stipulated that
buildings should be used unless raised several
feet from the ground unless the caves were
al least twelve feet from the floor and unless
there should be sixty feet Of floor space 10 each
person II also insisted that there should
be doors at each end OF every building leading
70 covered verandas, and that the immediate
neighborhood Of every house should be cleared
Of underground and kept clean. These common
aborers. or as they are called on the zone. the
"a patches Of sixteen TO bachelor barracks, and.
= married, assigned with their families 10
separate cottages.
or the gold rolf people, or American en-
Z 'yes. the bachelors are assigned 10 large dor
forios. OF hotels" which have been erected.
& a'rs The most attractive spot in the entire
ga zone is the great engineer camp" at
re. near the north or Atlantic end OF the
.l'rs cut and at the centre Of most OF the
- ne - be done on the isthmus. 1t is
-iI 10 alton, and here, with delightful bunga-
'f' s fe- ae principal assistants and other typi-
-' lss for the various classes employed,
'oarr1 scientific settlement has been estab-
: FL FOR The headquarters Of Chief Engineer
nd mis- corps. who are to construct the
i' tro, eanc highway.
npret cdcnted and exhaustive precautions
Etial 10 the welfare OF all the men who are
t. 90 the work having beer taken, II only
q Mains FOR Congress To settle definitely the
20 Of canal and adopt the plans already ap-
ooved by the President Fthe actual work
: construction, which is TO last eight years, 10
he aggressiveiy undertaken along the whole line
from ocean 10 ocean.