The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1906-12-19

refusing to adopt either "A high-level or
universal agreement among all people
compcscnt to Judge that the Panama
route the one nctuniiy chosen. Is much
superior to both the Nicaragua anu
Darien routes.
Preliminary Work Being Done.
The Wisdom of the canal management
has been shown in nothing more clearly
than in Tie way IN which the founda-
tons of the work have been laid To
have yielded to the natural impatience
OF ill-ir formed outsiders and begun all
Kinds Of experiments In work prior To
thorough sanitation of the isthmus. and
10 f,rly satisfactory working out of
the problem OF getting and keeping
sufficient labor supply. would have been
measures had To he taken first. and
these could not he taken ms to allow
us to begin the real work of construc-
ton prior to January l OF the present
year. II then became necessary to have
the type OF the canal decided. and the
until the 2sth day OF June. the date
when the congress- definitely and wisely
level canal. Immediately after TINT the
been Continued with increasing visor
ever since; and 1t will continue so to
progress In the future. When the con-
tracts are let the conditions Will be such
AS To insure constantly increasing
amount of performance.
Successful Sanitation.
The first great problem to lie solved
upon the solution OF which the success OF
the rest OF the work depended. was the
problem OF sinIt-.tion. This was from
the outset under tho direction of Or
w. c. Gorgas. who is to be made n full
member OF the commission. II must be
remembered that his work was not mere
our ordinary municipal work. Through
out the zout and In the two cities OF
sanitation work proper. he has had 10
do all the work that the Marine hospital
service does as regards the nation, that
the health department officers do in the
various states and cities. ana that Col.
Warning did in New York when he
cleaned its streets. The results have
been astounding. The isthmus had been
byword for deadly unheslthfuipess
Now after two years Of or occup1tIon
the conditions rs regards sickness and
the death rate compare flvorabfy with
reasonably healthy localities in the
United Suites. Esrcciai care has been
devoted II minimizing the risk due to the
presence OF those species OF mosquitoes
which hase been fsnnd to .propagdtc
malarini and yellow fevers. In all the
settlements. the little temporary towns
or cities composed OF the white and black
there in the tropir jungle az the needs
OF the work dictate. the utmost care is
exercised 10 keep the conditions healthy
Everywhere are to bo seen the drama &c
have removed N, breeding places Of thu
mosquitoes. while the whole jungle is
cut away for n considerable space around
the habitatious, thus destroying the
ter. These drainage ditches and clearings
are In evidence in every settlement, and
together with the tnvariablc presence of
mosquito screens around the piazzas. and
Of mosquito doors to the houses, not to
speak OF the careful fumigation that has
gone on In all infected houses. doubtless
explain the extraordinary absence OF
mosquitoes. AS matter OF fact. but
q single mosquito. and this not OF the
dangerous species, was by any
member OF our party during my three
days on the isthmus. Equal care is
partmcnt 10 secure cleanliness In the
houses and proper hygienic conditions of
80 water-closets. both those used by the
white employees and those used by the
coiored iaborers. In almost every case l
case did I find them really bad. In this
urse. Affecting settlement OF unmar-
had indeed. bat the buildings were ali
Injected from the French company and
buildings were In The course OF constrtc-
don: and right near the defective water
closet a new and excellent closet with n
struction and nearly finished. Neverthe-
loss this did not excuse the fact that the
bad condition had been allowed to pre-
vail. Temporary accommodations. even
u only such as soldiers use when campef
In the field. should have been provided.
Orders to this effcct were issued. ap-
pend the report of DR. Gorgas on the In
cident. | WAS struck. however. by the
Every o IL where a complaint was made
which proved to have any Justification
whatever. it appeared that steps had al,
ready been taken to remedy the evil
complained Of. and that the trouble was
mninly due to the extreme difficulty, and
often impossibitity. OF providing In every
place for the constant increase in the
numbers of employees. Generally the pro.
vision Ia made In advance. but II Is no,
possibls that this should always be the
case; when II is not there ensues
period OF time during which the condi'
lions are unsatisfactory. until a remeoS
can be provided. but l never FOUND
case where the remedy was not beint
provided as speedily as possible.
improvements In Cities.
Tho sanitation work In the cities o
Panama and Colon has been Just a.
Important az In the zone itself. and II
many respects much more dinicult- be
cause II was necessary to deal witt
the already existing population. which
naturally had scant sympathy viii
revolutionary changes. the value o
which they were for long time no
able to perceive. In Colon the popuia
tion consists largely OF colored labor
srs who. having come over from tn
west indies to work on the can
abandon the work and either take =
tho brush or lilo lire in Colon user
thus peopltnG Colon with the least de
sirabie among the imported iaporers