The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1906-12-17

season and the shortage was made up
by hauling water over the Panama
railroad, so that there was at all times
water. Since that time the new res
ervoir back of Mount Hope has been
practically completed. l visited this
reservoir. 1t is lake over a mile
long and half mile broad. 1t now
carries some 500,000,O00 gallons of
first class water. l forward herewith
photograph of this lake, together
with certain other photographs of
what l saw while 1 was on the 18TH
mus. Nothing but cataclysm will
hereafter render it necessary in the
dry season to haul water for the use
Of Colon and Cristobal.
One Of the most amusing (as well
as dishonesty attacks made upon the
commission was in connection with
this reservoir. The writer in question
usually confined himself to vague gen
eral mendacity; but in this case he
specifically stated that there was no
water in the vicinity fit for a reser-
voir. q drank it and it was excellenD
and that this particular reservoir
would never hold water anyway.
Unjust Criticism.
Care and forethought have been ex-
ercised by the commission and nothing
has reflected more credit upon them
than their refusal either to 60 ahead
too fast or to be deferred by the fear
of criticism from not going ahead fast
enough. It is curious to note the fact
that many of the most severe critics
precisely opposite reasons, some COM
planning bitterly that the work is not
in a more advanced condition, while
the others complain that it has N""n
rushed with such haste that there has
been insufficient preparation for the
hygiene and comfort of the employees.
AS matter of fact neither criticism
is just. 1t would have been impossible
to go quicker than the commission has
gone, for such quickness would have
meant insufficient preparation. On
the other hand, to refuse to do any
thing until every possible future con-
t1ngency had been met would have
right course to follow was exactly the
course which has been followed. Ev-
cry reasonable preparation was made
in advance, the hygienic conditions in
especial being made as nearly perfect
as. possible; while on the other hand
there has been no timid refusal to
push forward the work because of in
ability to anticipate every possible
emergency, for, of course, many de-
fects can only be shown by the work
ing of the system in actual practice.
Care of Employees.
Next in Importance to the problem
of sanitation, and indeed now of equal
Importance, is the problem of secur-
ing and caring for the mechanics, Ia
borers and other employees who actu-
ally do the work on the canal and the
railroad. This great task has been
under the control of Mr.. Jackson
Smith and on the whole has been we'll
done. At present there are some
5000 white employees and some 10000
colored employees on the isthmus. I
went over the different places where
the different kinds of employees we're
working; l think I saw representa-.
tives of every type both at their work
and in their homes; and I conversed
with probably couple of hundred of
them all told, choosing them at ran
dom from every class and including
those who came especially to present
certain grievances. found that those
who did not come specifically to pre-
sent grievances almost invariably ex-
pressed far greater content and salts
i faction with the conditions than did
those who called to make complaint.
Nearly 5000 of the white employees
had come from the United States. No
man can see these young, vigorous
! men theoretically doing their duty
without thrill Of pride in them as
Americans. They represent on the
average a high class. Doubtless to
congress the wages paid them will
; seem high, but as a matter of fact the
, only general complaint which l found
had any real basis among the COM
plants made to me upon the isthmus
was that, owing to the peculiar sur
roundings, the cost of living and the
| distance from home, the wages were
really not as high as they should be.
! In fact, almost every man I spoke to
! felt that he ought to be receiving
more money-a view, however. which
the average man who stays at home
in the United States probably likewise
holds as regards himself. append
;, figures Of the wages paid so that the
i congress can Judge the matter for it.
I SELF Later l shall confer on tn J.
| ject with certain representative labor
! men here in the United States. as well
as going over with Mr.. Stevens the
comparative wages paid on the zone
and at home; and I may then com:
municate my findings to the canal
. committees of the two houses.
The white Americans are employed,
some of them in Office work. but the
majority in handling the great steam
shovels, as engineers and conductors
on the dirt trains, as machinists in
! the great repair shops. as carpenters
and timekeepers, superintendent and
foremen of divisions and of gangs and
so on and so on. Many of them have
brought down their wives and fam.
lilies; and the children when not in
school are running about and behav.
{ ing precisely as the American small