Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-18
PRESIDENT SEES
GREAT WATERWAY
MAKES SHORT SPEECH TO
LAB0RERS
Many Complaints Lodged with Hon-
ored Guest, but with One Exeep-
ton They VIII Not Be
Heeded
BY Associated Press.


COLON, Nov. II, If a. m.-Owing &c
the recent heavy rains a landslide oc-
Cured between here and Panama
compelling President Roosevelt's train
to make a detour, but II arrived In
Cristobal on schedule time.
The landslide occurred at Paraiso
not far from the Culebra cut
All street traffic was suspended after
10 a. m. and remained so up to 1 p. M
in view Of President Roosevets com
Ing inspection of the town of Colon,
the American hospital and other places
After a reception at Cristobal the
president embarked on the flagship
Louisiana for the north.
He expects to arrive at Ponce, Porto
Rico, Wednesday. After landing there
he will cross the island in an automo-
bile and will embark at San Juan
Thursday for Hampton Roads.
The Louisiana, Washington and
Tennessee coaled yesterday i'm the
Chiriqua lagoon and are expected here
shortly.
President Roosevelt had conference
Friday night with the heads of the
various canal departments and went
aboard his train at Tivoli at $3.50 O'Clock
this morning to begin the homeward
journey. AS the train passed Camp
Elliott the marines there were lined up
for review, and the band played 'The
Star Spangled Banner" At Gaton
President and Mrs. Roosevelt disem-
barked and climbed the hill, where the
big dam and locks will be located. The
men of the camp cheered the presi-
dent, who made a short speech.
The weather was cloudy, but no rain
fell during the day.
President Roosevelt told the Asso-
ciated Press he was glad to have seen
the canal under such favorable con-
ditions, as he now could appreciate
the magnitude of the obstacles to be
overcome.
Complaints Unjustlfied
With one exception, he said, he found
all complaints made to him to be un-
justified. He was pleased with the
condition of affairs and the system as
now established in the zone. Asked
If he would return to the isthmus, he
said he surely would whenever it was
necessary, as he was delighted at the
hearty welcome the people of Panama
had given him.
During the past six days the rain
all has been exceptionally heavy. Fri
day the rain guages at Cristobal reg
stered Az inches for twenty-four hours
and at one time one inch fell in fifteen
minutes. T he Chagres and Rio
Grande rivers flooded at Paraiso took
with it over fifty yards of the main
track of the railroad and wrecked a
and freight train.
President Roosevelt reached Cristo-
bal at 3:15 o'clock this afternoon and
inspected the houses of
canal employees, the camps of the Ia
borers, the docks and other points OF
interest The presidential party took
breakfast at Mount Hope where there
a. Ia
Cristobal Colon.
When he reached the railway station
at Colon President Roosevelt went up
stairs in the Panama railroad offices
whence he reviewed the Cristobal fire
brigade, which turned on simultan-
eously twenty-one streams of water
from hydrants extending along the
main street from the railroad station
to the entrance of the town of Girls
tobal.
The force of the water, which easily
went over the tops of the highest
buildings, proved to be very satisfac-
tory to President Roosevelt and the
citizens Of Colon. The citizens were
pleased with the exhibition
and there is no fear of the destruction
of the town by fire if such a force
of water is always available.
Takes Horseback Ride
After the exhibition President Roose-
welt mounted a horse and accompanied
by Chief Engineer Stevens and other
canal officials galloped over the et-
tire town. The president was cheered
everywhere. Most of the presidents
time at Cristobal was devoted to the
inspection of the quarters Of the labor
erS.
He talked with some of them and
made note of their, complaints which
were chiefly on the scarcity of West
Indian food. The president promised
that Improvements such as the erec-
tion of baths and kitchens and the
paving of streets would be made
When at the commissary President
Roosevelt said he saw no reason why
the canal commission should not be
able to sell West Indian provisions at
the same price as was being charged
by outsiders.
This evening a reception and ball
was given on pier No. II at Cristobal
in honor of President Roosevelt and
his party by the employees of the conn