Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-12-28
CANAL PROGRESS
ANNUAL REPORT or THE COM.
MISSION.
PREPARATIONS COMPLETED

Ready to Begin Real Work Of Con.
struet;on-isthnus Free From Vel.
low Fsvsr-spanIards Best Ia
borers.
washington.-Ti.s Isthminn canal
commission in its annual report says:
"During the year the hrst stage OF
canal work. that Of preparation. has
virtually been passed. and the commits
sion finds itself In position to enter
upon tho second stage. that OF actual
construction Of lock canal at an ele-
walton OF cighty.nve feet. authorized by
Congress In June last.
"Of these two stages the nrst was
at once the more difficult and the more
Important. II not done thoroughly and
intell!scntiy In every part the actual
work OF construction would be handi.
capped from the start. II was neces'
sary. as in the launching OF any great
enterprise. to create an organization
with which to work. II Was necessary
also to make the isthmns. by thorough
sanitet tIon, n hcalthful place In which
and food for employees: to construct
proper terminal yards and railway
tracks AM intermediate yards for the
handling Of the vast quantities OF ma.
tcrinis and supplies: To install n sys.
TEN of railway tracks through the
cuts: To put the Various levels IN tho
cut In proper condition for the install.
lation and operation OF the maximum
number of steam shovcls: to purchase
and assemble tho plant for construct.
Ing the canal: to work out all cngi'
ncering problems: to perfect govern
mcnt and create u system OF accounts.
and to formulate n preliminary plan
for carrying forward the work In each
department.
"Thc isthmus In now completely free
Of yellow fever. nm achievement which
demonstrates the hirh efficiency of the
health department. In combating other
diseases the department hns been
scarcely less successful. The average
daily sick rate among employees OF the
commission during the ten months
from January ], 1906. to October ii.
1906, was twcnty-eight per thousand.
which In no higher than might be cx'
pcctcd In nm equal body of labor, ~ en-
gagged In construction work IN any part
OF tho world. During the same period
the death rate among the whites was
about l7ts per thousand. and among
the blacks nearly nfty.threc per
thousand.
Another years experience with nc.
gro laborcrs from nearby tropical
islands md countries has convinced
tho commission Of the impossibility oil
doing satisfactory work with them.
Not only do they seem to be disquali'
\ nod by lack of actual vitality. but their
disposition TO labor seems TO bc m
fraii as their bodily strength.
"Thc experiment with laborcrs from
northern Spain has proved very salts
factory. Their efficiency Ia not only
more than double that Of the negroes.
but they stand the climate much bet
ter.
"In November. 1905. tho commits.
sion's employees numbered approx
mately 1900 and In November. 1906,
the number was practically the same.
or these 1862 were under the dc
partmcnt of construction and engineer.
Ing; 1929 under the division OF ma
terial and supplies; 2.23i under the de.
partmcnt of government and sanita'
tion. and 1877 In the auditing and dis.
bursting Offices.
1.-THE commission has made some
progress In its efforts to provide
means Of amusement and recreation
for It's employees. but not 30 much as
would have been the case had II not
been for the continued stress OF work
of more vital Importance"