The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-18

Der q our party during my three DAYS on
mo lfthnus- Equal care is taken by the
inspectors of the health department 10
secure cleanliness FRI the houses and
proper hygienic conditions ~ every kind.
Health Good.
Just at present the health showing
on the isthn1us is remarkably good
50 much better than IN most sections
Of the United States that 90 not
believe that Il can possibly continue
at quite rs present average Thus.
early IN the present year a band %
several hundred Spsniards were
brought 10 the isthmus iaborers.
and additions 70 their number have
been made from time 10 time; yet
Stree their arrival In February last.
but one % those Spanlards thus
brought over 70 work on the canal
has died Of disease. and he OF typhoid
fever. Two others were killed one In
railroad accident. and enc By
dynamite explosion.
There has been FOR tie last six months
"a UeN-uigh steady decline I'm the death
rate for tho population - the zone this
being largely due 70 the decrease in
oo-tls from pneumonia. which has been
The most fatal disease on the isthmus.
III October there We're 80 deaths ~ every
kind among the employees - the isthpls.
There We're then on the rolls $500 whites,
seven G.. ghtls ~ them being Americans.
OF these whites but two died ~ disease.
American. Cf the 1000 white Americans
including sonc 1900 women and chill
lren. not single death has occurred iu
tie past three months. whereas pa an
average city IN the United States the
number ~ deaths for a similar number Of
people iu that time would have been
about thirty from disease. This very re-
markable showing cannot. 81 course
permanently obtain. but 81 certainly goes
20 prove that II good care IS taken the
lSthmus is not q particularly unhealthy
place ~ cctober. .oi the l@"'' negroes
ou the roll So died from disease, pncu-
monia being the most destructive disease
and rsalarial fever coming second. The
difficulty Of exercising "a thorough super
vision over :ha cclored 1aborers is. Of
course. greater than is the case among
the whites and they arc also Jess COM
petnnt L. take care Of themselves. which
accounts for the fact that their death
rate is So much higher than that OF the
whites. iu spite 81 the fact that they
have been used to similar climatic con-
diuons. Even among the colored en-
ployes it viii be seen that the death rate
is not high.
Living Conditions.
Regarding the living conditions ia the
canal zone. the President says in part.
Inasmuch as so many. both OF the white
and colored employees, have brought their
families with them. schools have been
established. the school service being
under AR O'ConnOr For the white
pupils white American teachers are en-
ployed: for tine colored pupils there are
also some white American teachers. one
Spanish teacher and one colored Ameri-
can teacher. most Of them being coiored
teachers from Jamaica. Barbados and St
Lucia Tho schoOlrooms We're good. and
81 was a pleasant thing to sec the pride
that the teachers were taking in their
work and their pupils.
There seemed 10 me 10 be too many
saloons in the zone, but the new high
license law, which goes into erect on
rrrfNN .f.rlT .alr.
hfths Of them. Resolute and successful
efforts are being made TO minimize and
control the sale Of liquor
The cars on the passenger trains or
the isthmus are divided into first and sec
ond-class. the difference being marked In
tho price Of tickets. As a rule second
class passengers are colored and first
class passengers white. but in every tram
which 7 saw there were "a number Of
white secOnd-class passengers. and on
two Of them there were colored first
class pa ssenCers
Next in importance 10 the problem Of
sanitation and indeed now OF equal i'm
portance is the problem Of securing and
caring for the mechanics. laborers and
other employees who actually 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 well done. At present there are
some 5000 white employees and some 49,
600 cOlored employees on the isthmus
Went over the different places where the
different Kinds 81 employees were work
ing; 7 think 7 saw representatives of every
type both at their work and in their homes:
md couversed with probably a couple
OF hundred of them all told. choosing
them az random from every class and in
Guiding those who came especially TO
present certain grievances I found that
those who did not come specifically To
present grievances almost invariably OK
pressed far greater content and satisfac-
tion with the conditions than did those
who called to make complaint
Thrill of Pride.
Nearly 5000 Of the white emuloves
had come from the United States
No man can see these young, viqor-
Gus men eneraetlcally doina their
duty without thrill Of pride In them
as Americans. They represent on the
average a high class. Doubtless 70
Congress the wages paid them will
seem high. but as matter OF fact
u. Ia.