The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-12-19

rallrOaQ. SO tnat tnere was at ali times
an ample supply of the very best
water. Since that time the new res
ervoir back Of Mount HOPE has been
practically completed. visited this
reservoir. It is a lake over 4 mile
long and half a mile broad. 1t now
carries some 500, 100000 gallons Of
first class water. I forward herewith
a photograph Of this lake, together
with certain other photographs Of
what l saw while l was on the 18TH
mus. Nothing but a 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 las we'll
as dishonesty attacks made upon the
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 Il drank it and 1t was excellent)
and that this particular reservoir
would never hold water anyway.
unjust Critlclom.
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. 1t is curious to note the fact
that many of the most severe critics
of the commission criticise them for
precisely opposite reasons, some COM
planning bitterly that the work is no
in a more advanced condition, while
the others complain that it has been
been insufficient preparation for the
hygiene and comfort of the employees.
AS a matter of fact neither criticism
is just. 1t would have been impossible
to 60 quicker than the commission has
gone, for such q%uickness would have
meant insufficient preparation. On
the other hand, to refuse to do any
thing until every possible future con
tingency had been met would have
caused wholly u~nwarranted delay. The
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 curse, 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, la
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 Il 5000
cOlOred employees on the isthmus. l
wen over the different places where
the different kinds Of employees were
working; l think l saw representa-
tives of every type both at their work
and in their homes: and l c%Onversed
with probably a 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.
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
mar can see these young, vigorous
NOR cnergetically doing their duty
without a thrill OF pride in them as
Americans. They represent on the
average a high class. Doubtless ia
congress the wages paid them will
seem high, but as a matter of fact the
only general complaint which | found
had airy real basis among the com
plants made to me upOn the isthmus
was that. owing to the peculiar sur.
r%Oundings, the cost Of living and the
distance from homo, tho wages Were
really not as high as they should be
IN fact. almost every man | spoke tC
felt that he ought to be r%cceivine
O money-a view, however, which
the average man who STAYS at home
in the lTuitcd States probably likcwis,
holds as regards himself. | aprent
figures OF the wages paid. SO that tht
congress "A judge the matter fOi it
self. Later | shall coufcr on the sub
jcct with certain representative labor
men here in the United States. as vel
as going over with Mr.. Stevens III.
comparative wages paid on the zont
and at home: and | Ia then com
municate my findings to the ana
committees of the two houses.
The white Americans are employed
some of them in Office work, but tn,
majority in handling the great steam
shovels. as engineers and conductors
on the dirt trains. as machinists il
the great repair shops, as carpenters
Ond ~ttmekeeperS. superintendent an(