The Springfield herald., 1906-12-28
|CANAL PROGRESS
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CON-
MISSION.
PREPARATIONS COMPLETED
ceady to Begin Real Work Of Con.
Observation-Disclosures Free From Vel.
low .Fevcr-Spaniards Best La.

borerS.
Washington.-The Isthmian canal
commission in its annual report says:
During the year the first stage of
canal work, that OF preparation, has
virtually been passed. and the commits
sion finds itself in position to enter
upon the second stage, that Of actual
construction of lock canal at an ele-
vation of eighty-five feet, authorized by
Congress in June last.
"Of these two stages the first was
at once the more difficult and the more
important. II not done thoroughly and
Intell!gcntly In every part the actual
work of construction would be handi-
capped from the start. 1t was necos-
sary, as in the launching of any great
enterprise, to create an organization
with which to work. 1t was necessary
also to make the isthmus, by thorough
sanita tion, healthful place in which
to work; to provide suitable quarters
and food for employees; to construct
proper terminal yards and railway
tracks AMI intermediate yards for the
handling OF the vast quantities of ma
terials and supplies; to install a sys-
tenn of railway lacks through the
cuts; to rut the , .rious Levels In the
cut in proper condition for the install
lation and operation of the maximum
number of steam shovels: to purchase
and assemble the plant for construct
ing tho canal; to work out all engi-
neering problems; to perfect a govern
ment and create system of accounts,
and to formulate n preliminary plan
for carrying forward the work in each
department.
THE isthmus Is now completely free
of yellow fever, an achievement which
demonstrates the high efficiency of the
health department. In combating other
diseases the departm has been
scarcely less successful. The average
daily sick rate among employees of the
commission during the ten months
from January /, 1906, to October 81.
1906, was twenty-eight per thousand,
which is nd higher than might be ex-
pected in an equal body of laborers en-
gagged in construction work IN any part
of the world During the same period
the death rate among the whites was
about 17h per thousand, and among
the blacks nearly fifty-three per
thousand.
Another years experience with ne
gro laborers from nearby tropical
islands and countries has convinced
the commission of the impossibility OF
doing satisfactory work with them.
Not only do they seem to be disquali-
ned by lack of actual vitality, but their
disposition to labor seems to be as
frail as their bodily strength.
1.-THE experiment with laborers' from
northern Spain has proved very salts
factory. Their efficiency is not only
more than double that Of the negroes,
but they stand the climate much bet
ter.
"In November, 1905. the commits
sion's employees numbered approXi-
mately 1900 and in November. 1906
the number was practically the same
or these 1902 were under the de
partment of construction and engineer
ing: 1,129 under the division of ma
terial and supplies; 2,291 under the de,
partment of government and santa
tion, and 1877 in the auditing and dis
bursting Offices.
"The commission has mad, some
progress in its efforts to provide
means of amusement and recreation
for its employees, but not so much as
would have been the case had 1t not
been for the continued stress of work
of more vital Importance