The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-18

effort was being made to hurry on the
construction. and I do not believe that
the delays had been greater than were
inevitable In such work. The laborers are
accustomed to do their own cooking
but there was much complaint. especially
among the bachelors TO the quantity.
and some as to the quality, Of the food
they got from the commissary depart
ment. especially as regards yams. On
the other hand. the married men and
their wives and the more advanced
among the bachelors. almost invariably
eXprest themselves as entirely satisfied
with their treatment at the commissarV
stores; except that they stated that they
generally could not get vans there, and
had to purchase them outside. The ehieH
complaint was that the prices were to
high. It is unavoidable that the prices
should be higher than In their own homes;
and after careful investigation I came to
the conclusion that the chief trouble Law
In the fact that the vans. plantains, and
the Hike are rather perishable food and
are very bulky compared to the amount
of nonrlshment they contain. 50 that II
Is costly to import them In large guam
titles and difficult to keep them. Never
theess. | felt that an effort should be
made to secure them more ample sun
ply of their faVorite food and So di-
rected. and ! believe that ultimately the
government must itself feed them. | am
having this matter lookt into.
The superintendent having immediate
charge of one gang of men al the Colon
reservoir stated that he endeaVored to GET
them TO substitute beans and other
nourlshing food for the stringy watery
vans. because the men keep their
strength and health better on the more
nourlshing food 1nasmueh. however. rs
they are accustomed Ia vans 1t is diff
Gull to get them To eat the more strengths
ening food. and some time elapses be-
fore they grow accustomed to It, At This
reservoir there has been a curious eN-
pertence It IS off In the Jungle by itself
at the end Of a couple of miles of a little
toy railroad. In order to get the laborers
there. they were given free food land u
course free lodgingsli and Yet ii proved
difficult 10 keep them, because they visit
to he where they could reach the dram
shop and places of amusement.
| was struck by the superior comfort
and responsibility of the lives of the
married men. 1t would, In my opinion,
be a most admirable thing a mitch larger
number of the men had their wives. for
with their advent all complaints about the
food and cooking are almost sure to cease.
| had an interview with Mr.. Mallet, The
British consul, to find out II there was
any just cause for complaint as TO the
treatment of the West Indians negroes.
He informed me most emphatieally that
there was not, and authorized me 10 give
his statement publicity. He said that not
only was the condition Of the laborers far
better than had been the case under the
old French company. but that year by
year the condition was improving under
our own regime. fIe stated that con-
plants were continually brought to him,
and that he always Investigated them;
and that for the last six months he had
failed 10 find a single complaint of q
serious nature that contained any Iustih-
cation whatever.
Recreation and Amusement
One of the greatest needs at present
is to provide amusements both for the
white aud the black. The Young Mems
Christian assertion is trying to do good
work and should be Ia every way en-
couraged. But the government should do
the main work. I have specifically called
the attention of the commission to this
matter, aud something has been accom-
plshed already. Anything done for the
welfare of the men adds to their eff
eency and money devoted To that pur-
pose is therefore properly to be con1l1e cred
as spent In building the canal r Is inn
peratiVely necessary to provide ample
recreation and amusement IL the men are
TO be kept we'll and healthy. ! call the
special attention of Congress to this need.
This gathering, distributing, and caring
for the great force of laborers is one of
the giant features of the work. That fric-
ton Will from time to time occur IN con-
nection herewith is Inevitable The as
tonishng thing is that the work has been
performed SO well and that the machinery
runs so smoothly. From my own expert
enee | am able to say that more care had
been exercised In housing, feeding. and
.a1I ,tsf,,. -. .
the skilled mechanics and ordinary la
borers In the work on this canal than is
the In the construction Of new rail-
roads In any other similar private or pub
lie work In the United States proper, and
1t is the testimony of all people compe-
tent TO speak that on no other similar
work anywhere in the tropics-indeed. as
far as I know anywhere else-has there
been such forethought and such success
achieved in providing for the needs of
the men who do the work.
! have now dealt with the hygienic con-
ditlons which make ii possible to employ
a great force of laborers and with the
task of gathering. housing, and feeding
these laborers. There remains to con-
slider the actual work which has to be
done; the work because of which these
laborers are gathered together-the work
of constructing the canal. This is under
the direct control OF the chief engineer,
Mr.. Stevens, who has already shown al
mirable results, and whom we can safely
trust to achieve similar results In the
future.
Our people found on the isthmus GER
tain amount of old French material and
equipment which could be used. Some Of
It, In addition, could be sold as scrap
iron. Some could be used for furnishing
the foundation for filling In. For much
no possible use could be devised that
would not cost more than 1t would bring
in.
Work of Construction.
The work Is now going ON with vigor
and efficiency pleasant TO witness. The
three big problems of the canal are the
La Boca dams the Gatun dam, and the
Culebra cut. The Culebra cut must be
made, anyhow: but OF course changes as
to the dams, or at least as to the locks
adjacent to the dams. may still occur
The La Boca dams offer no particular
problem, the bottom material being 50
good that there is a practical certainty,
not merely as to what can be achieved,
but as 10 the time of achievement. The
Gatun dam offers the most serious prob
lem which We have TO solve: and yet the
abIest men on the isthmus believe that
this problem Is certain of solution along
the lines proposed altho. OF course. It
necessitates great toll energy. and intel
ligence, and altho equally. of course, there
will be some little risk in connection with
the work. II the huge earth dam now
contemplated il thrown across from one
foothill 10 the other We will have what
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