The Elbert County tribune., 1906-12-27
CANAL PROGRESS
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COM.
MISSION.
PREPARATIONS COMPLETED
Ready to Begin Real Work Of Con-
observation-disclosures Free From Vel
low Fever-spaniards Best La
borers

observation-disclosures Free From Vel
low Fever-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-
walton of eighty-tive feet, authorized by
Congress in June last
"Of these two stages the first was
at once the more difficult and the more
Important. If not done thoroughly and
intell!gently in every part the actual
work of construction would be handi-
capped from the start. 1t was neces-
sary, as in the launching of any great
enterprise, to create an organization
also to make the isthmus, by thorough
sanitat tion, a healthful place in which
to work; to provide suitable quarters
and food for employees; to construct
proper terminal yards and railway
tracks and intermediate yards for the
handling of the vast quantities of ma
terials and supplies; to install a sys-
TEN of railway tracks through the
cuts; to rut the various levels in the
cut in proper condition for the install
1ation and operation of the maximum
number of steam shovels; to purchase
and assemble the plant fer construct
ing the canal; to work out all engi-
neering problems; to perfect a govern.
ment and create a system of accounts,
and to formulate a 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 l, 1906, to October 81,
1906, was twenty-eight per thousand,
which is no 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 fiftythree per
thousand
Another years experience with ne
gro laborers from nearby tropical
islands and countries has convinced
the commission of the impossibility ol
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.
'"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.
I'm November, 1905, the commits
sions employees numbered approxi
mately 1900 and in November, 1906
the number was practically the same
OF these 12,612 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.
1.-The commission has made some
progress in it's efforts to provide
means of amusement and recreation
for its employees, but not so much as
would have been the case had it not
been for the continued stress of work
of more vital Importance