Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-09
.SHONTS REPORTS
CANAL PROGRESS
TEN STEAM SH0vELS WORK
ING; THIRTY COMING
Conditions on IsthmIan Canal Improv-
Ing Dally-Food and Quarters
Receive Earnest Attention.
Proportion of Sick Small
Rv Assoclated Press.

WASHINGTON, May Sin his spe-
cial report to the secretary of war
Chairman shonts of the isthmian canal
commission says regarding health con-
ditions:
"Under the direction Of Governor
Magoon health conditions on the 18TH
mus are most satisfactory. Notwith-
standing the fact that there are more
employees and their dependents on the
sthmus than ever before, the monthly
pay rolls showing from $4,000 to $4,000
employees with a daily effective force
of about $4,000 or 1900, there were
fewer patients in hospitals than for
many months. DR.. Gorgas reported
45O beds vacant at his hospital. There
has been no authentic case Of yellow
fever since last November.
Quarters for Employees
"Under the direction of Chief En-
gineer Stevens, through the building
department, the policy adopted to pro-
vide for the employees suitable quarters
in which to live has ben carried for
ward with great vigor. The building
| hSpeil liliCllb llcio llOI Olly plONluGQ eiiAi-
pie quarters for the existing force, but
at this time has reserve sufficient to
accommodate 5000 additional laborers.
MESS kitchens have been created at
the different labor camps, where whole
| some and nouriShing meals may be OBJ
tained by laborers at cost of 10 cents
each, and at this price small marginal
balance In favor of the commission is
left.
"It is a deplorable fact and one diff
ficult to account for from the Ameri
can point of view that these laborers do
not avail themselves of this provision
| except in small numbers. This is not
due, it is believed. so much to penuri-
BUSINESS as to a desire to indulge in
eatables less suited to their physical
needs and to crafty other desires.
| ITO meet this condition, because of
it's direct and immediate effect upon the
| efficiency of the labor, the executive
| committee has authorized the chief en-
gineer to insert in all future labor con-
tracts a proviSo whereby the employe
agrees to permit a fixed amount to be
deducted from his daily wage, in con-
sideration of which he is to receive
three wholesome and nourishing meals
! a day.
Work in CuIebra Cut
"The work of putting Culebra cut in
| shape for the approaching wet season,
as we'll as for the installation of the
largest possible number of steam
shovels on q systematic plan, has been
steadily carried forward. All the bar
riers across the cut left by the French
have been removed and not only have
tracks been laid and ballasted on each
level, but for most of the way through
| the bottom of the canal prism a wall
ballasted double track line has been
constructed.
About sixty thousand yards of the
dirt slide have been removed, leaving
BERN 150 feet wide back from the
slope of the canal prism, so that If this
slide continues to come down, none of
it will push over into the prism as it
has done heretofore.
Ten ShoveIs Working
"Chief Engineer Stevens during the
month of March, without making any
special effort, following the general
policy of work herein outlined removed
100000 cubic yards of material, with
an average of 107-10 steam shovels
working. The reports up to the 18th
of this month indicate still greater
degree of efficiency in excavation.
HE believes that by July or August
he will have forty shovels installed,
and will be in a position to remove
4 y
month. The actual cost for material
handled during March, figuring in con-
tractors expenses, was 53h cents
cubic yard.
Panama Railroad and Pacific Mail
81 met on the isthmus by appoint
ment r. p. Schwerin, vice president
and general manager of the Pacific
Mail Steamship company, for confer
ence relating to the interchange of
| traffic between the Panama railroad
and steamship line and the Pacific Mail
steamship line. Mr.. Schwerin and
party were shown the terminal and
transportation facilities Of the Pan
anna railroad for handling cargo and
the method followed in the handling
of such business was explained to
| them.
1.-THE subsequent conference resulted
in a settlement of all points of differ
ence and an agreement was reached
between the two companies to work
in harmony in the interest of the entire
route.
"This Joint inspection of facilities and
conference discloses the fact that since
the middle of December there has been
no congestion of freight on the isthmus
and that with the gradual completion
of additional docks and wharves now
building and the gradual increase of
larger equipment and heavier power
now arriving. the possibility of another
freight blockade grows less and less.
Conclusions
I'm the launching OF every great enter
prise, the creating of an organization
with which to carry on the work is
always the most difficult part of it.
Once that has been accomplished sue
cessfully the subsequent task of eXecu-
tion is comparatively easy. This pre-
liminary stage is nearing completion
on the isthmus.
inspection during this last visit
showed that the many intricate prob
lens connected with the engineering
branch Of this task have been worked
out; that I'm lany other departments
the preliminary work has been complet-
ed and each week is witnessing it's COM
petion in others.
"Other necessary work will employ
the organization for short time to
come, but the time is fast approaching
when dQCiSiO1 as IN tha fVpa Of canal