The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-11-17
ROOSEVELT OUT
ON THE WORKS"
President Sees Steam ShovelS
Busy Digging Into Dirt
on the ISthmuS.
PAYS VISIT TO CULEBRA CUT
PLEASURE MARRIED BY TOR
RENTS OF RAIN.

Panama. Nov 16.-President Roose-
Welt. who stopped at Inc Tivol hotel
last night started at o'clock this
morning with Mrs. Roosevelt and the
other members of his party to make an
examination of the Culebra cut. The
weather was overcast, threatening rain
At $50 the presidential train arrived at
Pedro Miguel. where some steam SHOW
els were at work The president mad
his train stopped for the purpose OF
making a personal examination. 1T
this point in the cut the peculiar SOIL
conditions have resulted in more or less
frequent land slides. and this fact was
brought to the presidents attention
President Roosevelt descended from his
train and climbed upon one of the steam
shovels, taking a seat alongside Engl-
neer Gray whom he subjected to
searching fire of questions regarding
the work During his conversation En-
gineer Gray took the opportunity, on
behalf of himself and the other engi-
neers, to declare that, unlike the rail-
road engineers, they were not paid for
overtime. The president promised to
look into this matter. He stayed on the
steam shovel about twenty minutes. BY
this time it was raining hard.
Went on Work Train.
President Roosevelt told Chief Ensi
reer Stevens that he wanted to see all
the works in connection with the eXca-
walton, even to the temporary laying
of tracks. With this in view. he board
ed a work train near Pedro Miguel and
went on to the next point. where steam
shoVelS were a work. Here there was
no danger of Iandslides.
The presidential train continued on
the regular line toward Panama. The
work of the second steam shovel was
observed and the president made a de-
tour TO examine the site of the Pedro
Miguel lock. He shook hands with all
the Americans he met while walking
over the ground
In Culebra Cut.
At about 9:25 the president entered
the deep portion of Culebra cut, his
train going slowly in order that he
might observe the workings of the drill
machines and shoVelS. One shovel was
decorated with a sign reading, I'VE
will do our best to help you build it. ="
The president spent some time in the
deepest portion of the cut. where last
Sunday twenty-five tons of explosives
were used to throw down $4,000 cubic
yards of material.
The rain was now coming down in
torrents, and the water poured in riv-
ulets down the funnel shaped sides Of
the famous cut. Several charges of dy-
Mantle were exploded in order that the
president might see the effect. after
which he went back TO his own train.
Sleeping Quarters Inspected.
At Rio Grande. with the rain still
falling steadily, Mr.. Stevens pointed
out to the president the laborers' quar-
ters and construction thereon. The
president decided to leave his train
again and inspect personally the sleep
ing quarters of the Jamaicans. He ill
Guired how the men were fed and pa
tientiy listened to their complaints. He
went through the commissary where his
visit was unexpected, and also pene-
trated into the living quarters of the
families of several Jamaican Iaborers.
This inspection lasted for three-quar-
tiers of an hour. at the end of which the
president returned to Culebra, wet
through and sDattered with mud. At
JCulebra the president went through the
4 local offices of the canal constructors.
Lunch With Stevens.
The presidential party ate lunch with
Mr.. Stevens at l o'clock, and after this
meal the ladies of the party returned
10 Panama. The president went as far
as GOrgOna. While passing through
Bias Obispo, a salute of twenty-one
charges of dynamite was fired. At
Matachin President Roosevelt went
through the machine shops, the fOun-
dries, the planning mills etc.
Before leaving Matachin a crowd of
Americans assembled and cheered the
president. He replied TO this greeting
with a short speech
The president arrived at Tivoli sta
ton at O'Clock this afternoon. To-
morrow, beginning at s O'Clock, he Will
visit the rest of the canal. Upon leav-
ing the train this afternoon President
Roosevelt said he felt in great shape"