The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-05

nv they tern IT, to yet pick md choice. \
During thu past ycnr or 30 this Ia not
the only bunch that Inns con,o to tile
isthni,lA with transportation under tile
Needing oflcnploycs.
Civil Service Affairs
think IL some OF our patriotic fathers
WHO are Interested In tho digging OF this
canal would investigate tho civil service
commission problem that is now in,cxlst-
chce throughout every department con
nccted with tho lsth,nian canal commits
slot. they would ind that instead Of
having donkey skinncrs and hosting en-
CINE men for locomotive drivers. wc
would llnvc men who would know an ex-
ira from n regular train. do not hest
tate tU sny that a mans life, whether
Ill cn,ployc or n passenger, crossing the
lstllnus on ono OF our fast passenger
trains, Ia In danger at any moment, as
the canal tracks intersect with the Pnna-
ma Railroad Company ut every point
convenient.
1t Is very common occurrence for
tho United States mail train to be held
up In n very abrupt manner by ia
inalcn ilagman for some little dirt train
which has stood perhaps on tho Panama
main line for an hour or so trying to
get unloaded. or course, we cannot ex-
pect OUR superintendent, Mr.. Bierd, to
run the Pannmn railroad and the canal
train. but think II would be advisable
for the safety of our tourists and Ill
vcstignting committees TO get some kind
OF block signals nnd not forever be held
up by the work trains. The standard
times used on tho canal tracks differ
great denl, and regret to say that
the watches of both departments diffar
considerably.
vt,Ii
most any time OF n dny or night. the
canal employees claim they have all the
time they want. Therefore. think. II
some standard watch would be used on
the canal, and not the modern Ingersoll
or tho anxious watch by the employees
for the coming OF the head OF the de-
partment, I think that the canal trains
could be operated more successfully and
without no much delay to the traffic.
'''rhe locomotives. which amount to
several hundred, that were ordered for
the canal commission. were the most
successful failures that I over saw. And
I cannot see why our purchasing agent
here In the United States should be COM
PEELED TO pay trifc over half the actual
value for these locomotives to have them
reconstructed. To my surprise. found
that locomotives being shipped 10 the
Panama railroad and the Isthmlan Canal
Commission were something Of our mod
crn trans Siberian type, with their mod
ern sweatIboyes for cabs to be used for
the comfort OF tho engineer and fremcn
In the tropics.
The Labor Problem.
II can say as n mechanic OF eleven
years experience on the best trunk lines
in Mexico and in the United States THAT
the answer to the labor problem which
Mr.. Stevens claims now confronts the
canal commission is TO cut out the
blacklist system on the canal, give the
mechanics show TO work for their
transportation should they be discharged.
and not allow them to lay in the lumber
yards at Colon as one moulder did and
die for the want OF attention when
overcome ny the fever. which most
every one has when on the isthmus. Give
them laboring mans show, live up
to the commissions contract In every
respect, and think that the labor prop
osition will be an easy problem for Mr.
Stevens to solve.
y do not make this statement through
any disrespect for the chief engineer Of
the canal. but i simply say that which
is Justly due the commission to know
II make these statements, not from
one months experience on the isthmus
or from the general talk among the eni-
ployes, but / make them from figures
taken from the books of the material
and supply department and from sew
eral months hard labor and actual ex-
perience for the canal commission on
the isthmus."