Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-01-26
~ e Cruise of the Good
Shin M0lderskjn

Let those who cavil at the slOwnes
9 OF work on the Panama canal hid
their heads in abashed silence. and lei
those who express doubts about th,
CANALS final completion step forward
and announce their conversion from
doubt to belief in immediate and tri.
umphant success.
A few days ago the good ship Meld
erskin sailed from New York, laden
to the PlimsOll line with just the sup
plies needed to push the canal to a
rapid completion. 1t has been difficult
, to gather these supplies, and during
the gathering progress work has been
practically at standstill. In a few
days the Melderskin will drop anchor
at the isthmus, the cargo will be un-
loaded, and as soon as the supplies are
distributed to the proper places we
may expect to see the dirt fly in such
huge and numerous chunks that the
light of the sun will be hidden. In
cluded in this cargo of canal supplies
is the following:
ThirGy-six work tables for ladies.
One hundred dozen high, best quali-
ty, latest style gentlemen collars.
One hundred dozen turn down, lat
est style gentlemen's collars, best.
One hundred dozen, various styles,
best quality gentlemen 3 collars.
Six dozen best silk pocket handker-
chiefs.
One thousand pairs best tan sewed
shoes for gentlemen. and 1000 pairs
best colored leather shoes.
Six dozen best quality gentlemen's
suit-cases.
Large quantity of Rogers best quail
ity table cutlery, quadruple silver
plated.
Dessert table and silver spoons of |
best quality.
Case of o'clock tea sets.
Five hundred umbrellas at S. each;
100 shavings sets; 100 razors.
Twenty dozen ladies night robes.
Twenty dozen dress shirts.
1t is not difficulty to imagine that
when the Jamaican negroes are given
Iuadruple plated silver spoons with
which to throw dirt they will run the
,anal rapidly towards the coast. Every
taxpayer will cheerfully admit that 1t
s foolish to expect men to dig csnals
without being clothed in dress shirts,
Ind only the mean-spirited would ask
he wOrkmen to walk in the trench
With anything but tan shoes upon their
eet. And how could We expect work
nen to walk to and from their work
With their picks and shovels over their
houlders instead of being convenient
v carried in leather suit cases? Once
more, how cruel to ask men to work
the SUMS tropic rays, when
are only $5 each With 81
90 "gentlemen's collars" of the latest
attern there seems nothing wanting
O bring the canal to q completion.
3ut we are at loss to know why only
evenly two silk handkerchiefs vera
Surely that ia not enough
o go around, and certainly it is unjust
o let seventytwo Inen wipe the hon
st persp;ratiOn from their brows while
everal thousands of others wipe it
way with their fingers or common
,andanas. This is the oDly apparent
obstacle in the way of the immediate
pushing uf the work, but even this
nav be an obstacle that is temporary
,ply, for Alfred Anderson, the purehas
ug agent, tells US that similar ship
nents to the one carried by the Meld
rskin will be sent 10 Panama every
i've days,
The canal commission has been open
20 criticism for it's apparent slQwness,
,ut surely the dilatOrs Tactics Will now
,e abandoned aud active work begun
It once. We await with impauence
he unloading OF the Malderskln's CAR
yo.-The ComnQner,