The Washington times., 1906-12-17
Continued from First Page0

and other employees who actually do the
work on the canal and the railroad.
This great task has been under the
control OF Mr.. Jackson Smith, and on
the whole has been we'll done At pres
ent there are some 5000 white employees
and some 1900 colored employees on the
isthmus. / went over the different
places where the different kinds OF ON
ployes We're working; l think l saw rep
resentatlves of every type both at their
work and in their homes and con-
Verscd with probably a couple or nun
dred of them all told. choosing them at
random from every class and including
those who came especially 10 present
certain grievances. l round that those
who did not cCme specifically TO present
grievances almost invariably expressed
far greater content and satisfaction
with the conditions than did those who
called 10 make complaint.
Nearly 5000 of the white employees
had come from the United States. No
man can see these young. vigorous men
eneFgeUcally doing their duty without
a thrill of pride in them as Americans
They represent on the average a high
class Doubtless to Congress the wages
paid them will seem high. but as
matter or fact the only complaint which
l found had any real basis among the
complaints made 10 me upon the 18TH
mus was that owing 10 the peculiar sur
roundings. the cost of living, and the
distance from home. the wages were
really not as high as they should be.
Every Man Wants More Pay.
In fact. almost every man I spoke
TO felt that he ought . be receiving
more money-a view. however. which
the average man who stays at home in
the United States probably likewise |
holds as regards himself append
figures Of the wages paid. so that the
Congress can Judge the matter for it
self
Ject with certain representative labor |
men here in the United States, as well /
as going over with Mr.. Stevens. the
comparative wages paid on the Zone
ana at homei and / may then COM
munlcate my findings 70 the canal COM
4HltIees or the two houses.
The white Americans are enaploved
some or them IN office work but the ma
1orlty in handling the great steam
sshovels. as engineers and conductors on |
great repair shops, as carpenters and
timekeepers. superintendent and fore
men or divisions and OF gangs, and so /
on and so on. Many OF Them have
brought down their wives and families. |
and the children when not in school |
are running about and behaving precise- |
~ as the American small boy and small |
SiFl DehaYe at home. The bachelors
among the employees live, sometimes in
small separate houses, sometimes IN
large houses quarters being furnished |
ALoc 10 All the men, married and unmar- !
Ileu- Usually the bachelors sleep two
IN a room, as they would do In this
country. l found a few cases where
lnree were IN a room and / was told
OF, although ! did not see, large rooms
In which four We're sleeping; for IL Is
not possible In what is really a vast
system OF construction camps always to
provide In advance as ample house room
as the commission intend later TO give
In one case, where the house was an old
French house with a leak IN the roof |
] did not think the accommodations were
good
Praise for the WOmanly Wives
But in every other case among the
scores Of houses / entered at random,
the accommodations were good. every
room was neat and clean. usually hav-
ing books, magazines, and small orna-
ments; and, in short. just such a room
as a SelT-respecDng craftsman would be |
glad 10 1--we in at home. The quarters
Tor the married people were even better /
Doubtless there must be here and there /
a married couple who, with or without 4
reason, are not cOntented with their !
house on the isthmus; bur ! never ham
pened % strike such a couple, The wives |
or the stean-shOVel men, engineers. ma
Chinists. and carpenters into whose /
houses ! went all with one accord ex-
pressed their pleasure in their home
LIE and surroundings. Indeed, I do nol |
mink they could have done otherwise.
The houses themselves were excellent /
bathroom, sitting room. piazza. and he'd |
rooms being all that could be desired. /
In every house which 1 happened to en- !
ter the mistress of the home was evil
IDENTIFY good American housewife and |
lhelpmeet, who had given 70 the s9me /
life that touch of attractiveness which |
OF course, the bachelor quarters neither /
had nor could have.
Takes a so-Cent Meal.
The housewives purchase their sup |
plies directly, or through their husbands. |
from the cOmmissary stores of the com |
mission. All to whom I spoke agreed |
that the supplies were excellent. and all |
but two stated that there was no com |
plant to be made; these two complained 1
that the prices were excessive as com |
pared TO the prices in the States. On |
investigation l did not feel that this
complaint was well founded. The mar
ried men ate at home. The unmarried /
men sometimes ate at private boarding |
houses. or private messes, but more |