The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-10-11
FEEDING CANAL NORkMA
J. E Markell Tells About His
Big Panama Contract
EGGS ARE 1Oc APIECE

at Time-Board viii Cost from
IS Cents to 81 a Day-All Sup
plies to Be Shipped from new
York Direct.
J. E. Markell, who obtained the con-
tract to feed the workmen on the ran
anna Canal. began the business OF reed
ing people nearly fifty years ago.
when. as q boy, he took contract 10
feed workmen on a big fatboat De-
tween st. Louis and New Orleans, on
the Mississippi river. He was raised
on a farm near Mark Twain's place, IN
eastern Missouri, and after his expert
ence on the flatboat he settled down
in st. Louis to become baker.
Next he drifted to the west, ana III
1872 began operating eating houses
along the Union Pacific, with when
road he continued for thirty years.
His great experience in FEEDING
crowds placed him in a position to DID
intelligently for the Panama CONTRACT.
Regarding the contract and his plans,
Mr. Markell says:
"The contract runs for five years. l
was first invited to go to the lsthmus
by Mr.. Wallace, and l was studying
the conditions when he left. l kept
watch of things and continued my IN
yestigations until 1 found out just
what was wanted. l spent a Wnole
month down there, and when | finished
| knew what was necessary and knew
lust what l was bidding on. The re-
suit was that got the contract.
What the commission wanted and
what l am going to furnish is sys-
tenn of substantial meals at reasonable
prices, so that the employees on the
canal can afford TO buy them and Will
be in condition to return the commls-
sion in labor the worth OF their wages.
For instance, the Jamaica negroes,
now about 1000, employed on the canal
are scattered along in camps from one
to two miles apart, there being thirty
camps along the forty-seven miles OF
canal These camps have from 200 to
800 negroes each.
s"The houses are built especially for
the purpose and are thoroughly sanl-
tary. There are strict rules for keep
ing them clean. The negroes have TO
have anything cleaned up by a certain
hour each morning. The houses are
thoroughly scrubbed once week and
fumigated every two weeks. Ihey nave
comfortable canvas beds.
"But when it comes to eating, the
only things they can afford to buy with
their money, as things now are Oh the
isthmus, are sugar cane, bananas and
such stuff, and a man can't stand UP
and do a hard days work on such
diet and give back the value of his
wages. Legs are 10 cents apiece, salt
fish is 40 cents a pound, fresh meat
from so cents to dollar pound, and
everything in proportion.
"Now, we are going to offer them
three meals day with such stuff as
coffee, bread and meat for breakfast;
coffee, bread, fish, two kinds of vegeta-
bles and pie or pudding for dinner;
and much the same for supper, at As
cents day, or $14 month.
For the white men. of whom there
are 1900 now, and there will be 5000
later, we will run hotels. Two are now
finished, and the number will be IN
creased to ten We furnish them first
class board at 81 a day, and rooms at
Sc a month each, making the cost Of
living $36 month each.
Before these prices were made we
figured it out with the commission that
laborers generally in this country have
to pay from 40 to so per cent of their
wages for living purposes; and clerks
and other salaried men in cities about
the same proportion. So we figured on
the canal to keep down the cost of
living to between 40 and SO per cent of
the wages.
1.-THE Jamaica negroes get from $1.75
to 1925 silver each day. This is from
80 cents to $1.10 in gold, so the COM
mission held the cost of living down
to As cents day. Most of the clerks
get from $3.50 to SITS month and no
one gets less than 500 month, so
their living is also made comparative
ly cheap.
81 shall assemble all my supplies at
New York FOR shipment to the 18TH
mus; my buying will be done wher-
ever it can be done to the best advan-
tage. The commission ships my stuff
for me on refrigerator steamers at a
rate that just covers the actual cost: il
gives me cold storage rooms at Colon
also at cost, or just little above cost.
practically everything will have to
be shipped There is absolutely moth
ing that can be bought on the isthmus.
The natives are too worthless and lazy
to raise anything. AS fine fish as |
ever saw can be caught on the 18TH
mus, but the natives never catch
enough to amount to anything.--NeT