Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1906-05-03
AFFAIRS IN THE CANAL ZONE
CONDITIONS ON ISTHMUS ARE
PROGRESSING NICELY.
Chairman Shonts Says Preliminary
Work Has Been Going Forward
with Great Vigor.

New York, April 23.-Theodore p.
Shonts, chairman of the Panama canal
commission, who arrived from the
isthmus Saturday night on the steam
er Colon, went to Washington Sun
day afternoon. In an interview Mr..
Shonts spoke enthusiastically of the
condition of affairs in the canal zone
and highly praised the WORK of Chief
Engineer Stevens The effective work
ing force on the canal April 1 num-
bered 1881 persons. Health condi-
tons, Mr.. Shonts said, are most salts
factory, the sick rate being 20 to l.
600. There were $50 vacant beds in
the hospital during March.
Chief Engineer Stevens" said the
canal chairman, has carried forward
the preliminary work on the canal
and the railroad with vigor. Many
docks and railroad facilities have been
completed and the building depart
ment has houses ready for 5000 more
employees than are on the isthmus.
The work on Culebra cut has been
carried forward steadily. During
March 100000 cubic yards of material
were moved with an average of ten
and seven-tenths steam shovels work.
ing. By July or August it is believed
40 shovels will be in position to move
100000 cubic yards a month. The
actual cost, figuring in contractors ex-
penses for the work done in March
was 53h cents cubic yard.
Law and order continue to be main
tanned in high degree"
Mr.. Shonts was accompanied to the
isthmus on this last trip by two
United States civil service commits
sioners, who after examining condi-
lions, decided to create a local ex-
, aiming board on the isthmus to test
the fitness of employees for promotion
and to establish lists of eligibles for
the local service.
Mr.. Shonts met on the isthmus by
appointment r. p. Schwerin, vice pres
ident and general manager of the Pa
cific Mail Steamship company, for con-
! ference relative to the interchange of
traffic between the Panama railroad
and steamship line and the Pacific
Mail company.
Mr.. Schwerin was accompanied by
other officials of his line, and a dem
onstration of the facilities of the Pan
anna railroad for handling traffic re-
suited in the settlement of all diff
ferences and an agreement to work in
harmony in the interest of the entire
route. Mr.. Shonts said there has
been no congestion of freight on the
isthmus since December.
Mr. Shonts said that owing to the
prolonged dry season, the streams
supplying Colon with water We're low,
Empire, Gorgona and Bias Obispo had
sufficient supplies for many months
to come When the supply at Colon
was reduced to 100000 gallons, it was
decided to haul water into Colon for
daily consumption, so as to reserve as
much as possible of the reservoir sup
ply for an emergency. Accordingly a
water train has been equipped, three
water stations established, and ESQ.,
900 gallons day brought into Colon.
This will continue until the beginning
of the rainy season fills the reservoirs.
AS in the case of the Panama water
supply, water is furnished free to the
population of Colon.
THE only man who has been
charged for water in Colon" said Mr..
Shonts, lis a hotelkeeper. He de-
sired particular water to be found
on the line of the Panama railroad
He was charged a reasonable rate for
transportation of his car. | mention
this because | am toIu some exag-
gerated stories have been circulated
in the United States to this incident