The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-12-15
TEis ANAMA CANAL,
wholesorne Results Likely 70 Follow the
Presidents yisit-Tmproved Sanitary
sss:aSfs.e G1lnf5 ifiouss

Presidents visit-TmproFed Sanitary
/ and administrative Conditions.
The Scientific American, a strictly
non-partisan and wholly reliable
paper, publishes the following article
], under the caption, THE President At
i Panama
/ The recent visit OF the president to
the Isthmus OF Panama was both timely
and stimulating. 1t occurred at dis
tinetly critical period in the affairs OF
the canal. Sweeping changes were
| being made, both in the methods OF
construction and the system OF admin
/ istration OF the canal, the construction
being about to pass into the hands Of
the contractors, and the administra-
] ton being simplifed, placed under
one-man control and located definitely
and permanently at the Isthmus. To
this new departure the visit OF Presl-
dent Roosevelt lends special sIgnlfl-
canoe. Although Mr..Roosevelt spent
but q few days on the Isthmus, the
time was busily employed; and, apart
from the encouragement which was at
forded to the employees by the pres
ence OF the chief executive in person,
the president himself has undoubtedly
acquired a frmer grasp upon the situ-
alton, and will find his personal OBJ
/ servations of great value in arriving
at future decisions on the many diff
cult points which must arise during
the actual work OF construction.
/ The present occasion marks the
close of the second and the opening OF
the third chapter in the history OF the
Panama enterprise. The first chapter
included the long and exhaustive ex-
animation OF the physical conditions
OF the Isthmus, with view to deter
mining the best location for q canal,
and resolved itself mainly into the de-
termination OF the relative merits OF
i Nicaragua and Panama. That work
in itself was OF great magnitude, and
/ involved the creation OF various COM
missions and boards, and the putting
through OF costly surveys by large
engineering forces. The subsequent
decision in favor OF Panama was fol-
lowed by negotiations for the purchase
OF the rights and properties Of the
French company, and the securing of
| the necessary concessions from the
i Colombian government. Out Of the
negotiations and seemingly inevitable
intrigues that followed, sprang the
/ young republic OF Panama, friendly TO
the United States and anxious to do
fegerything that lay in its power to fur
ther, In the way OF concessions aud
| agreements, the prosecution Of the
work.
| The second chapter contains the
story Of the vast work OF preparation
which was necessary before the actual
work Of excavation could be put into
| full swing. The strip the canal zone,
ten miles in width, stretching from
ocean to ocean, was found to be a veri-
ftible breeding place OF disease; unsan-
/ itary, Ill provided with pure drinking
water, and because of the prevalence
OF yellow fever and malaria, fatal TO
the health OF many the thousands OF la
borers who would have to be crowded
upon the work, II it were to be finished
en- time. During this second period
an efficient sanitary corps was formed,
and under its systematic methods the
lcanal zone has been cleaned up, yell
low fever practically eradicated, and
/ malaria SO far brought under control
that the zone Is now pronounced by
engineers OF high standing, who have
been engaged for year or more upon
the work, 30 be no more threatening 10
health than many Of our southern
states. Conveniently with the santa
tion of the Isthmus, the great problem
OF housing and feeding the canal en-
/ ployees has been successfully solved,
| and comfortable quarters and good
board are now obtained at reasonable
rates.
Another question, equally vital to
the success OF the enterprise, is that of
| administration. There is 70 denying
that, here, many mistakes have been
made, and that the earlier opera tions
were hampered by a system that was
altogether too cumbersome and slow
TO suit the very special conditions
that are 60 be found at the Isthmus.
The resignation OF the then chief en-
i gineer, Mr.. Wallace, served to empha-
/ size the fact that, If the best results were
TO be secured, and the whole OF the
complicated organization were to work
| together tremendously, the control Of
| il must be placed il the hands of one
| man, who should be perm anently To-
| Gated at the Isthmus, and have abso-
| lutte authority in all matters pertain
| ing to the construction of the canal.
One or the most happy results Of the
| presidents visit has been the signing
/ OF an executive order concentrating
the authority in the canal construction
in one man, and giving him supreme
/ jurisdiction over the heads of the
seven departments OF the administra-
ton. Both the chairman and the de-
partment heads will have their resi-
| dence at the Isthmns, and will be ia a
position to push the work through
without, as before, having to make
continual references to higher author
ity located at Washington, many
thousand miles away. The Tsthmi az
/ Canal f1pfnni sSian which ue nnapr