Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-12-19

| two different types used, both carry
| ing the earth away from the steam
shovels and depositing it on the
dumps-scme of the dumps being run
out in the jungle merely to get rid
of the earth, while in other cases they
are being used for double tracking
the railway. and in preparing to build
the great dams. | visited many of the
different villages, inspecting thorough.
ly many different buildings-the local
receiving hospitals, the houses in
which the unmarried white workmen
live, those in which the unmarried
colored workmen live; also the quart
ers of the white married employees
and of the married colored employees;
as well as the commissary stores, the
bath houses, the water-closets, the
cook sheds for the colored laborers
and the government canteens, or
hotels, at which most of the white
employees take their meals. / went
through the machine shops. During
the day | talked with scores of diff
ferent men = superintendent and
heads Of departments, divisions and
bureaus; steam-shovel men, machin-
lists, conductors, engineers, clerks,
wives of the American employees,
health officers, colored laborers, col
ored attendants, and managers of the
commissary stores where food is sold
to the colored laborers; wives of the
colored employees who are married.
In the evening | had an interview
with the British consul, Mr.. Mallet a
gentleman who for many years has
well and honorably represented the
British government on the Isthmus of
Panama and who has peculiar rela-
ton to our work because the bulk
of the colored laborers come from the
British West Indies | also saw the
French consul, Mr.. Gey. gentleman
Of equally long service and honorable
record. l saw the lieutenants, the
chief executive and administrative Off
GERS, under the engineering and sani-
tary departments. l also saw and
had long talks with two Populations
one Of machinists and one repre-
senting the railway men of the dirt
misunderstanding to what they had to
say as to the rate Of pay and various
other matters and going over, as much
in detail as possible, all the different
questions they brought up. AS to
some matters l was able to meet their
wishes; as to others, felt that what
they requested could not be done con-
sistently with my duty to the United
States government as whole; as to
yet others l reserved judgment.
The Third Day.
On Saturday morning we started at
o'clock from the hotel. We went
through the Culebra cut, stopping off
to see the marines, and also to inves-
tigate certain towns; one, of white
employees, as to which in certain re-
spects complaint had been made to
me; and another town where l want
ed to see certain houses of the col
ored employees. We went over the
site of the proposed La Boca and Sosa
dams. We went out on little toy
railway to the reservoir, which had
been built to supply the people of
Colon with water for their houses.
There We took lunch at the engineers
mess. We then went through the
stores and shops of Cristobal, inspect
ing carefully the houses of both the
white and colored employees, married
and unmarried. together with the 9TH
er buildings. We then went to Colon
and saw the fire department at work;
In four minutes from the signal the
engines had come down to Front
street, and twenty-one 21e-inch hose
pipes were raising streams of water
Colon, through the various streets,
paved, unpaved, and in process of paw.
ing. looking at the bitches, sewers,
curbing, and the lights. | then went
over the Colon hospital in order to
compare 1t with the temporary town
or field receiving hospitals which
had already seen and inspected.
also inspected some of the dwellings
of the employees. In the evening l at
tended reception given by the Amer
lean employees on the isthmus. which
took place on one of the docks In
Colon. and from there went aboard the
Louisiana.
Each day from twelve to eighteen
hours were spent In going over and
inspecting all there was to be seen
and In examining various employees.
Throughout my trip l was accompan'
led by the surgeon general of the
navy, DR.. Rixey; by the chairman OF
the isthmian canal commission, Mr..
Shonts; by Chief Engineer Stevens |;
by DIR. Gorgas. the chief sanitary Of
icer of the commission; by Mr.. Bish-
op, the secretary Of the commission;
by Mr.. Ripley. the principal assistant
engineer; by Mr.. Jackson Smith. who
has had practical charge Of collecting
and handling the laboring force; by
Mr.. pierd, general manager of the
railway, and by Mr.. Rogers. the gen
eral counsel of the commission; and
many other officials Joined US from
time to time.
At the outset wish to pay a tribute
to the amount of work done by the
French Canal company under very diff.
fcult circumstances. Many Of the
Il