The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-12-17

streets We're 100 per cent better than
year ago. Complaint was made to
me by an entirely reputable man as to
the character Of some OF the material
used for repairing certain streets. On
investigation the complaint proved
well founded, but 1t also appeared that
the use OF the material In question had
been abandoned, the commission after
having tried II In one or two streets
finding Il not appropriate
Complaints Not wen Founded.
The result Of the investigation of
this honest complaint was typical Of
what occurred when / investigated
most Of the other honest complaints
made to me-that is, where the com
plants were not made wantonly or
maliciously they almost always proved
due to failure to appreciate the utter
inability Of the commission to do ev-
erything at once.
In addition to attending to the health
Of the employees. It is necessary to
provide for policing the zone. This IL
done by police force which at present
numbers over 200 men under Captain
Shanton. About one-fifth on the men
are white and the others black. In diff
ferent places questioned some TWEEN
ty or thirty Of these men, taking them
at random. They were a fine set phys
ically and In discipline. with one ex-
ceptlon all the white men I questioned
had served in the American army. usu-
ally In the Philippines. and belonged to
the best type Of American soldier. All
the black policemen | questioned had
served either IN the British army or In
the Jamaica or Barbados police. They
were evidently contented and were do
ing their work we'll
Inasmuch as many both Of the white
and colored employees have brought
their families with them, schools have
been established under Mr.. 0'Connor.
For the white pupils white American
teachers are employed: for the colored
pupils there are also some white Amer
lean teachers. one Spanish teacher and
one colored American teacher, most Of
them being colored tenchers from ia
maica, Barbados and st. Lucia. The
Hchoorooms were good. and it was n
pleasant thing TO see the pride that the
teachers were taking in their work and
their pupils.
Too Many saloons
There seemed to me to be too many
saloons in the zone, but the new high
license law which goes into effect
on Jan. ! next win probably close four
ffths Of them ResoIute ana success
ful efforts are being made to minimize
and control the sale Of liquor.
Care OF Employees.
Next IN importance to the problem
~ sanitation indeed now Of equal
Importance the problem OF securing
and caring forsthe men who actually
do the work This great task has been
under the control OF Mr.. Jackson
Smith and has been well done. At
present there are sone 5000 white EN-
ployees and some 10000 colored en-
ployees on the isthmus. | went over
the different places where the differ
eut kinds OF employees were working.
] think | saw representatives OF every
type both at their work and In their
homes. and conyersed with probably
a couple OF hundred Of them oil told,
choosing them at random.
Nearly 5000 Of the white employees
had come from the United States, No
man can see these young, vigorous men
energetlcnlly doing their duty without
a thrill Of pride in them as Americans.
They represent on The average high
class. Doubtless 10 congress the wages
paid them WIN seem high. but as a
matter OF fact the only general com
plant which found had any real basis
among the complaints made to me up
on the isthmus wes that, owing 10 the
peculiar surroundings, the cost Of liv
Ing and the distance from home. the
wages were really not as high as they
should be- In fact. almost every man
I spoke to felt that he ought to be re-
ceiving more money. 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 itself. Later | shall confer on the
subject with certain representative In
Dor men here in the United States, as
well as going over with Mr.. Stevens,
the comparative wages paid on the
zone and at home, and may then com
municate my findings to the canal com
mittees OF the two houses.
Quarters Good and satisfactory.
Some OF the white Americans are en-
ployed in once work, but the majority
IN handling The great steam shovels, az
engineers and conductors on the dirt
trains. as machinists in the great re-
pair shops. rs carpenters and time
keepers. superintendent and foremen
of divisions and Of gangs. and so on.
and so on. May Of them have brought
down their wives and families. and the
children when not In school are run
ming about and behaving precisely as
the American small boy and small girl
behave at home The bachelors among
the employees live smetimes in small
separate houses. sometimes In large
houses quarters being furnished free
to nil. married and unmarried. In one
case, where the house was an old
French house With a leak III the roof, I
did not think the accommodations
were good. But In every other cnsc
among the scores of houses ! entered
at random the accommodations were
good, every room was neat and clean,