Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-05-04
Mistellaaruus 8raains.
CONDITIONS IN THE CANAL ZONE.
Some Observations on the lsthmus by
an Impartial Newspaper Man.

Some Observations on the lsthmus by
an Impartial Newspaper Man.
COLOR Panama, March 22.-The
United States, through its corpora
ton, the Panama railroad, is accept.
ing rental for swamp lands both in
Colon and Christobal, the towns al
the Atlantic end Of the proposed
| Panama canal.
Upon these swamps. leased from
the United States, are buildings, OIL
rather miserables hacks, made of odd
pieces of lumber, pieces Of old boxes
driftwood and stray sheets of rusted
of the negroes employed either d.
rectly or indirectly by the United
States.
One of these novels, which I per-
sonally inspected. contains eight
rooms. each about ten feet square
constructed Of unpainted and even
unplained pine boards, for which a
rental Of $40 silver pes room per
month Is collected from the negro
inhabitants. This money Is paid to
the owner Of the shack, who In turn
| pays a portion Of 1t to the United
States for the privilege Of maintain
ing the hovel in. the swamp.
Both Colon and Christobal-prac-
tically one town-are built on the
swamps and lowlands. The surround
Ing hills, not more than a mile away.
are unoccupied. On the hills the
great palms give their shade to the
browsing goats. to chickens and to
nameless dogs. Even the burros
look up from their feast Of fresh
green grass and seem to wonder why
the city does not come to enjoy with
them this higher. healthful altitude.
Nesleots Many Things.
After a careful and wholly unpre-
JUDGED investigation Of conditions at
the towns OF Colon and Christobal, I
am impressed with two facts: ()
The United States government has
accomplished a great deal in the
matter OF sanitation, for which the
10. 200 residents give 1t full credit.
(2) 1t has neglected many things,
and now permits conditions that
would not be tolerated at any ether
place within the Jurisdiction Of the
American people. Giving due consid
Grafton to the obstacles to be over
come the climate and other adverse
conditions, and even recognizing to
its fullest extent the fallibility Of hu-
man nature, the impartial eye must
observe at Colon and Christobal a
lack of comprehensive administra-
ton that is indicative Of inefficiency.
When I first observed these things,
said to myself, There must be
some good reason" have asked
the officials to explain, but they re-
fer me from one to another, each
in turn disclaiming the responsibility.
For a better understanding CT tue
rights Of :1he. United States govern
ment in Colon and Christobal, 1t
might be we'll to state that the town
of Christobal Is within the canal zone,
on property that Is owned and con-
trolled absolutely by the United
States government. Colon. which ad-
joins Christobal, is the old town, and
occupies the remainder Of the island
Of Manzanillo, which entire island Is
the property Of the Panama railroad.
And as the Panama railroad Is owned
by the United States, the United
States consequently OWNS the city Of
Colon, but 1t is in the territory Of the
republic Of Panama, the Panama
government Is nominally in ad-
ministrative control. All the build
ings in Colon, with the exception Of
five, are erected on ground leased
from the Panama railroad. and the
power thus rests with the United
States to dictate what sort Of build
ings shall or shall not be erected.
whether or not swamp lands shall
be occupied, and the method and
extent of sanitation.
Effort to Redeem Swamp.
Acting upon this authority, the
United States has spent a great deal
Of money In an endeavor to make
the swamp healthful. Why 1t has not
ordered the swamp vacated and build
houses on the surrounding hills for
the negroes I cannot say, and that is
one of the questions that has not
been answered by the officials Colon
presents the appearance Of slip
shod farmer who brightly polishes
the front of his shoes and leaves the
heels untouched. The United States,
as Chairman Shonts proudly informs
the American people, has raised the
grade of four or five Of Colon's prin-
cipal streets. These streets have
been covered with q water-washed
gravel and. with the well-construct-
ed cutters, they present an attractive
appearance. Half a dozen photo
graphs Of these "show streets" would
convince the American people that
Colon Is as healthful as Carlsbad and
as dry as the desert Of Sahara.
But leave the pretty streets, pass
through the tiny rooms that rent for
from $12 to $40 per month, and en-
ter the back yards. The contrast is
complete and disgusting. Notwith-
standing that this is the best month
of the entire year. the end Of the
dry season, many of these courtyards
are heavy with foul odors. Shallow
| cesspools, used in common by the
surrounding negroes for the deposit
Of filth. greet the visitor with a most
offensive stencil, and some of the
| rooms Of these negroes actually front
against the rear Of illsmelling out
houses. The appearance of conges-
ton would make one believe the city
| was New York and not Colon, where
the trees are always beckoning from
the hills, seeming to plead for human
company.
These conditions might exist In the
tslums Of our greater cities, but here
the government Is in absolute con-
troll 1t owns the property upon
which these novels are built, and 1t