davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1906-12-18

over from tho West Indies to work on the
canal. abandon the work and either take TO the
brush or lie idle IN Colon itself: thus peopinS
Colon with the least desirable among the I'M
ported laborers, for the good and steady men
of course continue at the work. Yet aStoniSh-
ing progress has been made in both cities In
Panama 80 per cent of the streets that are to be
paved at all are already paved with an excellent
of the streets being still in process of paving
The sewer and water services in the city are or
the most modern hygienic type, some or the SER
vice having just been completed.
In Colon the conditions are peculiar, and II is
as regards Colon that most of the very bitter
complaint has been made. Colon Is built on
low coral island covered at more or less shallow
depths with vegetable accumulationS or mould
varieties of low lying tropical plants One-half
OF the surface OF the island is covered with
water at high tide. the average height of the
land being one and one-half feet above low tide.
The slight undulations furnish shallow. natural
reservoirs fresh water breeding places for
every variety of mosquito and the ground tends
to be lowest in the middle. When the town
originally built no attempt was made TO fill the
low ground. either in the streets on the build
ing sites, so that the entire surface was prac-
tically a quagmire when the quagrnire became
impossible certain of the streets were crudely
improved by filling especially bad mud holes
with soft rock or other material In September.
1905, q systematic effort begun fOrnu-
late a general plan for the proper sanitation of
the city: in February last temporary relief
measures were taken, while in July the pTosecu-
ton of the work was begun in good earnest.
The results are already visible in the Seyvering
draining. guttering and paving of the streets
Some four months will be required before the
work of sewerage and street Improvement will
be completed, but the progress already made is
very marked. bitches have been dug through
sides, and into these the ponds, which have
served as breeding places for the mosquitoes,
New-York tribune., 1906-12-18

not particularly unhealthy place. In October,
of the $4,000 Negroes on the roll, eighty-six died
from disease pneumonia being the most de-
structive disease and malarial fever coming sec
ond. The difficulty of exercising a thorough
supervision over the colored laborers is of
course greater than is the case among the
whites. and they are also less competent to take
care of themselves which accounts for the fact
that their death rate is so much higher than
have been used TO similar climatic conditions.
Even among the colored employees it will be seen
that the death rate is not high.
In Panama and Colon the death rate has also
been greatly reduced, this being directly due to
the vigorous work of the special brigade of en-
ployeS who have been in
Oimnution OF spectfng houses where the
mosquitoes Stegomyia mosquito is 70
be found, and destroying its
larvae and breeding places. and doing similar
work in discriminating the malariaI MOSQUITOES
in short, in performing all kinds of hygienc
labor. \ little Il year ago all kinds of mos
quitoes including the two fatal species were
numerous about the Culebra cut In this cut
during last October every room of every house
was carefully examined and only two mos
quitocS, neither of them of the two fatal species
We're found. Unfalter1ng energy in inspection
and in di1infecting and in the work of draining
and of clearing brush are responsible for the
change. | append DR.. GorgaSs report on the
health conditions; also letter from Surgeon
General Rixey to DIR. GorgaS. The Surgeon
General reported to me that the hygienic con-
ditions the isthmus were about as good as
for instance, those in the Norfolk Navy Yard
Coroza some four miles from La Boca was
formerly one OF the most unSanltary places ON
the isthmus. probably the most unsanitarv
There marsh with pond in the middle
DR.. GOrsas had both the marsh sni; pond
drained and the brush cleared off so that now
when l went over the ground. it appeared like
a smooth meadow interseCted by drainage
bitches. The breeding places and sheltering
spots of the dangerous mosquitoes had heen
completely destroyed The result is that Core
Zal for the last six months dixie La Boca which
formerly also had very unsanitary record1
shows of the best sick rates in the zone
having less than per cent week admitted to
the hospital At CorOzal there is a big hotel
filed with employees OF the Isthmian Canal Com
mission some of them with their wives ana
families. Yet this healthy and attractive snot
was stigmatized as a hog wallow'' bv one Of
the least scrupulous and most foolish OF the
professional scandal monSers who from time 10
time have written about the commlssion's IDorir
The sanitation work in the cities OF Panamo
and Colon has been just as important as i'm tba
zone itself and in many respects much moro
dif1cut: because il was
lmproVements IN necessary 10 deal with the
Panama and Colon. already existing population,
winch naturally had scant
sympathy with revolutionary changes the value
OF whict they were for long time not able 10
perceive. In Colon the population consists
largely OF coiored iaborers who. having come
New-York tribune., 1906-12-18

grow up here and there In the tropic jungle as
the needs Of the work dictate the utmost care
is exercised to keep the conditions healthy.
Everywhere are to be the drainage bitches
which in removing the water have removed the
breeding places Of the mosquitoes, while the
whole jungle is cut away for a considerable
space around the habitations. thus destroying
the places in which the mosquitoes take shell
ter. These drainage bitches and cearngs
in evidence in every settlement and. together
with the invarable presence of mosquito screens
around the piazzas and of MOSQUITO doors to the
houses, not TO speak of the careful fumigation
that has gone on in all infected houses, doubt
less explain the extraordinary absence Of mos
quitoes. AS a matter of fact, but single mos
quito, and this not of the dangerous species,
seen by any member of party during my
three days on the lsthmus Equal care is taken
by the inspectors OF the Health Department to
secure cleanliness in the houses and proper hy-
gienic conditions of every kind. l inspected be-
tween twenty and thirty watercosetS, both
those used by the white employees and those
used by the colored laborers. In almost every
case found the conditions perfect In but one
case did find them really bad In this case,
affecting a settlement of unmarried white en-
ployes, found them very bad indeed, but the
buildings We're all inherited from the French
company and We're being used temporarily while
other buildings were in the course of construc-
a new and excellent closet, with good sewer
pipe. was in process of construction and nearly
finished. Nevertheless, this did not the
fact that the bad condition had been allowed to
prevail Temporary accommodations, even if
only such as soldiers use when camped in the
field. should have been provided. Orders TO this
Gorgas on the incident. 1 was struck. however
by the fact that in this instance, as in almost
every other where a complaint made which
proved TO have any justification whatever. il
appeared that steps had already been taken to
remedy the evil complained Of and that the
trouble mainly due to the extreme diff
Guilty. and often impossibility. of providing IN
every place for the constant Increase in the
numbers of employees. Generally the provision
is made in advance, but ii is not possible that
this should always be the case: when il IS not
there ensues a period of time during which the
conditions are unsatisfactory. until remedy
can be provided but ! never found a case where
the remedy was not being provided speedily
as possible.
7 inspected the large hospitals at Ancon and
Colon. which are excellent examples of what
tropical hospitals should be. l also inspected
the receiving hospitals in
HOSPITALS and Their various settlements. | went
Treatment. through a number OF the
wards in which the colored
men are treated. number of those in which the
white men are treated-Americans and Span
iarsis Both white men and black men treat
ed exactly alike. and their treatment is good
ae that which could be obtained in first class
hospitals at home All the patients that saw
with one or two exceptions. were laborers or
New-York tribune., 1906-12-18

a. 10 tle rate OF pay and various other mat
~ ,u SoiIlg over, as much in detail as possi-
~ an the different questions they brought I'M
49, " Some matters / was able to meet their
S, dS 10 others, felt that what they re-
Suo'eu coulu not be done consistently with nv
uuy 10 the United States government as .
m as 10 yet others reserved judgment
90, IN SATURDAY morning We started at s O'Clock
ot I'm me me note We went through the Culebra
OU'' stopping on TO see the Marines and also
Third towns. one os ,, cert a n
Day. Moves ae - W ,, Nhi!e en-
hoo,, ... tam respects complaint mad
oeen made 10 me; and another town where
wanted 10 SEQ certain houses of the coIored en,-
pioyes. We went over the site of tho nronosed
taIuh danl, having on the first day inspected the
Sues OF Ihe proposed La Boca and Sosa dams
we Welt OUT on little toy railway to the reser-
Foir' which had been built to supply the people
New-York tribune., 1906-12-18

settns and keeping @ sufficient labor supply
WIu MouIu nave been disastrous The various pre-
uuiIiIary measures had to be taken first; and
tnese could not be taken so as to allow us to
January l Of the present year. 1t then became
necessary TO have the type of the canal decided,
ana the only delay has been the necessary de-
idy until June %, the date when the Congress
uelnltely and wisely settled that we should have
an oo-foot level canal Immediately after that
the hard work began in earnest and has been
continued with increasing vigor since; and
~ Will continue to progress in the future.
When the contracts are let the conditions will
De such as TO insure constantly increasing
amount of performance
The first great problem to be solved upon the
solution of which the success of the rest of the
work depended. was the problem Of sanitation.
This from the outset
Successfui under the direction of DR..
Sah'sation w. G. Gorgas, who is to be
made a full member of the.
commission If the law to the composition of
the commission remains unchanged. 1t must be
remembered that his work not mere Sani-
tatlon as the term is understood in our ordinary
the two cities of Panama and Colon in ad-
ultlon TO the sanitation work proper, he
mas had to do all the work that the Marine
Hospital Service does regards the nation,
tnat the health department officers do in
the various states and cities, and that Colonel
Warlng did in New York when he cleaned it's
streets. The results have been astounding. The
isthmus had been a bywOrd for deadly unheath-
1ulness Now, after two years of our occupa-
ton, the conditions as regards sickness and the
death rate compare favorably with reasonably
healthy localities in the United States. Espe-
c1al care has been devoted to minimizing the risk
Que TO the presence of those species of mos
quitoeS which have been found to propa gate
malarlal and yellow feverS. In all the settle
ments, the little temporary towns or cities COM
posed OF the white and black employees, which
New-York tribune., 1906-12-18

other employees the canal works and railways,
most of them being oolored men OF the ordinary
iaDorer stamp. Not only are the men carefully
cared for whenever they apply for care, put so
lar as practicable watch is kept to see that II
tney need IL they are sent to the hospitals.
whether they desire to go or not. From no re-
sponsible source did any complaint come to me
as 10 the management of the hospital service.
aithough occasionally very ignorant west IN
dia Negro when he is first brought into the hos
pltaI becomes frightened by the ordinary hos
pital routine
Just at present the health showing on the
isthmus is remarkably good-so much better
than in most sections of the United States that
I do not believe that it can
Health Showing possibly continue at quite
Remarkably Good. its present average Thus,
early in the present year
band OF several hundred Spaniards were brought
TO the isthmus as laborers, and additions TO their
number have been made from time to time; yet
since their arrival in February last but one of
those Spaniards thus brought over to work
the canal has died of disease, and he of typhoid
fever. Two others were killed-One in rail-
road accident, and one by a dynamite explosion
nigh steady decline in the death rate for the
population of the zone. this being largely due
10 the decrease in deaths from pneumonia, which
has been the most fatal disease on the isthmus
every kind among the employees of the fsthmus
There were then the rolls $500 whites seven
etghthS of them being Americans OF these
whites but two died Of disease and as il hap
pened neither man was American. OF the
5000 white Americans, including some 200
women and children, not single death has oc-
Cured in the last three months, whereas in an
average city in the United States the number of
deaths for similar number of people in that
time would have been about thirty from disease
This very remarkable showing cannot of course
permanently obtain, but 1t certainly goes to
prove that If good care is taken the isthmus is
New-York tribune., 1906-12-18

having tried 1t in one or two streets finding q
not appropriate.
The result of the investigation of this honest
complaint was typical of what occurred when
L investigated most OF the other honest COM
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-10-30
PROCLAMATION.

Public notice is hereby given that
in accordance with an order of the
Board of Commissioners of Fergus
County, State of Montana, made on
the 18th day of September, 1906, spec
ial election will be held throughout
Fergus County, on Tuesday, the 9Th
day of November, A. D. 1906, for the
purpose of submitting to the vote Of
the electors of this County the ques-
ton:
Shall the Board of Commissioners
of the County of Fergus be empowered
to procure a loan to the amount of One
Hundred Thousand Dollars for the
purpose of building a new Court House
IN said county? The ballots to be
cast, For empowering the Board of
County Commissioners of the County
OF Fergus to procure a loan to the
amount of One Hundred Thousand
Dollars for the purpose of building a
new Court House in said County," or
Against empowering the Board of
County Commissioners of the County
OF Fergus to procure a loan to the
amount of One Hundred Thousand Dol
lars for the purpose of building new
Court House in said County"
The polls must be open at o'clock
in the morning and continue open un-
til six o'clock in the afternoon of the
same day, when the polls shall be
closed
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-10-30
BEWARE!

Now that the campaign is drawing
to a close voters should be on their
guard against canards and roorbacks
Matched at the last moment to de-
ceive and mislead. 1t has been the
aim OF the Argus to discuss the is.
sues fairly and present the merits of
the candidates on the Republican
ticket without personal reflection
against their opponents. The official
record of an officer who seeks re-
election is always open to criticism
and investigation in a political cam
paign, and upon that he must stand
or fall. In such cases the Argus has
endeavored to confine itself to the
records, giving opportunity for inquiry
and verification.
Personal abuse and falsehoods are
deplorable at any stage of a political
campaign and there can be nothing
more damaging to any cause than TO
resort to such methods at the close
OF such contest Hence every voter
should be on guard. Beware of the
roorback held to the last moment
when it cannot be challenged and
proven false
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-10-30
A SPLENDID MEETING.

The greeting extended to Messrs.
Pray, Dixon and Smith last Thursday
evening, Notwithstanding the incle-
ment weather, was one of the most
enthusiastic in the history of the
county. Mr. Pray. the Republican can
didate for congress, quite contrary to
his Democratic opponent, Mr.. Walsh,
captured the audience at once and had
1t with him for nearly an hour as he
reviewed in eloquent words the history
Of performance by the Republican
party in behalf of the people. He pull
verified the statement that Democrats
In congress were friendly to President
Roosevelt and that they would sup
port him in his reform measures. He
quoted from the vicious assaults made
upon President Roosevelt by Charles
A. Towne in an address made at Kan
sas City, when he accused the presi-
dent of being "a great promiser but
poor performer" and from Senator
Bailey, who, during the rate bill dis
cussion, said that President Roosevelt
had cost more and accomplished less
than any president We ever had" Mr..
Pray hardly thought the president
would care for the support of such
friends" Mr.. Pray's peroration was
one of the finest bursts of eloquence
ever heard in Lewistown. There is no
question but Mr. Pray made votes among
his auditors by the fervor of his ad
dress, and the impression left of his
ability and sterling manhood.
Congressman Dixon fully sustained
his reputation as an effective speaker,
holding his audience in close attention
until a late hour as he discussed the
part the Republican party has played
In restoring prosperity to the country,
In passing the railroad rate bill, the
pure foot bill and other measures MIR.
Dixon also showed up the absurdity Of
the Democratic contention that Dem
ocratic senator from this state would
support President Roosevelt. He warn
ed all Republicans to stand by their
nominee for congress and the legis-
lative ticket.
Judge Henry C. Smith, candidate for
associate justice, in accordance with
custom, refrained from political dis.
cussion, but amused his audience with
some dry humor. Judge Smith is
quite well known here, as he is
throughout the state and his election
seems to be a foregone conclusion,
and the same can also be said of Mr..
Pray, as he is daily gaining strength
with the people. The northern tier of
counties will be practically solid for
him and Fergus county should wheel
line with majority of not less than
500.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-10-30
TOOlE AND NORRIS.

The head and tail of the executive
department of this state are out in the
campaign making apologies or excus-
es for the veto of the railroad COM
mission bill.
A commission of this kind was de-
manded by the people of Montana and
plank favoring it found a place in
the platform of all parties two years
ago. A Republican legislature enact.
ed such law, which was patterned
after the best in the country, but Gov.
ernor Joseph X. Toole vetoed the bill
because, as he asserts, it usurped his
prerogative in naming the members
of the commission. This, too. after
having INDUCED the hope" two years
before, that any office of importance
created by this or any subsequent leg.
islature. will not be made the subject
OF appointment by the executive or
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-10-30
LOMBARD AND TOWNSEND.
Right Of Way for the St. Paul Definite
Nv located

Helena, Oct. 29.-The right of way
of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
railway between Townsend and Lom-
bard has been definitely located. The
road will follow the Missouri river on
the east side between those two points.
Beyond Townsend the right of way
has not been located, although survey
ing parties have been working between
Lombard and Craig all summer. So
far as known, there have been no sur,
veying parties working between Craig
and Great Falls, although parties have
been working to the west of Craig.
surveying both the Lewis and Clark
pass and the Cadotte pass over the
continental divide, and it is generally
supposed that the new road will cut
over the mountains west of Craig.
Orders have been given for the
Smith river route from HarIowton tn
Great Falls via White Sulphur Springs
to be resurveyed.
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-10-30
A PROCLAMATION
BY the Governor Of the State of Mon
tana,

BY the Governor Of the State of Mon
tana.
Executive Office, Helena, Montana,
August 20, 1906.-By virtue of the au-
thority in me vested by the constitu.
ton and laws of the state of Mon
tana, l, ]. K Toole, governor of said
state. do hereby proclaim that on
Tuesday, the 9Th day of November, A.
D. 1906, there will be held in the
State OF Montana general election
by the qualified electors of the State
OF Montana to elect the following Of
ficers, to-wit:
One representative in Congress.
One Associate Justice of the Su
preme Court.
One State Senator in each of the
following counties, to-wit:
Madison, Chouteau, F1athead, Mis-
soula, Granite. Ravalli, Cascade, Val
ley, Teton, Jefferson, Silver Bow, Fer
gus, Broadwater, Sanders, Yellowstone
and Rosebud
Also members of the House of Rep
resentatives from the several counties
of the state as follows, to-wit:
Beaverhead, two; Broadwater. two;
Carbon, one: Cascade, five: Chouteau
two; Custer, two; Dawson, one: Deer
Lodge, six; Fergus, two, Flathead
three; Gallatin, three; Granite. two;
Jefferson, three; Lewis and Clark, sew
en-; Madison, three; Meagher. two;
Missoula, four; Park, two: Powell
one; Ravalli, two: Rosebud, one: San
ders, one; Silver Bow, twelve; Sweet
Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-10-30

otherwise. l suggest that the
bill creating any Office, board or COM
mission designate the person, board
Or commission to fill the same tenn.
porarily and until the next general
election"
Now, if Governor Toole was opposed
to the measure because it invaded
his prerogatives, and because he was
opposed to the tenures of Office and
the fact that he did not regard its
provisions as non-partisan, though it
named one Democrat and two Repub.
licans, why did he not make his Oh.
jections to the measure known to the
legislature and give it a chance to re-
ject or accept his recommendation?
Instead of so doing he waited until
the session expired by limitation and
then vetoed the bill. The bill had
received almost the unanimous sup.
port of the house, Democrats and Re-
publicans; it received a majority in
the senate; it was drawn in compli.
ance with recommendation embodied
i'll the governors message. If the bill
had named two Democrats and one
Republican it never would have been
vetoed and Governor Toole and his
man Friday know it full well. There
was no good ground for vetoing the
bill and in doing SO the governor eX-
hibited more concern for his party than
he did for the people of this state,
who have lost thousands of dollars
through the lack of an effective rail-
road commission.
Governor Toole also now finds time
TO score the primary election law.
The bill met his approval. At least
it did not receive his veto, but be-
came law. Evidently the governor
is very wise in his hindsight.
After being in office sixteen years
the governor is reaching out for still
another. He has always had the sen
atorial itch and if he is successful
now it will be by a scratch No Re
publican should be party to furth-
ering his continuance in Office. Mr.. |
Toole is free trader. He is a hide
bound partisan and would always be
found supporting the tenents Of his
party, which are antagonistic to Mon
tana and her industries. If the vot-
ers want Dixon or Mantle for their
next senator they should vote for
Messrs. Rae, Greene and Thompson.