The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-17
President Roosevelt Transmits a
Message to Congress
Detailing His Trip to the
Isthmus Of Panama.
ONLY ONE MOSQUITO
Was Found and That Not of the
Bad Kind.
Found Work Progressing in
Most Satisfactory Manner.

Washington, Dec 17-President Roose-
velt today transmitted to congress his
promised message on the isthmian ca
nal. 1t follows:
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives:
In the month of November I visited
the Isthmus of Panama, going over the
canal zone with considerable care: and
also visited the cities of Panama and
CoIon which are not in the zone or un-
oer the United States flag, but as to
which the United States government.
through its agents, exercises control for
certain sanitary purposes
me U. s. ). Louisiana, on which I
was, anchored off Colon about half
past on Wednesday afternoon, No
vember IA. came aboard her after
my stay on shore. at about half past
on saturday evening. November II. On
Wednesday afternoon and evening I
received the president of Panama and
his suite, and saw members Of the canal
commission, and various other gentle
men, perfecting the arrangement for
my visit. so that every hour that I was
ashore could be employed to advant-
age. I was three days ashOre-nOt a
sufficient length of time to allow Of
an exhaustive investigation of the
minutiae of the work of any single de-
partment, still less to pass judgment
on the engineering problems, but
enough to enable me to get a clear idea.
work and of the PROCESS that has been
made as regards the sanitation OF the
zone, Colon, and Panama, the caring
for and housing of the employees, and
the actual digging Of the canal The
zone is a narrow strip of land, and it
can be inspected much as one can
inspect SO or so miles of a great rail-
road, at the point where 1t runs
through mountains or OvercomeS other
natural obstacles.
chose the month of November for
my visit partly because it is the rain
lest month of the year. the month in
which the work goes forward at the
greatest disadvantage. and one of the
two months which the medical depart
ment of the French Canal company
found most unhealthy.
Immediately after anchoring on the
afternoon Of Wednesday. there was a
violent storm of wind and rain. From
that time we did not again see the sun
until Saturday morning. the rain con-
tinuing almost steadily. but varying
from fine drizz1e to torrential down
pour. During that time in fifteen min
utes al CristObal LOS inches of rain
fell; from ] to a. m, November 16.
hours ending nocns November 16, 4.6S
inches fell. and for the six days ending
noon, November 16, 1924 inches fell.
The Chagres rose in flood to a greater
height than 1t had attained during the
last fifteen years, tearing out the track
In one place. 1t would have been Inn
possible to see the work going on un-
der more unfavOrable weather condi-
tions. On Saturday, November II, the
sun shone now and then for a few
minutes, although the day was gen.
orally overcast and there were heavy
showers at intervals.
First Day Ashore.
On Thursday morning we landed at
about half past seven and went slowly
over the line of the Panama railway
will AZ IN
the Pacific entrance of the canal out
to the islands where the dredging for
the canal will cease. We took our
dinner at one Of the eating houses
furnished by the commission for the
use of the government emplOyes-nO
warning Of our coming being given. I
inspected the Ancon hospital. going
through the various wards both for
white patients and for cOlOred pa
tients. inspected portions of the
constabulary Gone police), examining
the men individually. I also examined
certain of the schools and saw the
school children. both white and col
ored, speaking with certain of the
teachers. In the afternoon of this day
I was formally received in Panama by
President Amador, who, together with
the government and all the people OF
Panama, treated me with the most
considerate courtesy, for which
hereby extend my most earnest
thanks 1 was driven through Pan
ally received and welcomed by the
president and other members OF the
government; and in the evening I at
tended dinner given by the presi-
dent, and a reception which was also
a government function. 1 also drove
through the streets of Panama for the
purpose OF observing what had been
done. We slept at the Hotel TivoH, at
Ancon, which is on a hill directly out
side the city Of Panama. but In the
Zone
Second Day.
on Friday morning we left the ho-
tel at o'clock and spent the entire
day going through the Culebra cut
the spot in which most work will have
to be done in any event. We watched
the different steam shovels working;
we saw the drilling and blasting: we
saw many of the dirt trains COT the
different types used.) both carrying
the earth away from the steam show
els and depositing it on the dumps
some 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 I visited many of the dif-
ferent villages, inspecting thoroughly
many different buildings-the local re-
ceiving hospitals, the houses in which
the unmarried white Workmen live.
those in which the unmarried colOred
workmen live; also the quarters Of the
white married employees and of the
married colored employees; as we'll as
the commissary stores. the bath
houses, the water-closets, the cook
sheds for the colored Iaborers, and the
government canteeus, or hotels. at
which most of the white employees
take their meals. went through the