The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1906-12-21


tering and paving of the streets.
The new reservoir back of Mount
Hope has been practically completed
| visited this reservoir. 1t Is a lake
over a mile long and half mile broad
1t now carries some 500,000,O0O gallons
of first class water. Water mains have
been laid in the town, and nothing but
a cataclysm will hereafter render II
necessary in the dry season to hau
water for the use of Colon and Cristo-
bal. One of the most amusing as well
as dishonest attacks made upon the
commission was in connection with
this reservoir. The writer in question
usually confined himself to vague gen
eral mendacity, but in this case he
specifically stated that there was no
water in the vicinity fit for a reservoir
q drank it, and 1t was excellent) and
that this particular reservoir would
never hold water anyway. With typ
ical American humor, the engineering
corps still at work at the reservoir
have christened large boat which is
now used on the reservoir after the
individual who denied the possibility
Of the reservoirs existence.
Colon Pavements.
l rode through the streets of Colon
after two days of almost unexampled
downpour, when they were at their
very worst. Taken as a whole, they
were bad-as bad as Pennsylvania
avenue in Washington before Grants
administration - but through three
fourths of the town it is now possible
to walk, even during the period of ire
mendous rain, in low shoes without
wetting ones feet owing to the rapid
ity with which the surface water is
carried away In the bitches. All
men to whom l spoke were a unit in
saying that the conditions of the Colon
streets were 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 it also appeared that
the use Of the material in question had
been abandoned the commission after
having tried it in one or two streets
finding it not appropriate.
Complaints Not Well Founded.
The result Of the investigation of
this honest complaint was typical of
what occurred when l investigated
most of the other honest complaints
made to me-that is, where the COM
plants were not made wantonly or
maliclously 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 is
lone by police force which at present
numbers over 200 men under Captain
stanton. About one-fifth Of the men
ire white and the others black. In diff
erent places l questioned some TWEEN
y or thirty of these men, taking them
It random. They were a fine set phys
cally and in discipline. With one ex-
'eption all the white men 1 questioned
lad served in the American army, usu-
lily In the Philippines, and belonged to
he best type of American soldier All |
he black policemen l questioned had |
erved either in the British army or in |
he Jamaica or Barbados police. They |
we're evidently contented and were do
ng their work we'll
Inasmuch as many both of the white
md colored employees have brought
heir families with them, schools have |
'een established under Mr.. O'Connor.
'or the white pupils white American
eachers are employed; for the colored
pupils there are also some white Amer
can teachers, one Spanish teacher and
me colored American teacher, most of
hem being colored teachers from ia
naica, Barbados and ST. Lucia. The
'choolrooms were good, and 1t was a
pleasant thing to see the pride that the
teachers were taking In their work and
heir pupils.
Too Many Saloons.
ThereNseemed to me to be too many
saloons in the zone, but the new high
license law which goes into effect
IN Jan. 1 next will probably close four
1fths of them. Resolute and success
'ul efforts are being made to minimize
md control the sale of liquor.
Care of Employees.
Next in Importance to the problem
II sanitation-and indeed now Of equal
mportance--is the problem Of securing
Ind caring for the men who actually
10 the work. This great task has been
lnder the control of Mr. Jackson
smith and has been well done. AT
resent there are some 5000 white en-
'loyees and some 1900 colored en-
'loyees on the isthmus. / went over
he different places where the differ.
1T kinds of employees were working.
think I saw representatives Of every
ype both at their work and in their
omes, and / conversed with probably ,
couple Of hundred of them all told.
loosing them at random. s".
Nearly 5000 of the white employees
Id come from the United States. No
an can see these young, vigorous men
lergetically doing their duty without ,
thrill Of pride in them as Americans. .
hey represent on the average high
ass. Doubtless to congress the wages
lid them will seem high, but as a
after Of fact the only general COM ,
amt which found had any real basis
nong the complaints made to me up
the isthmus was that, owing to the
culisr surroundings, the cost Of liv- ,
& and the distance from home, the
ages were really not as high as they .
ould be. In fact, almost every man
spoke to felt that he ought to be re-
living more money! view, however,