Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-18
TRIP TO PANAMA..
CONTINUED from Page Twelve.)

the different places where the differ
ent kinds Of employees were working.
l think l saw representatives Of every
type both at their work and in their
homes. and oOnversed with probably
a couple Of hundred of them all 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
energetically doing their duty without
thrill of pride in them as Americans.
They represent on the average high
class. Doubtless to congress the wages
paid them will 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 was that. owing to the
peculiar surroundings, the cost Of liv-
ing and the distance from home, the
wages We're really not as high as they
should be. In fact, almost every man
l spoke to felt that he ought to be re-
ceiving more money. a view, however,
which the average man who stays at
home in the United States probably
likewise holds as regards himself. l
append figures Of the wages paid, SO
that the congress can judge the matter
for Itself. Later l shall confer on the
subject with certain representative la
Dor men here in the United States. as
well as going over with Mr.. Stevens,
the comparative wages paid on the
zone and ut 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 office work, but the majority
in handling the great steam shOyels, as
engineers and conductors on the dirt
trains, as machiniSts In the great re-
pair shops, as carpenters and time
keepers, superintendent and fOremen
Of divisions and of gangs, and so on,
and SO OH. Many Of them have brought
down their wives and families. and the
children when not in school are run
ming about ard 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 Ill large
houses. quarters being furnished free
to all. married and unmarried In one
case. where the house was an old
| French house with leak in the roof,
| did not think the accommodations
We're good. But in every ether case
among the scores of houses | entered
at random the accommodations We're
good. every room WAS neat and clean
usually having books. magazines and
small ornaments and, in short. just
| such room us Il self respecting crafts
| man would be glad to live in at home
| The quarters for the married people
| We're even better. Doubtless there
must be here and there a married cou
pie who, with or without reason, are
not contented with their house or the
isthmus, but never happened to strike
such couple. &
Food Supplirs-A Thlrty cent Meal.
The housewives purchase their sup
plies directly or through their hus
bands from the cOmmisSary stores OF
| lAc All " W IlOul SlOhe
agreed that the supplies were excel
lent, and all but two stated that ther.
was no complaint to be made These
two complained that the prices were
excessive rs compared TO prices ia thu
| states. On investigation | did not fee
The married men ATE AZ home. The un
married men sometimes ate ut private
boarding houses or private meSses. bu
more often. Judging by the answers o.
those whom | questioned. AT the gov
| eminent canteenS. or hotels, where
| the meal costs 81 cents To each EN-
ployee. This thirty cent meal struck
me as being as good Il meal as we ge
In the United States ut the ordinary
hotel in winch II fifty cent meal is pro
yided. | myself took dinner at the Ii
Boca government hotel. no warning
whatever having been given of my
coming There were two rooms, a!
| generally in these hotels. In one thu
employees We're allowed to dine with
out their coats. while in the other they
had To put them on. The thirty cen
meal included soup. native beef (Which
was good. mashed potatoes. peas
beets. chilli con carne. plum pudding
tea. coffee. each man having as much o.
| each dish as he desired. On the tabl,
there was bottle of liquid quinn,
tonic which two-thrdS OF the guests
as l was informed. used every day
There were neat tableclOths and nap
kins.
My meal was excellent, and tive
newspaper correspondents who ha(
been on the isthm,is several days In
formed me that it was precisely lik'
the meals they had been getting else
where at other government hotels.
nj Ne Cause For Complaint About Food
Hi l came to the conclusion that speak
ing generally. there was no warran
for complaint about the food. though
doubtless it grows monotonous afte
awhile. Grumbling about food is
common trait everywhere. On thi
very trip ON one of the warships a sea
man came TO complain to the secont