Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-18
"TRIP TO panama.
The President Tells Con-
gress About it.
Full Confidence in Success Of
Great Undertaking.
Conditions Satisfactory---0ver rs.
600 Men Now Working,


1 results Of his observations during his
recent inspection OF the Panama canal
work and his recommendations there
on. The message WAS accOmpanied by
photographs taken on the isthlnus and
by various official reports, mortality
tables etc
Beginning with his arrival at Colon
Oh the battleship Louisiana at go
p. m. Wednesday, Nov II. the presi-
dent says.
l was three days ashore-not a SUI.
ficient length Of time to allow Of an
exhaustive investigation OF the mi
nutiae Of the work OF any single de
partment. still less to pass Judgment on
the engineering problems. Let .llnr.!.
to enable me to get cieur idea Of the
salient features of the great work and
OF the progress that has bel ,..:.,it as
regards the sanitation vi TIE zone
Colon and Panama. the caring for and
housing Of the employees and the ac-
tual digging OF the canal. 'ihe Z0.le Is
narrow strip Of lait ard il can hs
inspected mech as one can Inspect fiftv
or sixty miles OF Il !. eat rc.l's,.d at
the point where it rt.:.s thror::i noun
tains
chose the month Of November for
my visit partly because It is the rain
lest month Of the year, tie month in
which the work goes forward at the
greatest disadvantage ami one OF the
two months which the French Canal
company found most unhealthy.
Immediately after we anchored there
was a violent storm OF wind and rain.
From that time we did MT again see
the sun until Saturday morning. 1t
would have been impossible to see the
work going on under more unfavorable
weather conditions
First Day Ashore.
On Thursday morning we landed at
about half past aud went slowly over
the line Of the Panama railway, end
Ing with an expedition in tug at 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 employees, no warning Of
our coming being given. l inspected
the Ancon hospital, going through va
rious wards both for white patients
and for c0l0red patients l inspected
portions OF the zone police, examining
the men individually. l also examined
NJ hn nI.hn <h1
school children, both white and col
pred, speaking with certain Of the
teachers. In the afternoon of this day
was formally received In Panama by
President Amador, who, together with
The government aud all the people Of
Panama, treated me with the most
considerate courtesy, for which here
by extend my most earnest thanks |
was driven through Panama and in q
public square was formally received
and welcomed by the president and
other members Of the government, and
In the evening l attended a dinner
given by the president and a reception,
which was also a government func-
ton. ! also drove through the streets
Of Panama for the purpose of observ-
Ing what had been done. We slept at
the Hotel Tivoli, at Ancon, which Is
On bill directly outside Of the city
of Panama, but in the zone.
Second Day.
On Friday morning we left the hotel
at o'clock aud spent the entire day
nninD thrnvDh hn .nI
spot in which most work will have to
be done In any event. We watched
the different steam shOyels working;
we saw the drilling and blasting; we
saw many Of the dirt trains (of the two
different types used, both carrying
the earth away from the steam shov-
els and depOsiting 1t Oh 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 be-
Ing used for double tracking the rail
way and in preparing to build the
great dams. l visited many different
villages. inspecting thoroughly many
different buildings, the local receiving
hospitals, the houses in which the I'M
white workmen live, those In
which the unmarried colored work
men live; also the quarters Of the
white married employees and of the
colored employees as well as
the commissary stores. the lighthouses.
the water closets, the cook sheds for
the colored laborers and the govern
ment canteens. or hotels, at which
most Of the white employees take their
meals. went through the machine
shops. talked with scores Of men
and heads Of depart
ments. divisions and bureaus, steam
shovel men, machinists, conductors, en-
gineers. clerks. wives Of the American
employees, health officers, coiored Ia
borers, colored attendants and man.
ayers Of the commissary stores. In
lhe evening | had an interview with
The British consul. Mr. Mallet, and the
French consul. Mr.. Gey. l saw the
ileutenants, the chief executive and ad-
officers under the en-
glneering and sanitary departments.
also saw and had long talks with
MO 0QnntQ Of