New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-23
BUSY ON THE IS1HM US.
RUSHING CANAL WORK.
Presidents ViSit of Immense Benefit,
Says DR.. Coe.
From The Tribune Bureau.!

ore.
There is a brotherhood in this whole canal
business since Theodore Roosevelt was there, in
ubich he and every worker on the worthy
oF the name Of worker are closely knitted, and
which is 10 save the United States many millions
- dollars In money and vast amount Of val
,,ahIe time Every steam shovel every engine,
every drill there IS digging, hosting. steaming,
v-bistling. drilling and blasting, merry unison
- industrial music. and to-day. through all of It
* 2 chord OF thankfulness that the President
Was there The men behind these guns of in
drstrv are wing with each other TO do a little
more to-day than was done yesterday, in honor
# the President. our friend at court, who has
visited us"
DR. Coe who is a prominent physician and a
man Of large financial interests the Pacific
Coast. ACCOMPANIED by Mrs. Coe has just com
Melted a five weeks trip from Portland to New
York and Washington by way of Panama, which
Vas taken for pleasure, but which gave op-
nortunity 10 study the sanitary situation in
Panama preparatory to making report on that
subject for the section on hygiene of the Ameri-
can Medical Association
Although examining the project as a physi-
clan" Dr. Coe said "the industrial side of the
subject naturally appealed TO me, as to who
in a small way in a country is also an en-
ployer of labor. I was astonished at the great
as well as the preparation under way for its
material enlargement. Colonel W. c. Gorgas.
chief sanitary officer, devoted some time TO US.
in which we inspected during the four days Of
our visit the chief points Of interest including
the line Of the canal and the important indus
trial sections of the work
MAKING THE DIRT FLY"
since landing in New York I have so often
neen asked the question. Are they actually
5oing any considerable amount Of digging? that
I am sure the average man here who has not
visited the canal does not comprehend the vast
ness Of present operations. which now include,
among other features, the work Of fifty enor-
nous steam shovels In December there were
566, 80 yards Of earth and rock removed OF
the fifty shovels IN place when were there.
forty-six were in active operation. the others
being under repair. The present volume of earth
being removed is about double what ii was six
months ago, and Chief Engineer Stevens in
formed me that IN March he expects to handle.
under favorable conditions. 10000 yards.
Mr.. Stevens is the same unassuming man he
Gas while working out in my country for Jim
Hill. and in the social division at the mess
houses along the line of those who wear coats
and those who don't wear coats each having
separate dining rooms, I imagine he takes the
latter At least when I asked him why he was
not over at the Tivoli. he replied that it was
most too high toned for me- The way they
are planning upon the increase and the Presi-
dents influence upon the project was shown by
q man in the engineering department, who en-
phatically declared TO me: IF Roosevelt keeps
at the helm. and Stevens increases as he plans.
not eight years, but six years, will see the work
through
while the President was there 1t rained cats
and dogs. Everybody down there talks about it.
A weeks rainfall, including the time the Presi-
dent was there was the greatest in fifteen years.
An official Of the canal said laughingly to mo:
7 think the President rather put Il on US down
here the way he went out in the rain and never
noticed it. One thing is sure We can't make
excuses hereafter TO the States that we are not
working on account Of rain
Upon every side and from every class
heard OF President Roosevelt's trip 10 the canal.
He ate in this boarding house He walked
here or He climbed up there He made
talk here He was on my engine; you can
bet I am making good on what he said about
her Here is one Of our men the President
talked 70 about the grub said Jamaican, his
black face shining with pleasure. as he pointed
out fellow laborer. He don't stop working
long enough TO eat any more. he's proud, and
re all have it about as bad in this gang.
The best labor IS the Galician Spaniard, so
the foreman all agree, but there are few Of them
as yet largely to be depended upon. He is
lazy fellow, yet in numerous places heard Of
p few words here and there dropped by the
President which had done a wonderful amount
IF good with the Jamaican. II a foreman to
day, in trying 10 increase the efficiency OF ms
gang makes the inquiry What would the
President say you work as you are
doiugT there Is wonderful stimulus injected
into the muscular system and movement OF
every hearer.
The Panama Canal for twenty-five years
under French control was looked upon by these
black laborers as a sort Of death trap, feared
and stunned by most Of the world except
themselves. The sanitary condition, as we all
know was abonninable. The poet Of Colon, be-
rause il had nothing else TO boast OF; lauds me
pictures a at heavens gate answering
Peters interrogations. He admits breaking
avery commandment and sometimes lhnumer-
ably, TO the establishment Of the assembled
hosts Of heaven. Finally he whispers some
thing to Peter, who orders him admitted ana
escorted 10 a front seat among me Ilart Cyl
with this response to the now astonished W.T.
tesses. He comes from Colon
BENEFITS OF PRESIDENTS VISIT.
In two years the death rate has been reduced
5ntu It does not equal per thousand, that of
New York These laborers feel that under the
administration Of Roosevelt, as carried out by
Dr. Gorgas. whom they look upon as wizard
md fairly worship. yellow fever has been elimi-
hated. and that other great evil, malaria, has
seen got under control. And now the President
has been down to see the work. They feel they
entering into another epoch, without falrly
understanding It, in which the dignity or their
abor is being appreciated. They feel a sense
~ dignity IN their work and personal reSpon-
sbility and interest in what they doing
aevef experienced before the President showed
his face among them, which is worth good
many spadefuls OF debris every day from every
bne OF thousands OF these people.
i speak OF these people because, If they have