The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-05
IN THE CANAL ZONE.
A Mans Opinion Of the Fnultnndhng 81
WOman. r

q Woman.
To the EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sig: I read
your synopsis of Miss Beeks's eport on con-
dltlons In Panama and was greatly amused
by the erroneous statements made by her.
1 met Mas Beeks during her stay on the
Isthmus. and I have not the slightest doubt
That she means well. but she shows gross igA0-
rance a. to conditions on the Isthmus.
You quote Miss Beeks AZ saying: Quar-
tiers are inadequate. Americans frequently
sleeping four In a room. and there being 1000
men In railroad construction yangs Quartered
in box cars" Miss Besks forgot TO mention
that wherever four men are In one room all
the men are employed at similar positions.
so thai they rise at about the same hour. and
their rooms are at least 20 by 20 feet and have
at least six windows opening on three sides.
As to the men who are quarGered In box
cars. they are all negroes belonging to tele-
graph n telephone gangs, construction
gangs and bridge gangs. These gangs move
from place 70 place daily. and IL would be
impossible 10 quarter them otherwise. All
these negroes come from Jamaica, Marti-
niQue and Trinidad. In their native coun-
tries they have no houses at all. They live
under a thatCh roof supported by four posts.
These box cars are better quarters than they
ever had. 1 meet these men In my daily
work. and they are all perfectly satisfied
with their quarters.
As to Miss Beeks's reference to cold shower
baths. / acknowledge that many people can
not stand the shock Of a bath. but they are
undesirable citizens" and do not count.
On account of the continuous heat the hydrant
water is very warm, and any person used TO
bathing can stand it without physical or
mental shock.
As regards "monOtonous and cold break
fasts and inability TO be served promptly" l
beg to say that | rise every morning at
asnO at,ia,lr .nA Nal. ~. Eae 49,. - -
Colon. During my stay on the Isthmus l
have never missed the train. neither nave l
missed my breakfast. nor has IL ever been
cold. Miss Beeks further says that break
fasts are composed always Of a cereal, eggs.
toast. bacon. hot cakes and coffee" In this
she is perfectly correct. but what other menu
does she desire? She THINKS that breakfasts
should he varied. but will she kindly suggest
the variation? I don't see what else q man
could desire for breakfast.
She also says they do not even have ice on
the table" This statement is an absolute mis-
tike. | have eaten in every Isthmian Canal
Commission white mess on the Isthmus. and
! find that both iced water and iced tea are
served ut the hotels. My taste for food In as
keen as the next mans. yet nud no COM
plant TO make about food. The kiCkers are
generally the people who we're never fed as
well. Il is the old story OF the hog under the
table.
As to the prices Charg ed by the commissarv
] don't know much about the cost Of things.
but do know that no one Is compelled to
buy from the cOmmissary; yet the business
of the commissary is increasing monthly.
The laundrics are Overtaxed, but | leave
tho details Of their mana cement to the people
who know about mana cement. Mr.. Reneckc.
the manager OF the Cristobal laundry. is a
man of wide experience in that line.
IL IL true there were only five schools two
months ago, but there are nine now. and free
transportation Is furnished for the children to
and from school when there IL no school In
their town.
Miss Beeks darkiy hints at COney Island
schemes. Does she know the cost of building
COney Island? There are only 5000 American
employees scattered on the lsthmus. At
which end Of the Is:hmus would she build this
COney Island for the accommodation of 6.O0O
peOpleP
Iagree with her on the point Of organizing
wOmen's clubs for mending bachelOrs' clothes.
Here Miss Beeks shows her true ability. The
bachelors clothes need mending. and there
are very few Of the men who would refuse "a
home made dinner. But are the married
men and women willing to devote their time
and money TO mending socks and feeding
strangers? Verify. l have walked across
the Isthmus wearing out good socks IN an
attempt 70 find some one to mend my old
socks. but like Diogenes's search for an honest
man. my search has so far been unrewarded.
IL Is easier and chea per to buy new clothes
than IL Is 70 find some one to mend the old
clothes for you.
think card parties do not need encourage
mcut. In any Canal Commission hotel any
eveninR I could show Miss Beeks enough card
parties to warm Il gamblers heart. Ne have
bowling contests and basketball games at
least once a week In each clubhouse.
As Miss Beeks cannot be accused OF being
a muck raker OF a yellow journalist, her adj
verse criticism must be attributed to gross ig-
norance a. to the management and mainte-
nance of a body Of $4,000 men. She may be
tanning to wOmen's clubs and sewing circles,
but the canal is beyond her scope. IL took
capable men three years to get things into
their present excellent shape. II the people
in the United States really wish to know
about the conditions on the Isthmus. why
don't they send down a man who has had
experience In construction work and who
knows a good thing when he sees Il?
Finally, | excuse Miss Beeks's distorted
view of things on the ground that she was
unneTved by the sea voyage. and instead of
resting a while after landing she Immediately
began her journeys up and down the Isthmus.
The heat here IL intense, and strenuous exer-
else Is enough to cause mental alteration in
any normal person. II. AUsTIN.
CRIsToBAL, Canal Zone, October rs.