Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-06


stalled from one end of the Isthmus
to the other and water for all pur-
poses. bathing and Drinking, for the
majority of the camps. is furnished
Ly four reservoirs.
The water supply grew very scarce
toward the end of the dry season but
the increase In the capacity of the res.
ervoirs will, II is expected, obviate
that inconvenience next year. 1t
Will take year to finish making all
the connections I'm the water and
sewer systems and TO complete the
extensions of pipes TO new camps. but
there VIII be no serious inconveni.
ence.
The water is quite offensive for
drinking unless boiled or distilled.
Electric Light.
The electric light system was com
pleted two months before the time OF
this investigation. some of the camps
having nj the houses wired and arc
lights in the streets. The electric
light plant is to he developed further.
II Is important that streets I'm all vii.
lnges shoulud be so lighted In the In.
terest of morality. There Is no twi-
light and when there is no moonlight,
the darkness Is dense.
The meals which were eaten at the
mess halls for Americans and laborers
waro good. but there was every rea.
son to believe from the testimony
offered that tho majority were ospec.
Tally prepared.
When Col. Cocktails began his trips
or investigation In March the tsstl
mony was ample to prove that the
food Mt the mess halls was bad with
one exception. There was dlssatir
faction because the sum OF s37. 900
was cleared on food last year and
good food was not supplied. Col
Goethals has insisted that ten.ccnt
meal shall not lie sold or thirty
cents. which is the price charged tho
Americans.
The mess houses for American
bachelors are attractive. There arc
separate rooms with table linen for
those who coming directly from work
places who may eat in their shirt
sleeves the tables being covered with
white oil cloth so that shop grease
may readily he washed from It. Dish
es are good, but silver Is of very
cheap grade.
Messes for Common Laborers.
The European laborcrs are fed In
seperatc mess halls. which are splend
IDLY arranged, the dining.rooms con.
tanning uncovered tables and benches
Tor seats. Enamcllcd ware of the nm
pcaranco of granite makes an oxcal
lent type of dishes. Italians Greeks
and SpandiaHls have their tastes con
suited and their favorltc foods nrc
furnished. Meals are furnished nj
forty cents day, gold. They are nj
lowed to take their little bottles OF
light wine. which they are nccustom
ed have with meals, to the mess
halls
The West Indians. until the frs,
OF February, cooncd their own food
In any sort Of fashion, In utensils or
the ground. Mt their barracks. Owing
TO malnutrltion and Illness resultInl
thorefrom, 1t was decided TO cree
cook houses and prepare their food
which is now made part of thei,
wages.
There should he very rigid ex
animation OF food supplies before no
Ing shipped from the United States
IL is inconceIvable that any one shonlc
be asked to drink coffee or to eat
such eggs and meat as are now sun
piled. Ono of the most urgent rec
concentrations is that the Agricultur
al Department be called upon to pro
mote farming on the Isthnus In orde,
TO meet the great ncedd of fresh veg
ctblcs. milk, chickens, eggs and fruit
Almost anything can be grown nor
IN elsthmus. During the dry season
there can be irrigation. No one car
know what 1t means to he deprived o,
fresh vegetables until Obliged to sub
sist upon canned foods altogether
Then an onion cucumber or n rad
ish Is indeed luxury
Commissaries.
The main Commissary is located nj
Colon. and there are local branches
at the largest camps. There arc dry
goods. grocery and laundry depart
ments, an ice plant and bakery in
connection herewith.
In the dry goods department here
was lack of shoes. shirts, overalls
underwear. rain coats and other goods
which woulud be desired by American
workmen.
Shirts and overalls purchased dur.
ing the investigation are of very
'''HNNi 'Aio anu htlCHtulN Illun'
fractured A dress-suit case bought
by man just leaving for his vaca.
ton for $500 was found to he paste.
hoard covered with thin skins. When
he undertook to buckle The strap Il
tore out All would be willing to pay
higher prices than are now charged
TO get satisfactory articles of mer-
chandisc. Good toilet articles are sold
but otherwise II is seldom that any
thing wanted by the employees can be
secured aand therefore they must buy
large quantities OF clothing when TAX
ing vacations In the United States.
inc principal complaint against the
Commissary Department it that meats
are not always received In good con.
dition.
There are two laundlies, one at
Colon and one at Ancon, equipped
with modern appliances. Clothes