Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-07-23
e. a. MoEHN, JUST RETURNED
FROM lsTHMus, GAYS ARMY OF.
FlcERs ARE CAPABLE.
GREEK LABORERS BEST
Resignation Of shontx and Stevens,
Mr.. Moehn Says, has had no Marked
Effect In Delaying Work on Big En-.
gineer Feat

'F-N>~~sSSASAS, SAV WSI n ~ kVluk Ou uus
abated though 1t is still In the pre-.
liminary stage as yet" said e. A.
Moehn former Ottumwan who has
Ihe real work Of the canal building
is yet to begin as the task can not be
easily appreciated by any one not
Iamlilar with the country to be ira
versed Or the conditions that obtain
there.
'"The great waterway in many
places conflicts with the Panama rail-
road and the road has agreed to
change Its course where the two inter-
ests conflict and will call this change
of right.of-way the relocation railroad
and run 1t as separate institution"
While visiting here In the city Mr..
Moehn. who Is enroute to his home in
Burlington from the Isthmus of Pan.
anna where he has been employed for
some time on the new Panama rail
road spoke Interestingly of the canal
building work.
Many Men In Charge.
1.-THE work of building this gigantic
enterprise he said is now under the
supervision Of Colonel Goethals Of the
engineer corps Of the u. S. army who
Is president of the Istbmus canal COM
mission and Ia assisted by W. G. Bierd
who Is general manager of the canal
commission.
Aside from the few Americans who
are working on the canal there is q
motley crew OF Chinese, Jamaica ne
groes and Greeks. The negroes pre-.
dominate and 1t is said of them that
owing to their habit Of gesticulating
that IL one would tie the hands of the
negro behind his back he would be
rendered speechless.
The Greek as laborer is the most
satisfactory and excels the others in
general efficiency and Is mot sought
after by those In charge"
The climate Of the canal zone is
quite mild and Is not hot as one Is led
to believe from the many things said
Of 1t by the writer's who have been
treating the sulisct. The temperature
was not over IS degrees during the
stay Of Mr.. Moehn.
Mosquito Busy In Wet Weather.
'The Mosquito of which so much is
said In the warmer climate" said Mr.
Moenn, "is not q r1i't during the dry
SEASON but makes m FOR 1t IN the we,
season. The birds Of which there "a
q great variety do not sting and the
many beautiful flowers that thrive
in the canal zone are devoid Of per
fume. The orchid that Is oftines used
by the wealthy society belle may be
found In great quantities In the forests
growing out Of the stu1nps Of dead tim
Der. 1t is said to be a parasite.
| . y
The plants and vegetables are not
successfully raised there owing to the
insect life that thrive in the soil. Al
though the Chinese raise some vege
| tables, others do not consider 1t worth
the effort to try to raise them.
An Intoxicated Man Rare Sight.
The water is pure but very warm
being kept in reservoirs but the gov
eminent has established ice making
plants throughout the isthmus and
while the price Of ice is SIS per ton
the tourist may have cool water tc
drink or the other beverages to be
found In metropolitan cities. Notwitn
standing that there is a great amount
of intoxicants sold there 1t Is an un
common sight to see men intoxicated
"The exports consists chiefly of gold
copper, COW hides. goat skins, alliga
tors, turtle shells and fruits. The
fruits raised are bananas, lemons, man
goes, alligator pears and the sour sol
| Chat resembles the lemon.)
Need Not Speak Spanish.
There is plentitude Of salt waite,
! FISH and oysters, crabs and shrimp
The Land crab is very numerous and Is
a menace to chickens. There is con
siderable hard wood in the forest suct
as mahogany. ebony, royal and blacl
palms and guaycan. The stores arr
controlled by the Chinese and they
sell silk and many other textiles much
| cheaper than can be bought here. II
food stuffs there is a preponderanct
Of canned goods.
'The idea that one must need know
how to speak and understand The
Spanish language is all mistake al
an American may stay there an indefi
mite period and have no trouble in be
ing understood Or making his want!
1R,Nc anElnnanf pianr