Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-04-04
SCOTT SAW CANAL
The Kansas Congressman Grows En-
thusiastic Over Results Already !.
Attained in Panama.
WORKERS ARE CONFIDENT


Il
Kansas City, March 2o.-Represen
tatiye Charles q. Scott Of lola, Kan.
member Of the congressional com
mittes that has just returned from
a trip to the isthmus, delivered I
speech Thursday evening before thu
Young Mems Republican club in Kan
sas City, Kan, on THE Situation In
Panama." in the course of which he
said In speaking Of the Panama
canal:
THE first strong impression an
American receives on visiting the
Isthmus of Panama, particularly II he
starts from Washington where the at
mosphere touching the canal has been
extremely optimistic of late, is the at
mosphere Of confidence that at once
envelopes him The congressional
party with which was associated
had not been at the dock at Colon
long before they realized that the at
mosphere was simply charged with
optimism and confidence. Not the en-
gineers only, but the men who are
engaged in conducting the work talk
with absolute assurance Of the sue
cess of the great enterprise, admit
ting no more doubt that the canal
will be built than they are living to
help build it. There was an air OF
exultation about these men, also, as
If they had a feeling Of pride in be-
ing associated with the gigantic pro-
ject which their country had under
taken.
The second strong impression the
visitor received is that the canal zone
has been taken out Of the tropics; that
1t is no longer part of Central Amer
lea, but a part of the United States.
This is due largely no doubt to the
intense activity everywhere In evil
dence throughout the zone. Riding on
a double-tracked railroad, with trains
gathering by every few minutes, hear
ing at short intervals the boom Of
dynamite blasts, riding through camps
where thousands Of workingmen are
busily employed; inspecting great ma
chine shops, resounding with the din
Of acres Of whirling machinery, one
finds 1t hard to believe that he Is in
the sleeping tropics.
Another thing which strengthens
the impression that the isthmus has
been taken into the temperate zone is |
the perfect sanitation. The city of
Panama, little while ago veritable
pest hole, is now as clean and well
Kept and as wholesome town as is to
be found on the Pacific coast Of either
continent. Work has not progressed
10 far at Colon, but 1t is under way.
Between these terminals health con-
litions are just as perfect as re-
searches Of modern science, backed
" unlimited resources, can make of
hem. The men Of the zone do not
ak Of the germs or climate or health
my more than we do here In Kansas.
dany Of them who have been there
wo years or longer declare they have
ever been sick day, and expect to
emain indefinitely with no apprehen-
ions Of a break down.
We were there, Of course, In the
ry season, when everything puts on
IS most favorable aspect, and yet the I
American residents told us i
nat conditions In the dry season were
OF materially different as far as San Z
AIRY conditions were concerned. In I
le five days no one of our party felt {
r saw or heard a mosquito, SO thor I
ughly has DR.. Gorgas done his work O
graduating the yellow fever car s
er. =
The dirt is flying at a rate closely /
pproximating 100000 cubic yards
month, and that means that, SO far
J the excavations are concerned, the
NIX Of the work should be done in Z
I or seven years. The construction o
the great dam at Gatun, and the Q
Hiding Of the stupendous locks prob Z
Wy will protract the period Of COM a
elton. b
The men on the works however, n
ally seem to believe that II av- Il
ything goes right the canal should q
} finished within seven years from :
IL date.