Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-25
THE WORK OF SHONTS.
Operations in the Canal Zone in
the Past Two Years.
SANITATION OF IsTHMus
Yellow Fever Has Been Permanently
Expelled.
RECENT COMMERCE CONVENTION
Important Propositions Upon Which
Agreement Was Archaeological
to Congress for Legislation.
By WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

By WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Herald.
Theodore P. Shonts was appointed chair
man of the canal commission April 3, 1905
a little less than two years ago, and began
work Immediately. Since then q great
deal more has been accomplished than the
public is aware Of. Most Of the time has
been devoted to preparation that was neces-
sary before the actual work of construc-
ton could be carried forward. It was
necessary to create a state and a form Of
government to maintain law and order, to
drain one of the most unwholesome swamps
on the earth's surface and redeem one OF
the most unhealthy regions, so that human
beings could live and work there. The
mortality attending the construction Of the
Panama railroad fifty years ago was ap-
palling, and it has often been said that
every tie in that track represents human
life. The rails were laid in the midst Of
an almost continuous epidemic. During the
twelve years Of French construction condf-
lions were almost as bad. The sacrifice Of
life was almost as great, and as unneces-
sary as the waste Of money for the De
Lesseps company spent more than $3.50, 0O. =
600 and accomplished practically nothing.
All of its work has had to be done over.
1t Is worth while to review what has been
accomplished during the last two years.
The Panama railway has been practically
rebuilt and double tracked for consider
able distance. Terminal yards have been
created on both oceans. The rolling stock
and equipment have been increased by 1874
locomotives. 3.46O cars, sixty-three steam
Sh0velS, twenty-three earth SpreaderS,
twenty-five rapid unloaders, seven dredges,
seventeen steel barges, two tugs, ten cranes
and one pile driver.
The harbors have been dredged and new
h haxv 49, A,,lv
modern machinery, so that the largest ships
can come up to them and be unlOaded with
great speed. 1t is possible to unload the
cargo of vessel every five days.
Sanitary Improvements.
The city Of Panama has been paved, sew
cred and supplied with an abundance Of
fresh water. Two years ago 1t had neither
pavements nor water supply. 1t was a hot
bed Of disease. Today 1t is the best paved,
the best watered and the best severed city
between the United States and Chile and
the Argentine Republic.
Colon has been paved with vitrifed brick
and crushed rock. and has been made as
healthy as its low location will permit.
Colon has been given reservoir contain
ing sos 600 gallons of fresh water.
Yellow fever has heen drivnn perm nnntly
from the isthmus. That, MI. Shonts thinks
Is the supreme achievement; tor ourteen
months there has not been a single case
among the $4,000 employees.
The mosquito pest is being rapidly ex-
terminated. -.
The canal zone Is as healthy as New York
city. During the most unhealthy period of
the year 1905 In the rainy season, August
September and October there was not one
death from disease among the 5000 white
Americans, including 100 women and
children.
Five towns have been built. one of them
lot fnv, 49, x
with every modern improvement. It stands
where year and a half ago was an Inn
penetrable jungle.
In each of these towns are club houses
recreation buildings, libraries, buildings
available for religious services, mess halls
where the employees of the government may
take their meals at cost prices comfort
able barracks In which they sleep, and
comfortable houses for the accommodate ton
Of families.
Immense Construction Plant.
The greatest construction plant ever known
has been created at a cost of $4,000 600
Every piece Of machinery, every locomotive
and car, every labor-savng continuance
had to be set up and tested in this coun-
try, then taken apart. transported 1000
miles by sea and set up again before it
could be put to use. To do this vast ma
chine shops had to be erected, equipped
with all forms of modern appliances and
several thousand machinists employed.
Every foot of lumber. every tool. every
nail, every pound of paint, every bit Of
plumbing material every piece of furniture
and almost every article that is in use on
the isthmus by those who are digging the
canal had to be brought 1900 miles,
Nearly every ounce of food consumed in
the canal zone during these two years has
been carried from the United States In re-
frigerator steamers and distributed by them
along the line of the canal daily from re-
frigerator cars. In the mess house meals
are furnished to the higher grades of EN-
ployes at 80 cents each and to the common
laborers at 10 cents each. Recently how
ever, the government has undertaken as
sanitary precaution to board the common
labOrers, and is furnishing them three hot
meals of nourishing food per day Chief En-
gineer Stevens believes that this will in
crease their efficiency, and DR.. Gorgas is
confident that it will increase their bower
to Withstand disease.
Up to the LIST Of January, 1907, $50, 900. 600
had been spent. $4,5OO,OO0 in sanitation and
600 in the construction Of quarters and other
buildings, railways, docks, wharyes water
works, etc; 81, 100000 in permanent ma
chinery and construction plant, $4,000, 900
In material and supplies, and 81 500 600 in
sewers waterworks,' paving and other inn
provements in Panama and Colon, which
will be ultimately refunded to the govern
ment
The Foreign Commerce Convention.
Many people think that the convention
which met here last week to discuss WAYS
and means for extending the foreign COM
merce of the United States was the most
effective gathering that has been held In
this city for years. 1t certainly accom-
plished several important results. We have
many conventions in Washington, but most
of them end in talk The foreign COM
meree' convention brought more than 800
delegates from every state, territory and
insular possession. and most of them were
substantial business men. Notable ad-
dresses were delivered by President Roose-
welt. Secretary Root, Secretary Straus,
Speaker Cannon and others. The most
notable incident was the Endorsement of
the European plan Of customs tariff with
maximum and minimum rates by the Presi-
dent, Secretary Root and Speaker Cannon.
Secretary Root is an earnest tarin re-
former Speaker Cannon is an extreme
'standpatter," and yet both declared in
favor of that method of dealing with our
foreign commerce; to offer low rates to
countries that are willing 10 ,,es ~,