The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-08

up the isthmus- When Uncle Sam
took over the canal zone, with one ex-
ception it was the dirtiest place on
earth Although the city of Panama
is outside the canal zone, our govern
ment has paved its streets, built sew
ers and in many ways made 1t half
way ut for a white man to live In
This one neighbOrly act has cost our
government fully a million and half
dollars. Why the government did It
we can't say Panama, as noted, Is
outside the canal and not a factor of
canal construction. Colon, the At
lantic end of the canal is now under
going a fumigation and general house
cleaning, which will add greatly to its
reputation The filth of this place is
beyond adequate description Where
the Jamaica darby predominates
there the English language must stop,
During the French occupancy Colon
was a veritable pest house and Monkey
Hill. the cemetery.
Over two hundred thousand are
buried here, so says reliable history.
A police patrol would make regular
rounds every morning picking up the
stiffs" that had died during the night
Sometimes as many as fifty poor I'M
fortunates would be picked up from
under the porches, lumber piles and
out of the way places To this add the
army that were dying in the hospitals
and the reader has a fair idea of the
tsthmus as a health resort VIII it
ever be fit place to live in 1t will
be improved, but never can become a
sanitarfum
OF the good things done on the
isthmus by our government, the build
ing OF comfortable quarters and homes
for the army of employees is to be ap-
proved The houses are large and
roomy, well screened. and lit for any
empioye with his family to live in It
Is not best to ask what these houses
.Ir- n
good sized child in the warm climate
of the isthmus, and the American tax
payer will be in luck If the sturdy
child of today does not turn into a
white elephant before many moons
Noting one item it has been said that
enough door hinges were purchased to
hang every door in solid row of
houses from Colon to Panama A half
hotels to the railway station has cost
$4,000, and ii is only ready for the
paving A week spent on the isthmus.
If one were looking. would disclose
condltlon OF graft that would astonish
the hard-fsted taxpayers Of our
northern states In fact, unless a de-
cided change is made. the present gen
Grafton will be IN its grave before
boats pass through the canal. What
viii it cost our government when COM
pleted2 1t is uncertain The original
estimate was about two hundred mil
lions. but more than half of this has
already been expended and the canal
is to all intents and purposes untouch-
ed Conservative estimates by men
ripe in years and sound of judgment
place the cost anywhere from half
billion to billion dollars and the time
twenty years
1t may be asked what has really
been done Aside from the sanitation
and the building Of comfortable quar-
tiers for twenty thousand workmen.
which will probably have to be entire
ly rebuilt before the canal IS COM
pIete. the Panama railroad has been
practically rebuilt and double tracked
and a portion of its alignment
Side tracks and a great
of spur lines have been con-
the latter TO take care of the
dirt when dirt begins to fly.
1t is true that there are a thousand
and one difficult factors to overcome
The labor question IS itself a serious