The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-13
WORK STEADILY PROGRESSING
Labor, Well Housed and Cared For, Is
Abundant and Satisfactorily Paid.
Yellow Fever-COmpIetiOn Now Ger
tnin-PIenty OF Labor to Be Had.

but surely nothing In the way OF prepa-
ration was attempted TO deceive a United
States Senator and a few Congressman,
who unoficially. and on their own initia-
tive, left New York on December p for a
personal visit TO Canal Zone for the pur-
pose Of satisfying themselves as TO the
conditions there prevailing regarding the
prospect Of completing the canal within
the next decade.
The delegation alluded to had for its
purpose the Investigation Of the route Of
the canal, the desirability Of a sea level
over lock canal. investigation Of sani-
tary conditions; and they particularly de-
sired 90 inquire into the necessity for the
employment Of Asiatic labor for the com
plction Of the great work.
Everywhere splendid activity and or
ganized industry was manifest The work
of receiving and discharging cargoes from
and 10 the ships was being handled under
American supervision. and in d very eff
Client manner.
AS the delegation stood upon the
heights overlooking the great excavation
called the Culebra Cut, six large, power
e+ 1ASfittA 1AfAf N4G Nt-E ~ NtA ~ IN az DRNA
alton. and four trains. consisting Of TWEEN
ty-five cars each. were being hauled along
the tracks Tor the purpoze Of receiving
the earth and rock excavated by the
shoyels. and carrying it 10 the dumping
grounds provided for it.
If the President saw One-half the ac-
tivity that the Congressional delegation
witnes -ed. he must indeed have been more
than pleased with the progress Of the
work
The canal. when complete. viii enter
the swamps and marshes at the foot Of
LimOn Bay. on the Colon side. a couple
OF miles from Colon. and viii penetrate
the low lands toward GatUn. This little
village is six miles TO the, south of Colon.
and Is the place at which the great dam
is 10 be constructed. The Gatun dam.
over which there has been so much con-
troversy. win be little over COO feet in
length and about Joe feet in height It
will be about onc-half mile thick. and
made up Of the sediment which will be
taken from the canal as IL is being ex-
cavated from Gatun 10 deep water in Ii
mon Bay. This great dam Will impound
the waters of the Chagres River and hold
them IN the form of a lake, which viii
be about sixteen miles long and Of vary
ing width and depth The impounding Of
the waters Of the Chagres into this lake
viii complete the canal TO Bas Obisp0
where the land rises into the rolling hills
which form the base Of the higher emf
nences in the vicinity Of CulebTa-
CuIebra the Greatest Task.
The French company directed the
greater part Of their efforts toward the
cut Of Culebra Hill. and following their
example the engineers OF the commits
sion are keeping steady forces at work
with steam sh0vels and trains Of cars TO
excayate the passageway through these
high lands. but the highest point OF Guile
bra cut is only 80 feet above sea level /
AT Pedro Miguel another dam is con-
suCcJed so IS 70 keep the water IN the
canal at the level of the lake formed
By the GaTn dam. a lock is to be built
at Pedro Miguel. which VIII lower a yes
sci from the eighty-fve-foot level TO the
level of the second lake. which VIII be
created by the imPoundiaS Of the waters
Of the Rio Grande River by third dam
near la Boca. At Ia BOCa two other
locks will lower a vessel. tTaversing the
canal from the lake on the western
slope. To the sea level Of the canal, which
peneirates Gr0m the Pacific Ocean TO the
LII Boca dam.
1t must be apparent to any unpreju-
diced visitor to the isJhmus that il is
only a question Of the continuance OF
the present effective management TO
bring the canal, with all It's dams. lakes.
and channels, TO a successful completion.
ana within ten or twelve years.
Sanitary conditions have been as much
improved under the efficient SUPERVISION
o. DE- Gorgas in the last two years as
has The improvement of American Ma
chinery over the French methods made
progress in d mechanical and engineering
way. Yellow fever has been almost tn
tirely eXtirpated, GHd malaria is begin
ming to be but "a memory. This was &C.
r0mplished by Dr. Gorsas and force Of
80 men. who rebuilt the cid French hos
1itals, moved down the thick vegetation
u the tropics for several hundred yards
On each side of the canal. drained the
lands so as to leave no breeding places
Of the mosquitoes of the malaria and
yellow fever type. poured oil in almost
every conceivable spot where the mos
Iuitoes might propagate, and IN every
way pursued every means for the per-
feet sanitation of the zone. The improve
nent Of the sanitary conditions OF the
zone has made it an altogether desirable
place for American labor to operate sue
THE Canal Zone is under a splendid
ode OF laws, honestly and efficiently ad |
ninistered. The sale of liquor has been
discontinued. and gambling practically
abolished; in fact. no effort or expense /
las been spared to create as nearly -
possible ideal conditions for those en- /
gagged in the building of the isthmian /
canal The welfare of workmen. too. |
las evidently been deeply considered and /
well planned for. Cottages are being
erected for married men who are working
lpon the canal-COttagcs consisting %
.hree anu four rooms and n bath, with
spacious verandas, and well guarded by
mosquito netting. The cottages are 20 be /
part Of the compensation of the better
lass of laboring men. For single men
If the same class dormitories are pro-
-ided containing eight Or ten rooms.
Plenty OF Labor TO Be Had.
THE quantity and quality of labor
available for the completion # the canal
seem to be improving. The chiefs OF
he bureaus and heads of departments. I
IS wen as the foremen upon shc Yarious
portions OF the work, all expressed ats /
action with the quality OF labor that has
ate!y come to the isthmus. and al agreed 1
hat it would be unwise to attempt %
Asiatic coolies for use upon I
lie canal
Chinese coolies being so different from 4
he class of labor now upoa the isthmus. /
ascension and conflict and Gisorganiza- /
ion would surely result. The wages paid I
abor is from 20 TO 80 cents per hour for 1
ordinary work. and from ID 70 G5 cents per |