Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-03
GRAFT IN PANAMA
REPRESENTATIVE RATNEY MADE
A SERIOUS CHARGE.
Asserts That the President and Other
Visitors Got Special Fare
Told Otherwise.

NEW YORK, April 2-Representative n.
I. Rainey of Illinois, after spending eight
days in the Panama canal zone, yesterday
returned here enthusiastic over the progress
made toward the great waterway, but most
unfavorably impressed with the manage
ment Of the commissary department.
A careful investigation of the commits
sariat would. Mr.. Rainey believes, bring to
light scandal second only to the bum
meat scandal of the Spanish American
war" The head Of the department he
SAID today, was overworked and details left
TO suoordinates were carelessly DONE
The chief trouble, he thought, lay in the
fact that meat which left the United States
in good condition and arrived at the 18TH
NUS wen preserved was not met at the
docks. as was supposed to be the case by
refrigerator cars, but instead was leisurely
transferred In temperature Of between So
and 80, with the result that unless served
with strong garlic dressing or gravy it
was unpalatable.
Special Menu for Visitors.
Mr.. Rainey said he would prove that the
lunch served to the congressional party
which recently visited the isthmus and that
was supposed to consist Of the same menu
served daily to canal workers at a cost of
~ cents man was in reality ordered five
DAYS In advance and cost 81. 65 plate. The
stewards he said, were ordered to make
a Dig profit, and shoes that could be bought
In the United States for s. a pair were
sold, the representative declared, at So a
pair.
Beyond poorly organized commissary
department, however, Mr.. Raney said he
found nothing to criticise
Visited Isthmus Alone.
Il visited the isthmus alone" he said
remained there eight days and had a de-
hghtful trip. l inspected that portion Of the
canal where work is in progress and am
well satisfied that the work is progressing
favorably. l did not go in an observation
car, but looked quietly over the ground at
my own leisure The excavations are made
rapidly and the removal of dirt is remark
able. If the work is continued at the rate
now made there is no doubt that 1t will be
finished In five years, and the locks can be
built In the same time. The organization
OF the force in all departments, except the
commissary, is thorough and friendly RI
valry exists between the different gangs in
the excavation work, one trying to Guido
the other. More than 1I5 miles of trackage
is in use and 600 trains move over the road
daily, making it the busiest piece of rail-
road in the world.
Il went through all the cuts by myself
and ate dinners and meals at the dining
halls provided for the white employees, and
also ate meals with the common laborers.
Got More Than 100 Complaints.
THE commissariat is the only ground
for complaint. More than a hundred men
in all parts of the isthmus complained to
me of the food. There is no doubt that
the meat leaves the United States in
cold storage in splendid condition. 1t is
brought down on vessels provided with re-
frigerators and arrives at the isthmus in
an excellent state 1t is supposed to be met
there at the docks by refrigerato or cars. The
heat is between So and 90. The meat is
transferred very leisurely, and this is
where the trouble arises. l have evidence
to show that there has not been a refriger-
ator on the dock for six months. AS
consequence the meat is bad.
Recently a congressional party of fifty
three visited the isthmus, and while there
was served with lunch in one of the dining
halls. The guests were told that it was the
same lunch served from day to day to the
employees at cost of 80 cents. l can prove
that that lunch was ordered five days in
advance and cost 81 50 a head.
Again recently, some members of COM
mercial clubs from ST. Louis and other
served with luncheon in the Culebra dining
hall. They were told that the lunch with
the exception of the cigars and wines was
the same as is served to the employees for
alone cost 80 cents a head.
THE day President Roosevelt visited the
isthmus he was served with 5o-cent meal
find out that it was generally understood
that the President would eat al one of the
dining halls, all were ready for him and
got up an unusually well-served lunch.
Only the Meats Bad.
Il will say that the lunch and ali meals
are well served except the meats. 1 have
orJc -l,p hat INIT
ton has TO be treated with soda and water
before it is cooked in order to take off the
green mold / noticed that all meats were
served with a strong garlic dressing or
gravy, and l found out from the stewards
it was necessary to do this. otherwise the
men could not eat the meat AS it was,
YOU couldn't tell what the meat was you
were eating.
jackson Smith is in charge of the COM
missary department. and is crowded with
work. The details are left to subordinates
and are carelessiy done. | believe that IL
it was investigated carefully scandal
would be brought to light second only to
the bum meat scandal of the Spanish
American war.
at has always been understood that the
object of the commissary department was
to supply food at cost to just cover ex-
penses l have found out that stewards
are ordered to make at least profit of
hall There is no doubt that graft is rife
somewhere In support of this he men
toned also the article of shoes.
Wants Investigation Here.
81 think an examination here in the
states" said Mr.. Rainey, las to the pur-
chase of supplies would develop that there
is graft. 1t is impossible to examine into
the question down there.
''There are refrigerator cars on the 18TH
mus for the purpose of carrying the meats
from the vessel to the cold-storage houses,
but they are seldom used for this purpose
More often they carry live stock across
the isthmus. and then. without cleaning
with the bottom of the car strewn with ma
nure, l have evidence to prove that meat
is thrown on the floor and carried to the
storehouse.
'"These are, perhaps, details that prob
ably no high official is responsible for, ex-
cept that it shows that the commssariat
department is not well organized
Death Of "One-Arm Charlie"
"One-arm Charlie" as jeremiah Murphy