The Cairo bulletin., 1907-01-25
canal OUTCROWS
INFANCY, " SHONTS
CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION
SAYS THAT CREATIVE Pc.
RlOD HAS PAST
ILLUSTRATES ADDRESS
Work On Great Cut Outlired-Townt
and Villages Erected--Batte
Against yellow Fever
Recounted.

NAN as tliy, Jan. Jan. I'll,
Shonts, chairman OF the lsthmia
| Canal commission, was the guest c
honor here this evening at a Dime
of the Knife and Fork club. In a
ILLUSTRATED address he gave a recor
Of the work done to date on the cana
The creative period, declare,
Shons. has come to an end, and tn
period Of active construction has b
gun. AS to the manner in which tn,
creative task has been performed W,
are content to let facts speak fc,
themselves.
In closing Shonts quoted as follow.
from President Roosevelts message
written after the chief executives re
turn from the Isthmus: "The wisdom
of canal management has been shown
in nothing more clearly than in the
way in which the foundations have
been laid
Evolve Broad Policies.
The present commission. during It's
first visit to the Isthmus in July 1905,
decided that a considerable period
must be devoted 10 preparation before
the actual work of canal construction
could be carried forward We had to
create state Certain broad poll
cies Were evolved for the accomplish.
ment of the purpose
These policies have been in opera-
tion nearly a year ard a half, and
during that period the preparatory
work has been virtually completed.
II was so nearly completed within a
year that actual work of canal con
tsruction began in July last as soon
as congress decided upon the type
of canal that we were to build. We
we're working 1000 miles from base
II aupplies. We had 10 build towns
md villages aad to reconstruct ard
,nlarge a decrepit single-track rail-
way, making it a thoroughly equipn-
d modern double tract, system, with
ip-to-date facilities for its operation
or its operation.
Every piece of machinery, every
locomotive and car every crane had |
o be set up in this country, taken |
part and transported 2 000 miles by
ca, and then set up again before they
ould be put into use.
In this preliminary work we have
pent about $2700O,000,
ENterminate yellow Fever,
We have driven yellow fever perma-
city from the Isthmus. That is the
lpreme achievement. For fourteen
lonths there has not been a single
ase Of this terror of the Tropics. The
egomyia mosquito has been thrown
ut of business. 1t is as harmless TO
aalth as the ordinary fly. The only
ay by which yellow fever can return
) the Isthmus is by being brought in
ON the outside, and against this a
gid quarantine is maintained.
Among about 5000 white Amerl-
ms including women and children
l the Isthmus there was for three ,
onths in the rainy season of las n
september and Oc'o- ,
,r-not a single death from disease. \
The Isthmus is a much safer place 4
visit than many parts of The United
ates 50 far as danger from dis n
Sc is concerned. :
AT Gatun there is a village which Iii
IS sprung into existence within forr p
onthr. You viii see al Culebra q q
wn Of 5000 Inhabitants, with 4
odern sewerage system and an
undant supply Of pure water \ q
ar and a half ago the sire Of this Il
~n was covered with an impe1e- s.
ible jungle, with scarcely a sign cf
man habitat.on. A comprehensive /.
IN has been devised whereby the ii
mmi sion. working in conjunction it
III the Young Mems Christian As v
,iatiOr. will mango recreation and o
Ter similar buildings in the chief s.
'or cent rs. All clubs viii be under G.
control Of a general board 10 he Al
ected by the commission.
Has Bachelor Home. IA
The commission now has sufficient Z
ldings to provide quarters for all s.
bachelor employees. In addition 10 q
Sc 335 separate houses and 13
ger buildings have been construct
for married quarters. providing ac- I'll
for 375 families. There q
stl many married men. however "a
whom no quarters are availabl- pl
upon The completion Of the houses pi
= authorized these will be provided 20
II IS con femplated 70 erect a. s.
h points as necessities seem % 'r
uire. plain. two-sioried bu'liings. m
upper floors 10 De f-ted mp as -
ze rooms for the various orie~s 'a
81 stcieties formed or 70 70 formed ~