Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-09-14
Crews Of Vssse's Carrying Ma.
lerIa|s 10 Panama Compelled
to Sleep Aboard.
half THE sFAHEA GET FEVER
Mosquitoes Invade Ships and the Ter.
rlblc Heat Does the Rest-HrltIsh
Captain Tells of His Experiences
and Says Government Should Take
Some Step to Better Conditions.

Masters of steamers carrying coal
steel rails and other materials to
Colon fo' use In the construction OF
tho Panama Canal are complaining
OF the treatment received by their
crows while their vessels arc dis.
charging cargocs in the Cannl zone.
Many shipmastcrs who have made
trips in the Panama t%lde claim that
the negro laborers employed on the
Canal receive better treatment at the
hands CT tho uni,od Statcs nuthori-
ties ut Panama than do the scnmcn
of ships lischarging in and around
Colon.
After finishing their days work on
the big Ditch,' the lahorors retire
To their screened houses provided for
them Ivy the government, where they
NE protected from the attacks OF mos
quitoes and other insects that infest
the Canal zonc. On the other hand
the officers and soamcn of ships dis.
charging cargoes at Colon are com.
PEELED to sloep aboard their vessels
where Mt times tho heat Is almost
unbearable and whore they ae expos
cd TO the attacks of mosquitoes and
other insects.
screened Houses Provided.
In Wilmington, n. c.. Savannah. Ga
hnd othcr southern ports of the Uni.
Cd States, tho authorities do not allow
me seamcn OF ships In the harbors ia
sleep aboa;d their vessels. but, as n
nrecaution against foyer. they compd
we sailors to spend their nights.
hShoro In screened houses erected for
mem by the authorities. In the houses
inc seamcn arc protected from the
hllacks OF fever spreading MOSQUITOES.
Shipmastcrs trading at Colon be,
iieve that the United States govern.
ment should provide screened sleep
lhg quarters ashore for the seamen OF
their vessels. They claim that whom
inc fact Is considered that nearly n
hnif of all of the sailors that 20 To
the Canal zone are stricken with few.
or as tho result OF the attacks OF foyer
spiending mosquitoes and the intolern,
pie heat aboard their vessels at night,
u Is only Justice and right that tho
united States government should take
proper steps to protect the sailors OF
ships that carry the materials to Co.
ION TO- the construction of the Pan.
anna Canal.
a Captains Story.
me master OF n British steamer tina,
recently came from Colon had tho
ioiiowing TO say concerning his cxpar.
renee In the Canal zone:
Ihe treatment received by soamcn
or SHIPS at Colon is little short of in.
human. aN'ived at that city on July
on, ana my vessel was locked ut picl
II Cristobal, in the Canal zone ON
Ausust |, TO discharge her cargo. AS
usu"i my men had to sleep aboard
my yessel, and, although took every
llce"u'ioh 10 protect them from dis
esSu, from inc day my ship was dock
~ up 10 sho't timo ago % OF the 81
r'on III my crew have been down will,
W. Seaincn do not like to 20 t.
me Cahai zone ana no one can blame
them. '''''''
III the people and tho officials q,
tho United States could 500 e,ronc
heaithy men so down to Colon and
come away nothing more than wrecks
OF men, am sure that the government
OF this country, which, believe. owns
me Canal zone, would provide protect
eu quarters on shore for seamcn viii,
tnelr vessels arc In and around Colon
III IS only Justice to the sailors that
s snrn quarters should be provided 70,
. ' ana this matter such quarters
should De provided for them and this
.na''er certainly should be brought to
tle attention of the Isthmian Canal
Washington. '''
~. A Bad Place at Best.
~ rs hest the Canal zone IL n
uspiolapie place, and moe especially
~ ,oinu pier 1t. where majority of
Snips carving cargoes there havo
~ u'seia &c This pier is surrounded
s swamp or marsh. where there
,aoL ' . At night these insects at.
NJ ,,,e l,,en on shipboard for there is
them" VIC i''c'i NON