The Baraboo news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1884-1911, 1907-08-21
E. HALL TELLS OF THE MIGHTY
J TASK NOW UNDER WAY, BY
UNCLE SAM.
No Butter, Meat Scarce, Chickens
High And The Problem of Eating
Something To Worry About.
(From Thursdays Da1ly.l

Vt 1Ou1 huA SOdy 8 OoAAJ't
E. l.. Hall, trainmaster Of the govern
ment railroad at the isthmus of Pana-
ma where the great canal is being built,
is in BarabOO visiting his brother, r..
A. Hall, and his sister, Mrs. Jesse
DolIard, and talks sentertaininglya about
the immense work being carried on at
that place. The government COM
menced the work about three years
ago and it will take at least ten years
to complete the task. Previous to that
time France had occupied the canal
zone but gave up the undertaking.
Nearly all of the work up to the pres
ent time has been in getting the
machinery there, the surveys made
and the other preliminary work done.
Idea Of The Work.
The locks on the Atlantic side will
be 80 feet high and will hold 40 square
miles of water back of them. The
work of eXcavating for these locks is
now going on, 20 and 90-tOn steam
employed by the French were toys be-
side these. After the eXcavating is
done the concrete will be put in and
then it will require three years for the
water to fill the area back of the locks.
1t has been a problem all along to find
place for the earth. All of the holes
where mosquitoes bred have been filled
and many other places, likewise. AS
soon as the locks are in dirt will be
hauled to bank against the concrete in
that region. The 10 square miles
back of the Atlantic locks will be a sea
with many islands. Some of these
will be carried away by the govern
ment.
The Panama railroad is now on this
low land and will be moved to higher
elevation. The region through which
he canal is being built is about as
hilly as the territory around Baraboo.
The highest hill to be cut down is 256
feet high.
A Few Figures.
Here are some facts that may be Of
interest:
Length of canal, so miles.
Estimated cost $14O,O000 900.
Time to complete, 10 years.
There will be six locks, 1000 by 100
feet.
Summit elevation IS feet.
Time for boats to cross after complet-
cd, 10 hours.
Wages At The Isthmus.
The Jamaica negroes receive 81 40 in
silver and the Greeks get $3.50 in silver
or twice as much. Mr.. Hall says they
are worth it. All pay the government
20 cents per day for board. Others are
paid according to positions. The pay
roll amounts to about a million a
lonth, all but laborers being paid in
rold The merchants in nearly all
le towns in that vicinity are Chinese.
No Milk Or Butter.
Milk and butter are unknown at the
Sthmus. There are no fresh vegetables,
in the vegetable line being canned
oods. A hen costs $3.50 in gold Or
800 in silver. They roost high but
Jhen hen lays an egg it is worth 10
,ents. A bunch of bananas can be
ought for 25 cents and pine apples are
most given away.
Such state of affairs with regard to
9ting is largely due to the hot weather
I'd rains. Seven to nine feet of water
ONES down in year. From July to
'acember there is constant pour but
.uring the other months there is less
ld more heat.
Mr.. Hall has a collection of pictures
nd maps of the region which gives
splendid idea of what is being done.
rom Baraboo Mr.. Hall goes to Cali
rnia and Mexico then, back to the
Chmus.