The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-24
Thinks No One Can Safely Fore. tell it's Success or it's Fail ure-Tt is Prob.
 lematical.
HIGH PRAISE FOR STEVENS
Yale Professor Emeritus Says He Found Sanitary Conditions at Panama of the Best-Not
 VI Unhealthy Place.

The greatest undertaking of the cen- tury! In just those words did Profess. sor Thomas R. Lounsbury character- lze the monster canal project the gov. ernment is putting through at Panama. Professor Lounsbury arrived here from forty-days' trip to the canal zone last Wednesday night. He was asked what his opinion was of the practica- bility and advisability of the canal, especially in view of The Journal Courier's recent interview with former Chief Engineer Stevens which was copied all over the country, and he was free to say that he did not know.
 T know as much as anybody about it," he said, 'and in my opinion there is nobody who knows whether the canal will be a success or not' He said he heard nothing but the highest praise in the canal zone for the work Mir Stew ems accomplished when he was there. Furthermore, he said he thought he ought to correct one erroneous belief that has become widespread, namely that the canal zone Is nothing if not death trap. He said he found it very healthful place. Sanitation Is looked after bys government officials and nothing better could be asked for. Professor Lounsbury said he found liv- ing cheap at the canal and gave many instances of where meals and board had been obtained by him at rock-bot- tom prices.
 Professor Lounsbury was seen at his home at P Lincoln street last evening. where since his retirement from active duties as professor emeritus of Yale he is busy every day writing and read- ing. He led the way to his book-encir- cled library and seated himself upon a couch. where a moment later his faithful dog came to him and planted his fore-paws affectionately in his lap and looked admiringIy up into his nlas- ters face as he told the story of his recent trip south.
 T might as well say right at the very start" began the professor, that I am glad to see such a rainy day as tl:is one is. During the forty days that was gone from New Haven I didn't see it rain once. You may think that would seem delightful, but 1t isn't At Panama and Colon 1t Is nothing but sunshine and soft trade winds from one days end to the next in the dry season. Of course I do not know anything about the wet season. It may of course be much different then"
 The professor explained that he was at the canal twice. once on his way south and once on the return, for ho went as far as Trinidad and the Bar bados. At each stop he was at the canal two and half days. On the way south he reached Colon, he cx- plained on February Is: He made tn 3 trip across the isthmus on the railroad to Panama but did not see any of the officials to talk to. He did talk with many of the employees however. and he said he could testify with assurance that every one of them was full of the greatest enthusiasm. He said they all expressed the greatest satisfaction with the work and the greatest hope for the future of the prospect
 Professor Lounshury said he under stood that when the French company was in possession at the canal the most I unhealthful conditions prevailed At that time men died of almost like flies. Conditions were awful. But since the United States government has been there the government engineer took charge of the sanitary conditions and made a good job of it so that to-day the whole canal belt is very healthful
 (Continued on Second PareO