The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1908-11-03
Must Know Personally.

Like the Philippine project and other
great work laid upon him. he has
studied the situation Mt Panama at
close range and trusted to no second
hand information with which TO in
sure his success. There has been about
ninety million dollars expended on the
work to date and Mr.. Taft has had to
approve every dollar OF this expendi-
ture. He has not been satisfied with
a single visit to the sthmus, but has
made the long journey every year so
that he might direct the work more
economically. The result is that he has
changed tn situation there from an m
hospitabe region to locality where
Americans can live In healthful Sc
eurity without the fear OF plaques or
dread OF contagious diseases. The rate
Of mortality on the isthmus is about
the same as 1t is in our American cities
stages of the Work.
Work on the canal has passed
through two stages, those OF planning
and preparation. 1t Is now in the third
and final stage. that of construction.
Roth Of the earlier stages required the
presence OF large working force,
necessarily CHARTERED In temporary and
make shift accommodations. Because
Of these conditions, inevitable at the
outset early critics OF the enterprise
mistook the initial and temporary out
NJ for permane equipment.
ThroughtfuI About Labor.
Mr.. Taft's chief concern has been the
proper care of the laboring man on the
isthmus. Under his patient and ap-
proved methods the terrible scourge
Of yellow fever, against which the
French struggled in vain, the filthy and
pest breeding state of the principal
Psnamanian towns the rough labor
camps. and other pioneer hardships of
the two first eras. have been eliminated.
He has accomplished these things
through the activity OF the Department
of Sanitation, the Department OF Mu-
nielpal Engineering and the Building
Department. To-day we find yellow
fever driven from the isthmus. the
deadly stegomyia mosquito thus rem
dered innocuous, malaria and pneu-
nonia greatly reduced and high
average OF health prevailing
Mammoth Construction Project.
President Roosevelt appointed spe-
cal commission to examine the 18th.
milan situation last spring. and 1t re.
ported Aug. 6. 1908. According to this
special report there were at work at
the Isthmus April 80 1905, o6.11s men
for the Isthmian Canal Commission and
1915 at work for the Panama railroad.
a total of 80, 1913 men all told. Housing
this industrial army In quick time.
with due attention TO sanitation and
hygiene, was a problem which would
have been beyond most men. But Mr..
Taft did II successfully.
TO keep the machinery and tools In
condition, three large machine and re.
pair shops. two shlpyards and numer.
Gus warehouses are maintained. When
we recall that this enormous plant Is
operated at distance OF 1882 miles
from Its nearest base of supply, New
Orleans, and 1918 miles from its main
base Of supply, New York. we can es
innate with more Justice and accuracy
the magnitude and complications Of this
undertaking Mr.. Taft has conducted 90
well.
Worixinxmsa Appreciate Taft.
He has succeeded in impressing labor
on the Isthmus with his kindly inter
est ia its behalf. On this point the spe
cial commissions report says: From
the outset we were strongly impressed