Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-08-27
CONDITIONS
At PANAMA
Pres. Roosevelt Makes Public Re.
port of Special Investigating
Commission.
INSPECTED THE WHOLE WORK
President So We'll Pleased with Their
Work That He Sends Letters Of
Appreciation - Report to lie
Sent to Congress with Rec-
OniInc ndatiOns.
INSPECTEDTHE WHOLE WORK

Roosevelt to-day made public report
made to him on August by n special
commission. consisting OF James f}ron-
son Reynolds. Samuel y. Dunnellv and
Henry Beach Necdham appointed ITO
investigate conditions. especially as re-
CARDS labor and accommodations, on
the 1sthmus of Panama
That the President is pleased With
the report Is shown in q letter which he
sent to each member OF the commission
on Friday. The President will submit
the report to Congress with appropriate
recommendations. To great extent the
report Is devoted TO a statistical outline
of the work that has been accomplished.
the work that remains to be done. the
physical possibilities With the equipment
now In use, the number of mon at pre-
sent employed and the railroad facili-
tics for removing rock and dirt.
The commission reports that 1t in
spected the entire line of the canal
ern or Pacific terminus. to Cristobal
tho northern or Caribbean terminus
and travelled through the excavation
several times interviewing the men at
work" In indicating tho scope Of the
inspection the commission reports
that 1t visited the government work
shops, construction plants. ware
houses, shipyards, dredges. commissary
stores, living quarters 1. e. hotels,
kitchens, Camps), schools, club houses,
courts. police stations and the con-
valescent home at Taboga.'
President Roosevelts letter of APP
probation, sent to the commissioners
on August q is as follows:
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER.
"Gentlcmen
Il have received your admirable re-
port upon conditions at Panama, l am
| greatly impressed with it and shall
submit it to Congress with appropriate
recommendations as soon as that body
convenes. Meanwhile shall send your
| recommendation TO Col. Goethals. and
| ask him to put them into effect so far as
possible and where he deems this i'm
| possible or impracticahlo to report the
fact TO me with his re- 81 an naturally
Extremely pleased al the very satisfactory
| showing that your report makes Of
| conditions under Col Goethals and his
associates. I doubt II there is any piece
| of work undertaken on behalf OF the
| American people of recent years OF
which the American people have more
| reason to he proud than of the work
| hitherto done on the Panama canal The
success has literally been astounding. Five
years ago when we undertook the task
no sane man would have dared to hope
for the results which have already beer
achieved The work itself has been ad-
vanced more cxpeditiously than We had
ventured to think possible and the
rapidity Of the rate OF progress has
steadily increased. Meanwhile the treat
ment Of hygienic conditions on the
isthmus has been such as to make II
literally the model for all work OF the
kind in tropical countries. Five years
ago the Isthmus, of Panama was by
word for unhealthiness Of the most dead
" kind At present the canal zone II
one Of the healthiest places on the globe
and the work which Is being prosecuted
with such tremendous energy Is beinf
prosecuted under conditions so favora biz
to the health and we'll being OF TIT
workers that the mortality among then
is abnormally small.
A MODEL. EMPLOYER.
"Finally, in addition TO the extrem
| efficiency of the work under Colone
Goethals and his associates. and the ex
traordinary hygienic success achieved un
der DR.. Gorgas. there is the further an
exceedingly gratifying fact that on M
Isthmns the United States government
has been able to show itself model en-
ployer There are matters to correct o
course, as your representation shows bu
on the whole after the welfare, hcalt
and comfort of those working fer 1t a
no other government has ever done II
work of like character.
again thanking you for your report,
am,
"Sncely yours.
"THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
LETTER TO col" GOETHAIS.
| On the same day the President for
wardcd this letter to Col, Cocktails
"Alv Dear Colonel Cocktails
81 send YOU herewith a copy Of tn
report Of the Panama canal. 1t Is mos
gratifying and congratulate you upo
the showing made. ask that YOU Civ
eect to the recommends tons Of III
commission SO far as possible and tina
whore You deem this Impossible or in
practicable YOU report the sam" to In'
with your reasons
Again congratulating you and IN
whole commission on your really phcnC
mcnal success. ! am,
: "Sinccrcly yours.
, THEODORE ROOSEVELT "