The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1908-08-24

Henry Beach Needham, regarding
conditions in Panama. The commits
sion was appointed April 25 last ito
investigate conditions and accommo-
dations on the Panama"
That the president is pleased with
the report is shown in letter which
he sent to each member OF the COM
mission on Friday. He expressed
particular pleasure over the fact that
the commission upheld the admins
tration Of Col. George w. Goethals,
chairman of the Isthmian canal COM
mission and the president has had
copy of the report mailed to Col.
Goethals, requesting that the recon-
mendations made by the commission
be put into effect Immediately so far
as possible. The president will SUBJ
NIT the report to congress with appro-
pirate recommendations.
To great extent the report is de-
voted to statistical outline of the
work that has been accomplished, the
work that remains to be done, the
physical possibilities with the equip
ment now in use and the number of
men at present employed.
President Roosevelt's letter of ap-
probation sent to the commissioners
on August 81. is as follows:
Gentlemen:
Il have received your admirable
report upon conditions at Panama. 1
am greatly impressed with it and
shall submit 1t to congress with ap-
propriate recommendations as soon
as that body convenes. Meanwhile
shall send your recommendations to
Col. Goethal and ask him to put them
into effect SO far as possible and
where he deems this impossible or
impracticable, to ship the fact to me
with his reasons. l am naturally ex-
tremely pleased at the very satisfac-
tory showing that your report makes
of the conditions under Col Goethal
and his assistants. doubt IL there
is any piece of work undertaken on
behalf of the American people of re-
cent years where the American peo-
pie have more reason to be proud
than of the work hitherto done on the
Panama canal. The success has liter
ally been astounding. Five years ago
when we undertook the task no sane
man would have dared to hope for
the results which have already been
achieved. The treatment of the hy-
geinic conditions on the isthmus has
been such as to make 1t literally the
model for all work of the kind in
tropical countries. Five years ago
the ithsmus of Panama was a byword
for unhealthiness of the most deadly
kind. At present the canal zone is
one of the healthiest places on the
globe.
Finally, in addition to the extreme
efficiency of the work under Col. Goe-
thai and his assistants and the extra
ordinary hygienic success achieved
under DR.. Corgas. there is the fur
ther and exceedingly gratifying fact
that on the isthmus the United States
government has been able to show it.
self model employer. There are
matters to correct Of course, as your
report showed, but on the whole it is
true that the United States govern
ment is looking after the welfare and
health and comfort of those working
for it as no other government has
ever done in work of like character.
Again thanking you for your re-
Sincerely yours,
Theodore Roosevelt" +"
On the same day the president for
warded this letter to Col. Goethal:
my Dear Col. Goethal:
II send you herewith copy of the
report on the Panama canal. 1t is
most gratifying and l congratulate
you upon the showing made. l ask
that you give effect to the recommend
ations of the commission so far as
possible and that where you deem this
impossible or impracticable, you ship
the same to me with your reasons.
Again congratulating you and the
whole commission on your really
phenomenal success, l am,
Sincerely yours,
Theodore Roosevelt" !"
In prefacing its report the commits
sion says: Work on the construc-
tion of the Isthmian canal has passed
through two stages, those of planning
and of preparation. 1t Is now in the
third and final stage, this being of
construction"
"The terrible scourge Of yellow few
er against which the French strug-
gled in vain, the filthy and pest breed
ing state of the principal Panamian
towns, the rough labor camps and
other pioneer hardships of the first
two years, have been eliminated. To-
day we find yellow fever driven from
the isthmus, malaria and pneumonia
greatly reduced and a high average
of health established"
Of the progress of the work the re-
port says: This year over two and
third million cubic yards were ex-
cavated in each of the winter months. I"
BOARD ADJOURNED