The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-02
CANAL EMPLOYEES
ARE WELL TREATED
Chronic Directors Have
Small Cause for Any
Complaints.
Continued from First Page)


charge electric light. furniture. coal for
kitchen stoves, distilled water and med
ical service Ice is furnished at 40 cents
hundred-exactIy what it costs the
commission to deliver 1t. To make his
home completely equipped. the married
man has only to buy his bed linen and
kitchen utensils
The subsistence department has It's
headquarters at Colon. There is to be
found a refrigerator and ice-making
plant OF immense proportions: a bakery
which turns out loaves Of bread faster
than visitor can count them, and a de-
partment store which in size and quail
ity OF its stock would do credit TO a
metropolitan city.
ENly every morning morning a spe-
cial train OF twenty cars pulls out of
Colon bound for Panama It is loaded
with supplies Of every description. but
principally with foodstuffs. At every
station along the line Of the canal sup
plies are unloaded- Po what advantage
a housewife on the isthmus can supply
her table Is easily demonstrated by
quoting few Of the prices fixed on
staple articles by Major Wilson, in
charge OF the commissary department
A Few Prices.
Porterhouse steaks are sold for q
cents pound; leg Of mutton. 10 cents:
: onions, ~ cents a pound; bacon is
bought by the Government at % cents
a pound and sold for 3 cents Within
q short time bread will be sold for
cents loaf, which. by the way. is three
ounces heavier than the usual scent
loaf in the United States As a general
proposition, an effort is made to add 10
per cent to the first cost OF the goods
TO take care of overhead charges.
freight. loss, and damage.
In many instances, however, il is not
possible u do this. Meat is frequently
sold at an actual loss, as are also butter
and eggs TIC make UP for these losses
prices on Injuries are increased. but
even with the increase they are sold
cheaper thcn in the United states. This
is possible because the Government BUYS
ia such large quantities that even with
a charge TO take care of all expense in
cioeut 10 handling the price to employees
is far below the retail prices In the
United States.
The markets of the world are opened
70 commisSary department and goods
are brought into the Canal Zone free of
duty. On such nigh grade articles as
Irish linens the goods are sold to the
actual cost.
Tobaccos are sold at an advance OF
one-third over cost. and the percentages
decrease in proportion 70 the necessifv
OF an article in the average household. I
When President TAFT was Secretary of |
War in active charge of the canal he
ordered that supplies be sold at a price /
which would reimburse the Government ]
for the first cost, handling, and the cost
OF the plant AT Colon AT that time in /
was estimated that il would be neces- /
per cent above cost.
Experience I'm the commissary depart /
ment has demonstrated that q is posi- !
ele to supply the employees with food /
and clothing
Tafts instructions at prices which aver
axe only per cont above cost. Just
how closely the commissary sells his 4
goods is demnHs; -ated by The financial /
statement of that department for the I
last quarter on a business OF s. 300 900 /
the profit was only $1,000. This was /
used TO hquidate the debt Of the plant [
When this debt is wiped out the canal /
employees Will be able TO buy their sup
plies still cheaper
Despite the efforts of the ,3mmissary
department. 70 give the lmuloyrs The /
bet that money can buy ;ke .aI,al zone \
Is no place for an epiCure Ono must
forfeit the good old-fashioned breakfast 3
or bacon and eggs. unless he has learned
70 eat the cold storage variety pasI
dents on the canal resort % various
expeolents 20 make the eggs palatabIe {
occasionally you see man adding some
vinegar ana drop Of tObascO 10 his /
soIt-0oled eggs. His neighbor al "A
neeI Dy table uses mustard IN hts eggs
MIX Is commodity 3Eich can he mr.
A.
1--WE dairy ulen charging 50 cent, sfI,-er-
loT quart Consequently. eN-ar,crafed /
cream anJ condensed milk mixed lin
water are Used instead Of the roaI ,rti
Gle Al home we are accustomed 70
use wet sponges 10 keep our cigars
Climate Conditions.
In Panama electric lights are l,o,,+
burning In cigar cases TO keep the to-
oacco from becoming too wet. II ig he
cause Of such conditions as these. dro
almost entirely 10 climate conditio1g
that complaints are heard from Amer
leans.
The government does not rest content
with ms6ing IT'S workmen comfortable
n his own home. He furnishes. In ad-
oluon, many privileges which in INC |
states would require the expenditure OF !
money Churches and pastors are fur- /
nished; members OF fraternaI orders are |
provided v.6h lodge rooms: Y M. g. /
AS are erected and maintained bv the !
government. an ANIMAL fee of SO beine |
used 70 by periodicals, furnish vaude-
vie performance. etc.
. Twice each month the employees are
Furnished with trip passes over the !
Z HnGTnF. railroad NNhrnnvroFs /