Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-03-30
HERE FROM PANAMA.
A Gentleman Tells Pilot reporter of
Conditions on the Isthmus.

several years. We use the term 18TH
mus of Panama because the canal
country is more generally known as
that. 1t is in reality the Nicaragua
country. Since the Philippine war, Mr..
Altz has seen good deal of the world,
and consequently visit with him is
full of interest
de enlisted as soldier in regiment
assigned to the Philippines and served
three years on the islands, during
which time he saw more or less of bush
whacking, hardship and danger.
After his term of service had expired
he entered the employ of the govern
ment as a clerk under the military
supervision which has been exercised
over the islands. He remained in this
capacity for three more years, when he
was, through his own efforts, trans
ferred to the scene of canal digging on
tie isthmus. That was in 1905, one
year after work had actually begun.
He has remained there ever since.
The work being accomplished and
the system used by the government will
open the eyes of anyone, according to
Mr.. Altz. The government in this
work up to the present, he says, has
made no mistakes and the stories
which have emanated from sources re-
garding graft being practiced in digging
the ditch" is all wind and nothing
more. Everything moves with sys-
tenn as we'll regulated as is the works
of clock. AS an illustration, we give
our readers the following paragraph
The United States government 8
engineers proiited by the experience of
the French government in macy ways
The DeLesseps company brought to
the isthmus. machinery and crews of
men and began digging, without OBJ
serving any sanitary regulations. The
consequences were that men died in
great numbers of yellow fever and
malaria. This government, on the
other hand, first looked after the health
of its men. Crude oil in vast quantities
was used in ridding the country of the
mosquitoes which swarmed in millions
and spread the two diseases mentioned.
Everything which would tend to make
sanitary and health conditions better,
was looked after. All these precautions
were taken before shovelful of dirt
was lifted. The result has been that
the mosquitoes in large degree have
been driven out, and there are no fever
CT malarial cases among the crews at
work. There is less sickness on the
isthmus than there is right here in Wis
consin. The result of all this work is
that the hospital corps can be main
tanned at very light expense and it IS
unnecessary to lay out plots of ground
for grave yal DIS.
To accomplish all this work and get
the best results it has been necessary
for the government to establish strict
rules and enforce them most rigidly
For instance, law has been provided
which makes it an offense for one to
leave heel marks in the streets of the
towns. For this offense one is fined
| Neither is person allowed to let
anything remain outside over night
which will catch the moisture
Negroes are employed to go around
during the day looking for heel
holes. When any are found they are
filled up with sand This proceeding
looks queer to person up in this coun
| try, but the fact is that heel holes or
| any depression of similar nature are
breeding places for mosquitoes.
The total number of miles of canal to
be dug is less than seventeen, yet the
work will not be completed before 1915
at least. An army of men is employed,
the common laborers being "niggers"
and natives of southern Europe and
West Indians. Most of the Cheap
white trash are Spaniards. The skilled
labor and heads of departments are
people from this country The pine
hour day is in effect Notwithstanding
the vast number of men and the i'm
proved machinery which is used the
work seems to move along slowly, be-
cause there is such vast amount of
work to be performed before the canal
is completed. The ditch is 800 feet wide
and in some places it is sunk to a great
depth, because of mountains, as at
Calabra cut. Steam shovels manu-
factured by the Bucyrus works in Mil
waukee are in operation and great
quantities of dynamite is used in loosen
ing rock and earth. In one charge
twenty-four tons of this explosive was
used-enough to bisw Rib hill up into
Lincoln county The canal is being
constructed so that il will enter a lake,
from each side of the istSmus This
lake is vast body of water, aud it is
the purpose of the engineers TO no.d it
as reservoir from which water can be
drawn in floating ships. To hold this
read so much about has been built
This is a marvellous structure, its base
being mile in thickness. 1t looks
strong ecough to hold back all the
water VI thC uuiNCESCs yet SOutC CHki
neers. who have bad case of sour
grapes because they did not get the
contract, have expressed the opinion
that ii is weak
The canal at present is designed for
lock canal. Ii the government should
decide that it shall be sea level affair,
it will mean the removal of earth to the
depth of $50 additional feet
| The DeLesseps concern, Mr.. Altz
says. performed more work in the way
of digging than has been done by Uncle
Sam. He says millions of dollars of
machinery, much of it never used, Is
going to destruction under q tropical
sun and ust-produciug dews. Weeds
are growing mp around it. The COM
pany is busted" and it is not likely