The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1910-06-04


The company has been doing
large business the east coast in high.grade
standardized asphaltum for many years and az it
was necessary TO ship tho products Of their Cali.
forna retneries across the continent or around
The Horn In order to get them to the market they
decided to lay pipe limo across tie isthnus and
send tho crude oil down the coast FROM California
In their steamers and then up the atlantic coast
to New York Or Philadelphia where it could be
refined
The laying Of tho line and construction of the
pump stations was intrusted to Mr., r. W. Fem
A. $. c. f. who had not only been with the com
phny for many years, but he'd also lived In a mum
Der OF the South American republics and was ac-
customed to the health conditions and to handling
native and Jamaican labor. Six months time
was given the company under their concession
from the United States government dating from
January 10, 1906. Mr.. Fem was given about 80
minutes to get ready for the trip and reached
New York in time to take the boat sailing Febru-
airy = 1906, for Colon, without men plans, but
with plenty of money.
On April lG the pipe laying was commenced
and the line was completed on October 16-six
months to n day-but the time had been extended
by the government in order to allow for prelimi-
nary arrangements Mr.. S. T McElfresh Of Pitts
burg Pa. was In immediate charge of the pipe.
laying gangs, The progress OF the work was
watched with great interest by all who saw IT,
So much complaint had been made by everybody
about the worthlessnoss of jamaican aborers that
the laying OF this pipe line was an object lesson
on the subject The gangs contained each about
10 men and were divided into sections. First
came the 'hrushers," cutting all the grass and
brush, followed by the "strngers" who laid the
pipe in line, end to end. The next division re.
moved the thread protectors aud painted the
threads with preparation of oil and graphite.
The pipelaying gang proper consisted of the men
who handled the lifting Jacks jack boards and
chain tongs, five men each Of four pairs Of
extra heavy nghanded lay tongs. Another sec
ton lifted the next Joint with pict.ups and the
pipe stoerer lined it up that the thread would
enter properly while the Joint was twrled by the
friction of a length of rope passed around it sew
eral times and drawn back and forth until the
pipe would enter no further in the collar without
the aid of the tongs
The foreman then sat astrde the collar and
beat time with his hammer while the tongsmen
broke out'-two tongs up and two down. with
the precision of military drill After the Joint
was in place the painters did their work and put
on the second coat of paint, the first having been
applied when the pipe left the shops TO prevent
rust forming while in transit
An important feature of the gang organization
was the employment of n confidential man, who
spent all his time going from one gang to another
and watching to see that the orders covering the
treatment Of the blacks properly carried out
by the foremen.
AS the Jamaicans are simply great, oyergrown
children, they are easily discouraged by hazing
or injustice and quite as easily encouraged by
jollyng. One may swear at them all he wants
provided he has their confidence and. on the other
hand a big, well-trained gang can be scattered in
two days by foreman who has a mean streak
in him and lets Il crop ont.
1t is also necessary to lake each man repeat
every order before sendirg him to do anything
in order to be sure he understands. their intel
nd hoy mr. 10
tn please that they will always answer Yes
sab" and start of without knowing what they are
going to do
It il hard to realize all OF the dfic lilies which
presented themselves during the work, The Pa
mama railroad was in the act OF double tracking
,ts line and canal construction was going on ev
.~,wbere Steam shoves were at work in various
nlaces on both sides OF the railway and tracks
were being shifted and plans being constantly
changed all along the line There was no Wagon