The Appeal., 1910-06-04

"A10o eSpndlIu1n Ior many years and as It
vas necessary to ship the products of their Cali.
oTnia refneres across the continent or around
ne horn IN order to get them to the market thew
teclded TO lay pipe line across the isthmus and
'end the crude oil down the coast from California
NJ tne1r steamers and then up the Atlantic coast
NEW YORK or Philadelphia, where it could he
refined. w
The laying of the line and construction If the
pump stations was intrusted to Mr. R. W. Fem
A. ,. Z. ~, who had not only been with the COM
'ahy Tor many years, but had also lived in num-
Der OF the South American republics and was ac
:ustomed to the health conditions and to handling
aatlVe and Jamaican labor. Six months time
vas given the company under their concession
rom the United States government dating from
january 10, 1906 Mr.. Fem was given about so
minutes to get ready for the trip and reached
view York in time to take the boat sailing Febru-
Ty T. lsoo tor Colon, without men plans but
With plenty of money.
On April 16 the pipe laying was commenced
ana the line was completed on October 16-six
months to day-but the time had been extended
oy the government in order to allow for prelimt-
lary arrangements. Mr.. S. T. McEfresh of Pitts.
ours Pa, was In Immediate charge Of the pipe
aylng 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 Worthlessness Of Jamaican laborers that
The laying of this pipe line was an object lesson
IN the subject The gangs contained EACH about
~ men and were divided into sections. First
came the "brushers," cutting all the grass and
brush, followed by the "stringers," who laid the
pipe in line end to end The next division re.
moved the thread protectors and painted the
threads with preparation of oil and graphite
Inc plpe-laylng gang proper consisted of the men
who handled the lifting jacks, jack boards and
chain tongs, five men on each of four pairs of
extra heavy longhandled lay tongs. Another sec.
ton lifted the next joint with pick.ups and the
pipe steerer lined it up that the thread would
enter properly while the joint was twirled by the
friction of 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. r
The foreman then sat astride the collar and
beat time with his hammer, while the tongsmen
"oroke 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 a 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 were properly carried out
by the foremen.
AS the Jamaicans simply great, overgrown
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, welltrained gang be scattered in
two days by foreman who has mean streak
in him and lets 1t crop out
1t Is also necessary to make each man repeat
every order before sending him to do anything,
in order to be sure he understands as their intel
lect is not well developed and they are so anxious
to please that they will always answer, "Yes,
sah," and start of without knowing what they are
going to do
1t is hard to realize all Of the difficulties which
presented themselves during the work. The Pa
mama railroad was in the act of double tracking
its line and canal construction was going on ev--
erywhere. Steam shovels were at work in various
places on both sides of the railway and tracks
were being shifted and plans being constantly
changed all along the line There was no wagon
road across the isthmus and it was necessary to