Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-04-13
The CITY OF COLON
And the Trip Up the Coast to BOcas
del TOrO.
Editor Writes of Colon, Panama
BOcas del TOrO and the Great
Banana Plantations of the
United Fruit Co.

For severa. weeks g have been
writing articles descril e of our
recent trip to Panama I'D the
canal. We have attempte Gp de-
scribe the country, the peopl heir
customs, habits and mode of ) Eg,
in addition to the great canal. =
ject, and there is still much m,
that might be written concerning
this peculiar people and the great
Isthmian canal, hut such descrip-'
tions oftentimes become tiresome,
so we will leave the canal zone and
write this week of our homeward
trip and the visit to the great bana-
ma plantations of Central America.
We closed our last article by
noting some of the entertainments
provided for our party, but neglect
ed to mention a reception at the
administration building by Secre-
tary Bishop of the Isthmian Canal
Commission, where We were enter
tanned with additional descriptions
of the canal project, illustrated by
maps, drawings, etc. We were also
rendered a reception by President
Don Jose Obaldia, of the Republic
of Panama. at the presidents palace,
where brief addresses and compli-
ments were interchanged. We were
srieved to learn, upon our arrival
in New Orleans, that he had sud-
denly died, for he was splendid
man, and was doing much for Pana-
ma. These, with the other features
of amusement and entertainment
mentioned heretofore, kept us busy
when we were not out on the line
of the canal. And it cost Uncle Sam
something to entertain us as he did.
For instance, we were informed that
cne morning alone, while we were
passing back and forth through
Culebra Cut, viewing 1t at different
places. the stoppage of trains alone
on sidetracks, ETC., in order to let
our train pass, cost the government
$4,000. This seems a large sum,
but one can readily believe it when
he sees the enormity of the work
and the rapidity with which the
trains are filled, run out, dumped
and returned.
Another thing we have neglected
to mention was the trip out on the
Pacific entrance to the canal. We
were taken by Col. Goethals and his
party by special train to Balboa,
which is northwest of the city
of Panama few miles and
is the real Pacific canal entrance.
Here we boarded a large passenger
steamer and were taken for tour
of the Pacific entrance, out to Naos
Island. five miles. alongside the
great breakwater which is connect
ing this island with the mainland,
near to the sanitarium and the leper
colony, past the big. shipyards,
where the United States is con-
structing two large ships for use
about the canal when it is complet-
ed, and out into the ocean, where
we obtained a splendid view Of the
city of Panama, the canal, Ancon
hill, an ideal site for fortification,
and the many other interesting
points about the Pacific entrance.
Saying goodby to the friends We
had made in the city of Panama,
we departed on our special train on
Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 22d, Wash
ington's birthday. which was a holi-
day on the Isthmus and was cele-
brated by everyone, for our last
trip across the Isthmus of Panama,
on the homeward journey. Riding
across the continent from ocean to
ocean, we were loath to leave the
quaint tropical scenes, the many
types of humanity, the intermingling
of the races, the beautiful foliage
and flowers, the dense tropical jun
gle, and the delightful midsummer
weather of the winter season.
We arrived at Colon, formerly
called Aspinwall, the Atlantic en-
trance to the canal, after a ride OF
two hours and a quarter, and spent
the evening and most of Wednesday
in that city. 1t is a busy city of
$1,000 people, including Cristobal,
which is the American part of the
city, corresponding to Ancon on the
Pacific side. The Washington hotel,
for canal employees, is located on
a point of land facing the sea and Ia
surrounded by cocoanut trees. maxi
ing very attractive picture to those
approaching the harbor by water.