River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-08-11

with special reference to the climate,
and in this connection advantage was
taken of architectural hints furnished
! by the native dwellings. A hospital
of a commodious sort was also erect
ed; like the staff quarters, it has broad
piazzas Enclosed by osquito-proof
wire netting. There are also out
door and indoor bathing accommoda-
tions. In the cooks quarters the boil.
ing, baking and broiling are to very
| great extent done by electricity. The
clubhouse has, among other things, a
| library, some billiard and pool tables.
a game room"-wherein are to be
| found chess, checkers and so forth-a
hall for dances and theatricals, and
self-playing piano which helps to min
lister to the amusement of the men.
The working white force of the new
undertaking consists OF about five hum
dred laborers, artificers and mechanics.
Many of these men had already been
in the employ of the contractors in
conn ection with other railroad con-
struction in the tropics. The green
hands," prior to being sent south, were
given a course OF lectures in regard
to conditions, conduct and the hygiene
necessary in the tropics. Both the re-
cruits and the veterans had to pass a
rigorous physical examination before
their services were accepted. The
moral character of each man was also
subjected to scrutiny.
While there is a percentage Of for
eign-born citizens in the force, yet the
bulk of it consists of native Ameri-
cans, it being the experience Of the
contractors, SO it is said, that Ameri-
cans exhibit grit and stamina which
are not always found in the case of
foreigners.
The present engineering corps con-
sists of about sixty persons, who also
have been selected on the score Of
their ability and experience. The
medical staff includes eight physicians
and twelve male nurses. Special at
tention has been paid to the food sup
ply. Porto Velho, moreover, is practi-
cally dry" town. The hours of la
Dor are, so far as possible, Of kind
whose brevity offsets the drain ON the
vitality of white men laborinA in the
tropics.
The wisdom of all this preparation
and foresight was made manifest al
most from the first. The fact that
the work of the expedition is being
| done under the most trying conditions
does not seem to interfere with the
general good health of the men. Clear
ing virgin tropical forests, laboring in
; teeming swamps or by the side of ma
larial river bottoms, or encountering
, swarms of pestiferous insects and
reptiles, are tasks of trying and even
dangerous nature. Nevertheless, the
total casualties of the force during the
two years that it has been In the field
amounts to only seven, three of which
were from accidents. The percentage
of cases of sickness is equally lew.
and recovery from attacks of fever
have been almost invariable. Out of
all the white force engaged, Only
twenty-three cases of fever have been
reported; this, taking all things into
consideration, is a marvellous record.
AS indicative of the developments
that wait upon the completion of the
enterprise are the changes being mace
at the port of Para, situated on tEe
; only navigable mouth of the Amazon.
Just at present the low-tide depth Of
water is only 1877 feet. But in view
of the necessity for accommodating
the increase of shipping which will
come by reason of opening up these
territories by the Madeira-Mamore
railroad, contracts have been entered
into by the city by which the depth OF
water at the port will be made thirty
feet
And all this is because 1,200 miles
away, little 210-mile railroad will be
opened in 1911. A great port on one
| side of a continent and nation on the
other are awaiting the labors of 600
Americans, who are running steel rails
through tropical forest ten or twelve
| thousand miles from home.
j. FILLMORE BROMLEY.