The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-11-14

ton to do so. When an engine came
along, however, he let that pass to
destruction from the simple fact that
he had been told to flag train.
The buildings there which have been
built at a great cost and are as good
as our best ones, will all be torn down
as soon as the canal Is completed as
there will be no one then allowed to
live near the canal except at each end.
The largest city on the Pacific coast
is the city of Panama, and here Mr..
Gould mentioned the fact that the Pa
cific ocean was higher than the Allan
tic. The old city of Panama which
was built great many years ago, was
very unhealthy. In this old city there
still remain relics of churches and
tombs, perhaps a hundred of these
latter, two Stories high These ruins
are near the present city of Panama,
and it is shown from what remains
that the buildings were chiefly built of
rock laid up in lime mortar. In Pana-
ma the trade lays largely in the hands
of the Chinese, although there is one
| Massachusetts man who operates Il
! drug store there. Few of the stores
! have floors. There are no windows
and the door is one whole side of the
building The store keepers there mix
rather anonymously as a milliner may
be located on one side and wine mer-
chant on the opposite side of the sam
room. Fabulous prices are asked for
what is sold ~ remember" said Mr.
Gould, Il went up one evening with a
gentleman and his two daughters and
he paid $12 for something that he
could have bought for s. in this coun-
try. The hotels there as a rule would
be called dirty.
An ice plant is to be built at each
end of the zone and the government
plans to build a dry dock at Colon
and to establish there, stores where
supplies and coal can be furnished
for all vessels. great expense is
going 10 be to fortify the canal
There are now large number Of
troops stationed there.
The Isthmus was first occupied by
the Indians. then the Spaniards
came. They intermarried with the
Indians. consequently Introducing
the half breeds. India negroes then
made their appearance and there were
further intermarriages with the hall.
breeds and Spanards. These things
90 to make up a queer people there
and no distinctive class. AS a whole
they are rather an idolent class OF
people, They cultivate corn to a
small extent but it doesn't grow very
rank, for while the ground seems rich
the crops do not grow thrifty. The
corn there looks like the pop corn
which is grown here. Sugar cane is
grown there some and is mostly chew
ed by the natives. The corn which is
grown there is pounded into meal as
in the old times in our country The
principal business of Panama seemed
to be the lottery business. Old la
dies sell the tickets and crowds are
seen gathered around these women,
( who are trying to pick out the lucky
tickets Most of our party bought
some, but | didn't hear of any one u
them getting anything.
A few oxen were noticed there.
Their modes of driving these animals
was most primitive, the yoke being
tied with strings to the horns. All
the horses there are small ones and
only one ordinary horse was seen,
that having been carried there by an
army officer
Seyenty-hyc feet under ground in
tho cnt. sound logs We're found ano
removed, and no one knew how they
came to be there. a peculiar thing
said Mr.. Gould, lis that the two woods
which grow there, are the two eX-
tremes either the softest or the hard
est varieties
The palm trees there are stripped to
such an extent. that they look exact
" as though they had been painted.
Every hut in which native lives is
built Of sticks stood up on end while
the roofs are made OF grass. In
Yocm ten feet square, probably a
family of 10 would live Mr.. Gould
in this way giving something of an
idea of the conditions of the home
life of the poor class there. The cook
ing is done out of doors and the Con
gresham added that he didn't sup
pose the cooking would satisfy the
Maine woman as he saw it
To Mr.. Gould, how the natives lived
before the Americans Vent there, is
a quandary. He said every cabin had
some cocoanut trees but it seemed
to be the milk of this nut that the
people used there. If You went into
a store to purchase a cocoanut, the
storekeeper opened it with a cleaver,
throwing the meat away with the shell
and gave the purchaser the milk.