New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-29
Aside from Canal Zones Present
Attractions There Is the Glamour
Of Its Historic Past.

When Balboa Slashed his way through
tropicAl Jungle 10 the Pacific in September
1913. little ground could there have been
for prophesying that four hundred years
later curious tourists would travel the
same route by steam railroad along an
artificial canal built by a government then
unknown. Yet such has been the history
Of civilization in new world whose as
coverer. CristObal Colon. died in Spain,
unnaindful of the fact that he had discov-
cred a new continent. To-day dozen
steamship lines discharge their human
cargoes from two oceans and send them
along tour OF observation of one of
earths greatest monuments.
After a pleasant trip from New York
or New Orleans the American traveller
lands at colon. from which he takes the
first train for the Pacific Coast. At Pan
anna, on the other side. tourists from San
Francisco receive delightful first impress
slons OF the canal route Tourists i'm
rediately realize that their interest in the
Panama Canal must not bind them to the
fact that the isthmus has past The
u
Porto Bcllo. on the Atlantic side. that
Columbus landed in 1892, on his fourth
and last voyage Through the isthmusf
luxuriant forests Balboa cut his way
to the Pacific. and here Sir Henry Nor
gan, the bloodiest aud most picturesque
OF all the. pirates that swept the Spanish
Main. burned and sacked the wealthy
towns built by Spanish conquerors from
spoils wresteA from the savage Indians
ATTRACTIONS OF cULE6RA.
AT Culebra the visitor finds attractive
homes. gorgeous gardens Of wonderful
orchids, good roads. q cheerful hotel and
one Of the many comfortable clubhouses
which line the Canal Zone. Colonel
GoethsIs lives here in a pleasant house,
with wide verandas, which is happily
situated on the foothills OF the Cordn-
leras. Here. also. is the administration
building, perched on the top of Culeora
Hill. where the visitor will find system
dr. perfect as that of any private corpora
ton IN the United States.
The residents of Culebra arc principally
Americans-some Of the five thousand
who have suddenly been transplantcd
from all sections of the United states
10 the heart OF tropical jungle. Here
they had to meet a plague that even the
genius Of Colonel Gorgas could not con-
;rol This was homesickness. The SAN
itary department might wage desperate
and successful warfare against the steg-
omyia and anopheles mosquitoes, but
nostalgia continued to claim its hundreds
OF victims monthly The remedy was
amusement. So. Just as the government
had been forced TO maintain a commits
sary department, It was compelled to go
into the amusement business.
Y. M. C. A. EXPERTS RUN CLUBS.
Clubhouses were built at Porto Bello,
Cristobal. Gatum. Empire Gorgona. Guile
bra and CorozoL They were fitted with
billiard rooms and bowling alleys, with
wide, well-screened piszzas. dining rooms
and comfortable reading rooms and "
brariss provided with current magazines;
Panama. unlike Colon, at the other end
Of the canal. is city with atmosphere.
II is pleasant 10 look upon and Of ire
mendous historic Importance No other
settlement in the Canal Zone is so cosmo-
roitan, so truly a city. Panama Is the
only place in the new republic of the same
name which has not only colortui past
hut a vivid and alluring present And
the heart Of Panama ls Independence
Sousre, for here centres not only the in
tense religious life Of the community, but
the chief social and commercial activities.
BASEBALL AN IMPORTATION.
Cockhghting attracts as large congre-
cations as the churches and betting runs
high among the frenzie0 spectators. The
American employees have introduced base
ball to the tropics, and every Sunday
afternoon finds we'll contested games be
ing held in many settlements along the
route Of the canal. The negroes from
Jamaica have tried 10 rival the American
national pastirne by cricket, but the Pana-
mans apparently prefer the liyelier
spectacle although they show little in
clination 10 participate in either sport
Theatrical performances on sunday
nights attract the fashionable classes, al
though the new playhouse is more often
closed than open upon week days. The
lottery, however. attracts large audience
10 the drawings. which are always held
upon sunday. Every native store sells
in. tickets, and they are peddled industri-
ouslv upon the streets by crowds of chill
dren.
4 common sight in any Of the fields in
yanana.. near the construction of the
great. canal is a negro boy slowly plod-
ding alonc. stopping now and then 10