Omaha daily bee., 1912-05-26

azines. Seventy-five OF the best periodi-
Gals and journals are taken. and one can
find everything here from science to fic-
ton. As to the writing tables, 1000 let
tiers are sent out from this room every
month and from the seven chibhouses
5000 or 1000 are mailed home In that
time.
In the Billiard Room.
But let us 60 to the other side Of the
hall and enter the billiard room. Every
one Of these clubhouses has billiard ia
bles and cues. The game keeps the men
out Of the poolrooms OF the saloons, which
were nightly filled with employees before
the clubhouses were started,
The members pay % cents an hour for
the use OF the club tables. They are
good players. too and they have billiard
tournaments Saturday nights when the
men come In crowds to look on. II YOU
would know Just how popular this form
OF amusement is would say that 1000
pool games were played here at Culebra
last month and that a similar proper
ton was played at the other clnbhouses.
The canal commission and the Young
Mems Christian association believe that
pool and billiards are good exercise. and
they encourage them. In the meantime
the patronage OF the poolrooms OF the
saloons has fallen to nothing. There are
a dozen such in Culebra and ! could not
find more than couple of employees in
any Of them.
Base Ball and Bowling.
Among other popular amusements here
are base ball and bowling. Every club
house has its bowling room. and there
are bowling clubs. which contest with
one another There are bowling tourna-
ments. in which the most expert tenpih
men of the different canal settlements
come together and compete and there are
duckpin tournaments as we'll. There are
also weekly meetings at the various
towns. where the best duckpin men and
the best tenpin men compete, and 1t Is
impossible 10 appreciate the rivalry as
to such matters.
Every settlement has its base ball
clubs and there is also an isthmian
OF Culebra and Empire play each other
several times every season. and it is the
same with the other towns along the line.
Every place has its own team and rs
regular days Of practice. and there are
athletic meets. which are attended by the
expert gymnasts from all parts Of the
isthmus. At these meets the program
1 ao1R h. r,atIa
run. the relay races. the shotput and the
pole vault. The prizes are medals OF
gold. silver and bronze. and the compet!-
tors are not only from the employees on
the canal. but from the infantry and
marine corps stationed here on the zone.
Concerts and Minstrels.
But there Is show going on now in
the hall overhead. Let US go up. We find
back a troupe Of amateur Ministries Is
holding a performance. The men are
canal employees with BACKED faces. They
look ike the old-time minstrels Of the
United States. and do not wear satin suits
as In the new-fangled shows Of today
The Jokes contain many hits on local
matters. and bring down the house.
These minstrel shows are gotten up by
|. the secretaries Of the clubhouses, who
hunt out the best actors and bring then
together. A popular troupe will go from
town to town. until It visits all the zone
] settlements.
! The band. which is playing tonight be
longs to the Tenth infantry. Next weei
} the music may be furnished by the ma
. rines. or by the band Of the isthniar
canal commission. The latter Is SUP
ported by the government. which spend
something like $1,000 a year for musk
-alone The canal commission band give
concerts all along the line OF the zone.
Among other features Of the dubious
! entertainments are moving picture shows
! the machinery and films Of which ar
I sent down from the states. These ar
free to the members OF the clubs. but out
, siders must pay s cents for each admits
sion. The pictures are carefully censore'
and the men often bring their wives an
r daughters TO see them
And then We have many lectures at tn
n clubhouses. We have frequent public de
: hates and also high class musical enter
tainments. Last year there was Al
q operate carnival made up Of amateurs
4 which played the various canal settle
: ments. and the oratorio. The Holy City.