davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

than $4,000, 900 has been turned into
the Treasury from the sale of govern
ment property down here. and an ad-
ditional $4,000,000 has been received for
services rendered and material supplied
to individuals and companies.
Everything is watched and there is
nothing too small to be picked up and
cared for. Going through the Culebra
cut Sunday one may see a gang of men
gathering UP the old bits of iron to be
shipped off and sold. and every piece of
old piping is straightened out for new
work. The bad joints are thrown away.
and new threads are made on that which
is left. 1t is the same with brass. cop
per and old rubber. 1t is all saved and
classified to be sold as junk. There is
a car filled with rubber hose and rubber
piping on the side tracks here now, and
in this Is large quantity of worn rope
and wire cable, and also of lead pipe,
steel chains and other material of va
rious kinds.
Walking with Col Devol through some
ting asked as to the effect of the climate
upon the metal cloth. He replied:
This woven-wire lasts only about two
years. 1t then begins to have holes and
we take it off and replace It with new.
New York. where it is sold at fixed prices.
We made shipment last week which
brought in 81 600, and we have sold many
lots which brought more
IT is the same with the galvanized
roofing Some of that on the French
houses built twenty or thirty years ago Is
full of holes. but nevertheless II does for
do not matter. 1t is the same with every
thing. The machines are cared for Us
though they were race horses and every
where economy and efficiency march side
by side
L have already written something about
the labor of the canal. Uncle Sam pays
bigger wages and gives longer vacations
than any other employer on earth. The
men here get from % to so per cent more
than in the states. and they have free
quarters. free medical attendance and
free fuel. They can buy eatables at a
shade above cost and each of them has
six weeks vacation, with his high rate
of pay during the year.
In return for this Uncle Sam sees that
they do their work. There is mighty lit
tie loafing on the canal and during
working hours every muscle Is put to its
highest efficiency. There are detectives
who go about to see If there is any
scamping the job or padding the pay
rolls. and the poor workman is pretty
sure to be dropped.
This is especially so of the men han
ding the machinery. A careful record is
kept OF the amount of labor that each
machine performs. and from week to
week the engineers know Just what every
steam shovel and every dredge is doing.
There is a great competition as to which
machines and which gangs do the most.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

ers. which require twenty-eight white
men and forty-two laborers to operate
them, each do as much work as twenty
six hundred laborers with the necessary
white foremen, supposing the work to be
done otherwise. The dredges are also of
enormous saving in the way of efficiency.
and we have many other machines or
similar economical nature.
X X
I wish I could show you the books that
the government is keeping down here at
Panama. They have a system Of accounts
which shows just what everything costs
down to the lifting of every pound of
sand and rock, to the making of every
cubic yard of concrete and, might say,
as to the labor performance of almost
every man. If the concrete in one d.
vision Of the work Is costing more than
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19
Cruel Realism.

A FAMOUS art expert was talking ar
"A dinner in Philadelphia about some
OF Sargent's cruelty realistic portraits.
Sargent once painted a Philadelphia
woman" he said, land when the work
was finished the Iady's coachman called
for IL.
CAS- the coachman was studying the
portrait Sargent said to him:
"sHow do you like it?'
THE man answered. thoughtfully:
well. sir, We might have made il a
little better lookin', mebbe; but il We had,
ye'd have spoilt it"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

impossible to keep track of them all their
number does not fall far short Of half
hundred. In many cases the honor is
an empty one and the woman upon whom
the honor is conferred has no bond of
sympathy with the regiment which she.
in name at least, commands. For IN
stance the late Queen Victoria was
colonel OF the LIST Regiment OF Prussian
even saw them And certainly never
donned the uniform.
But in many cases the petticoated
colonels are intensely proud OF their posi-
lions, and are greatly respected by the
men whom they command. The Grand
Duchess Olga is striking example She
is the colonel of the Sd Regiment of
Elizabethgrad Hussars. famed far and
wide as the best fighters IN the Russian
army, with the possible exception of the
Cossack regiments. commanded by Alexis.
her seven-year old brother. The uniform
is a beautiful one. and the youthful
grand duchess makes gallant inquire as
she leads her troops on great occasions.
The Grand Duchess Tatiana, who has
Just become the youngest Of girl colonies,
has not yet actually commanded her regi-
ment 1t is a crack regiment, containing
many daring and reckless horsemen,
yielding nothing to the famous Cossacks
in that respect.
If the mother of these two girls. the
Empress Alexandra, took her military
honors seriously, she would seldom be
out of the saddle. for she commands
more regiments than any other woman in
the world. She is colonel of no less
than five. four Russian and one Prus
sian, made up as follows: The 21st Regi-
nent of Eastern Siberian Sharpshooters,
which played a conspicuous part In the
battle OF Mukden in the Russo-Japanese
war. the Regiment of LancerS Of the
Guard, which is named for her; the 5th
Regiment of Hussars. the Regiment of
Crmean Cavalry, and the I'd Regiment
of Prussian Dragons of the Guard. But
if she has ever donned the uniforms that
go with them. She is a woman of deli
cate health, with horror of war and
long-standing presentiment that her hus-
band and her SON are to die violent
deaths. II she had her way she would
abolish all regiments. all warfare, and
even all petticoated colonies.
But it is In Germany that the women
colonies are seen in their greatest pro-
fusion. The kaiser creates them in
patches every time he has nothing else to
do-which is more often than most peo-
pie imagine. The leader Of the German
Amazons IL his daughter, Princess Vic
toria Louise. She does not hold a su-
preme command. however, being only sec
ond head Of the famous Deaths Head"
Hussars. the ID Regiment of Hussars OF
the Guard, which her brother Frederick
commands
Probably no other woman colonel takes
her position more seriously than does the
German crown princess. Intensely fond
Of outdoor life and Of unconventional
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

OUR hundred mill
lion dollars,
That is what the
Panama canal will
have cost when
c o m p j eted. You
need not question
the figures. They
are dead right and
| will give you the
items farther on.
But stop first and
think what 500. :
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19
ROPES BEST TROOPS ARE COMMANDED BY WOMEN OF ROYALTY

quite seriously, and compliments or critl-
cises each after they file past. Some or
them. to tell the truth. have little SYM
patty with their work. and with these
unfortunate royal princesses the war ioro
has little patience
Two of the most enthusiastic woman
colonies in Europe are the kaisers sisters.
the Crown Princess Sofia OF Greece ana
Princess Margaret of Hesse- The former
was the favorite child of the Emperor
Frederick and nursed him during his last
Illness When he was about to Ole ne
called Sofia to him and said: 'That you
remain as noble as you always have
been is the wish Of your dying father
The crown princess is worshiped by
the men Of the Sd regiment Of Prussian
Grenadiers of the Guard. of which she
is colonel Her sister commands the
SOth Regiment OF Hessian Fusiliers. Like
their energetic brother, these two women
are passionately fond of all things mill
tary. The Crown Princess of Greece,
especially, is an authority on the lesser
problems Of the science Of war, and she
boasts a considerable library of technical
books. 1t is said that her father-in-iaw
frequently consults her as an expert on
matters of army organization and that he
prizes her advice above that of many
OF his best officers.
The kaiser's wife commands two regi-
ments. She is colonel of the S6th Regi-
ment Of Prussian Fusliers and also Of
the Hussars of the Guard Of Grodno. a
Russian regiment. The famous Car
men SYLVIA Queen Elizabeth of Rou-
mania who won the hearts of her soldiers
by her devotion during the war of 1877,
is colonel of the I'd Battalion of Rou-
manian Light Infantry Queen Mary of
England, whose thoughts are far re-
moved from the call of arms, is a colonel
of the 9Th Prussian Hussars, the crack
regiment which is in attendance upon her
as an escort when she visits the German
court.
Greece produces the unique case of a
royal woman who holds a high command
on sea- Queen Olga is the only petit
coated admiral in the world. She is a
cousin OF the late Gar Alexander III.
father of Nicholas II. and for many
years she has spent much OF her time and
no little money in assisting Russian
sailors who have become stranded I'm
Athens In acknowledgment of that work.
and also Of the fact that her father,
Duke Constantine Nichoiaievitch. was an
admiral in the Russian navy. the car
conferred the honor upon Queen Olga. In
addition. he gave her the special com.
mand of the armored cruiser Admiral
Makarov. which is her flagship.
What IL these fifty petticoated colonies
suddenly rebelled against man rule and
called their regiments to their aid? In
theory. at least. they command close
upon 10000 Of the best troops In Europe.
Kaiser William. especially, would have a
few warm moments before he collected
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

on the field Of battle, but in drawing
room and audience chamber, and rep
resent the efforts of kaiser and car and
king and grand duke to stand well with
the head OF one of the oldest houses in
Europe.
Princess Eitel Friedrich. wife of the
kaiser's favorite son and the handsomest
and richest of the German emperors
daughters-in-law, Is colonel of the 18th
Dragons, while the Princess Adolf Of
Schaumburg-Lippe commands the seth
Fusiliers.
All these German princesses lead their
REGIMENTS at the annual kaiser paradeG
which are held in August and September
The kaiser takes their military efforts
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

u LoNGEf IS the
G r a n d Duchess
Olga. eldest daugh-
ter of the Gar of
Russia. the young
est girl colonel in
the world. She
has been ousted
from her position
by her sister. Tati-
ana, who. in cele-
bration OF her
reaching the war
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

strange colonel took her duties seriously.
IT seldom turned out to an important review
without its petticoated colonel. and the
sight Of the superb line of stalwart SOL
diers swinging UP with the dowager en-
press Of all the Russias at its head
never failed to evoke wild enthusiasm.
From this beginning grew the small
army OF woman colonels which is now
10 I'd ound In Europe. Although II is
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

lily cut until on the Culebra division
where it is almost solid rock and the
expense is the greatest, the total average
per cubic yard is less than GA cents. while
the canal is less than 25 cents. Does 1t
not seem as though Uncle Sam is getting
the worth Of his money?
The SueZ canal cost all told about $780,
100000 to build, and the original excava-
ton was s0.OOO,0OO cubic yards. The
cost was about SIPS per yard or just
twice what We are paying now for taking
the rock out here at Culebra. This is
so notwithstanding Suez was ditch
through a desert without hill or hollow
where the sand could be shoveled out on
the banks, and where thousands of fell
labs were furnished by the khedive to do
the work at practically nothing day
The Chicago drainage canal cost lit
tie over $35OOO.O0O. and its excavation
amounted to over 1000 900 cubic yards,
of which. however, only about twelve
millions were rock. At that rate the dig
ging there cost an average of SO cents per
cubic yard, or 20 cents more than that
We are now paying at Panama.
1t is only by watching the corners that
Uncle Sam has been able to cut down the
cost Of the work to these very low ng-
ures. You must remember that he pays
the best wages on earth, and that ne
houses his men free of charge Never
theess the cost Is about as low as II
could be on any great work or TINS klhd
almost anywhere IN LHe "Oild AhC iO
duction Is made by stopping every leak
and by using every available bit OF ma
terial The French houses were repaired
and used. Two million dollars worth OF
the French machinery was modernlzeu
and put to work, and every bit of French
SCRAP not in use was sold for what 1t
would bring. The French buildings alto
gether saved us two million doliars, ana
every old French shack that has been
torn down has found place in other
buildings.
Indeed / have never seen so much care
taken in saving the scraps anywhere as
right here at Panama. Lumber is used
over and over again. The buildings which
form part of the Gatun Lake basin have
been torn down by carpenters. and all
the materials shipped to other stations in
the Canal Zone. The windows and doors,
and even the galvanized roofs were pre-
served
Right here at Culebra they are now
moving the buildings in advance OF a
great slide, which is expected. taking in
the ground where the penitentiary stands.
1t will all be bare by the time the
slide comes. In doing such work the
men save every hinge. nail and every
board and stick that can be used for
new construction, and then set the ia
maica negroes to cutting the scraps into
kindling wood for the employees. Uncle
Sam furnishes free fuel to his men, and
kindling is quite expensive.
Indeed it Is wonderful how much Uncle
Sam saves by the sale Of old machinery
The moment he gets through with
machine he disposes OF 1t. and at the
close of the work there will be some
mighty sales of this kind. So far more
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

THE Great Contracts and
i How They Are Let
Do We Get Our Moneys
Worth-The Cost of Panama
Versus That of Suez-Watch-
ing the Corners and Saving
the Scraps-How Men and
Machines Earn Their Wages
Something About Uncle
Sans Bookkeeping.
Copyright. 1912. by Frank C. Carpenterl
Special Correspondence OF The Star.
CI-IERRA Canal Zone, Panama.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

best officer in the many legioned ranks.
When Nicholas l died his widow begged
her brother to transfer TO her the colonel
cy of the 9th Regiment and. although
such thing had never been done before.
King Frederick William agreed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

The 9Th CuirassieTs was the best regi-
ment IA tie Pruss.an army, aud jts
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-19

ST PETERSBURG. May Q. 1912.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-13

sympathy had been expressed. But
most people would rather give Won
their sympathy than lend you their
clothes. Mallory did not mind the
men, but Marjorie dreaded the wom-
en-. She was afraid of all of them but
Mrs. Temple.
She threw herself On the little lady's
mercy and was asked to help herself.
She borrowed nightgown of extraor.
olnary simplicity, shirt waist of an
ancient mode. and a number of other
things.
II there had been anyone there to
see she would have made a most ana
chrOnistic bride
Mallory canvassed the men and OBJ
tanned shockingly purple shirt from
Wedgewood, who meant to put him at
his ease, but somehow failed when he
said in answer to Mallorys thanks:
God bless my soul, old top, don't
you think OF thanking me. ought to
thank you. You see, the idiot who
makes my shirts, made that by mis-
take, and I'd be no end grateful il
you'd jolly we'll take the lOathsome
thing off my hands. l mean to say,
/ shouldn't dream of being seen in it
myself. You quite understand, don't
yOu?"
Ashton contributed a maroon afro
city in hosiery, with equal TACT
If they fit you, keep 'em. l got
stung on that batch Of socks. That
pair was originally lavender, but they
washed like that. Keep 'em. wouldn't
be found dead in EN-"
The mysterious Fosdick, who lived
a lonely life in the Observation car
and slept In the other sleeper, lent
Mallory pair Of pyjamas evidently
intended for bridegroom Of romantic
disposition. Mallory blushed as he &C.
cepted them and when he found him.
self In them, he whisked out the light,
he was so ashamed Of himself.
Once more the whole car gaped at
the unheard Of behavior of it's newly
welded pair. The poor porter had
been hungry for a bridal couple, but
as he went about gathering up the
CASTOR footwear Of his large family
and found MallOry's shoes at number
three and Marjorie's tiny boots at
number five. he shook his head and
grOaned.
Times has suttainly changed for
the wuss. If this is a bridal couple,
gimme Divorces"
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-13
Sally! What on earth ails you ?"

Sally! What on earth ails your"
Been smok-oking." she hiccoughed.
The world seemed to be crashing
round DIR. Temples head. He could
only gurgle. "Sally!"
Mrs. Temple drew herself up with
weak defiance: well, 1 saw you play
Ing cards and drinking"
In the presence Of such innocent
deviltry he could only smile: Aren't
We having an exciting vacation? But
to think OF you smoking!-and a
cigar!"
She tossed her head In pride. "And
u didn't make me sick--nuch." She
cfutched a chair. He tried to support
her. He could not help pondering:
What would they say In Yphip.si-
anti?"
who cares?" she laughed. T-I
wish the old train wouldn't rock So"
r. live smoked too much. too"
said DR.. Temple with perfect truth.
but Mrs. Temple. remembering that
long glass she had seen. narrowed her
eyes at him: "Are you sure II was
the smoker"
"Sally!" he cried. In abject horror
at her implied suspicion.
Then she turned a pale green. "Oh,
I feel such q qualm."
In your conscience, Sally?"
NO. not In my conscience. think
I'll 90 back to my berth and lie down."
Let me help you, Mother"
And Darby and Joan hurried alonV
the corridor. crowding 1t as they were
crowding their vacation with belated
experience.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-13
CHAPTER xxi.
In the Smoking Room.

III tnS smoking Room.
Wellingtons divorce breakfast re-
minded Ashton of a story. Ashton was
one OF the great That-Reminds-Ne
FAMILY. Perhaps it was to the credit
or the Englishman that he missed the
point OF this story. even though Jim
mie Wellington saw it through his fog.
and DR.. Temple turned red and buried
his eyes in the eminent,y respectable
pages of the Scientific American
Ashton and Wellington and Fosd;cl<
exchanged winks over the British rs
stare of incOmprehension, and Ashton
explained it to him again in words OF
one syllable, with signboards at all
the different spots.
Finally CLEAN Of understanding
broke over Wedgewoods face and he
tried to justify his delay
"Oh, yes. of cawse see it now. Yes.
l rather fancy l get you It's awfully
good, isn't it? l think should have
got 1t before but I'm not really N.Y.
self; for two mawnings l haven't had
my tub"
Wellington shook with laughter: "If
you're like this now, what will you be
when you get to Sin san frasco-I
mean Frinsansisco-wel, you know
what | mean"
Ashton reached round for the cleo
trio button as If he were conferring a
favor: "The drinks are on you,
Wedgewood. I'll ring" And he rang.
"Awf'lly kind of you," said Wedge
wood, but how do you make that
Out?'
The man that misses the point,
pays for the drinks" And he rang
again. Wellington protested.
But I've jolly we'll paid for all the
drinks for two days"
Wellington rOared: That's another
point you've missed" And Ashton
rang again, but the pale yellow indi-
vidual who had always answered the
bell with alacrity did not appear.
where's that Internal buffet waiter?''
grumbled
WedgewOOd began TO litter I'VE
We're out of Scotch, so l sent him for
some more"
"When?"
1.-TWO stations back l fancy we
must have left him behind"
We'll, why in thunder didn't you
say SOP" Ashton roared.
1T quite escaped my mind Wedge
wood grinned. Rather good joke on
you fellows, WHAT"
well. don't see the point" Ash
ton growled. but the triumphant Eng
lishman howled That's where you
pay"
Wedgewood had his laugh 10 him
self, for the others wanted to murder
him. Ashton advised a lynChing. but
the conductor arrived on the scene in
time 10 prevent violence.
FOsdick informed him of the ire
trievable loss of the useful buffet wait
or The conductor promised TO get
another at Ogden.
Ashton walled: Have we got TO
sit here and die of thirst till then?"
The conductor refused to back up
for COON" but offered to send in a
sleeping-car porter as temporary
substitute.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-13

The parson made a sprint anu
caught the ultimate rail of the moving
train. Mallory made frantic leap at
a flying eoat-tail and missed. AS he
and Marjorie stood gazing reproach-
fully at the train which was giving a
beautiful illustration of the laws of re-
treating perspective, they heard wild
howls OF Hi! hi!" and "Hay! hay!"
and turned to see their own train in
motion, and the porter dancing a
Zulu step alongside.
The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-13

Jimmie huttered, What on earth ais
your She turned to the doctor. "Is
he going to die?"
Il think not" said the doctor. Its
only a bad case of cinder-in.the-eye-
tis."
Thus reassured, Mrs. wellington
went into the patients eye with her
handkerchief. "Is that the eyer" she
asked.
mol" he howled, "the other one"
She went into that and came out
with the cinder.
There! It's just tiny speck."
Wellington regarded the mote with
amazement. "Is that all? 1t felt as il
l mad Pixies Peak in my eye" Then
he waxed tender. "Oh, Lucre.:a. how
can l - er-"
But she drew away with a disdai in
ful; Give me back my hand, please. -
NOW, Lucretia," he protested
don't you think you're carving this
pretty far?"
Only as far as Reno" she answered
grimiy, which stuns hin, to .,;o.,:
oud better take the BEAN OF. cf
your own eye, now that ycU've taktl
the clnder out Of mine," but She. not
ing that they were the cent er Of inter.
est, observed: "All the PASSENGERS are
enjoying this. my dear You'd better
go back to the cafe
wellington regarded her with a re-
vulslon to wrath. He thundered at
her: Twill go back, but allow me to
inform you, my dear madam, that I'll
not drink another drop-just to sur.
prise you"
Mrs. Wellington shrugged her shoul-
ders at this ancient threat and Jimmie
stumbled back to his lair, whittier the
men followed him. Feeling sympathy
III the atmosphere, Little Jimmie felt
impelled to pour out his grief:
Jellmen, I'm a brok 'n-heartless
man. Mrs. Well'n'ton Is a queen
among women, but she has temper of
tarant-"
Wedgewood broke in: 81 say. old
boy, you've carried this ballast for
>NNN NoJ . INV, WHeTeVST QlQ you get
it,"
wellington drew himself up proud
ly for a moment before he slumped
back into himself. well. you see.
when l announced to a few friends
that I was about to leave Mrs. Wei.
In'ton forever and that l was going
out to-to-you know
Reno. We know. Well?"
We'll, a crowd of my friends got up
farewell sort Of divorce breakfast
and some Of 'em felt SO very sad about
my divorce that they drank a little too
much, and the rest of my friends felt
so very glad about my divorce, that
they drank little too much. And, Of
course, had to join both parties"
nd that breakfast" said Ashton,
lasted till the train started, eh?"
Wellington glowered back triumph.
antly. Lasted till the train started /?
Jellmen, that breakfast is going yeti"