Semi-weekly herald., 1913-04-03
from every state in the Union. Thefr

from every state in the Union. Thefi
occupations are mechanics in wood
iron, metal, stone, concrete, etc, as
well as engineers, both mechanical ane
civil, clerks, accountants, storekeep-
ers, etc. Their work is nearly al
ways in the shade and where the sur
can not be avoided temporary shades
are provided or sturdy native holds
an umbrella over them. va 2Awia
The pay for whites, or gold en-
ployes as they are known here, is from
IS to 65 cents gold per hour, and for
the natives, or silver employees, from
10 to 35 cents silver per hour Higher
officials receive their pay by the
month. And now before going any
farther allow it to be said here that
only for the sturdy colored race of
the islands the canal could perhaps
never have been built. i.o1 lqs
However abbreviated and haphazard
this letter may seem it would still
not be complete without making at
least few remarks on the business
management of this great work. q Tho
|. c. c., as it is known here, or the
isthmian canal commission, is what
does and runs everything in the canal
zone. 1t employees every worker and
pays him, contracts. for all material
in every department and imports it,
kaanG in ,fnct in,
every article of provisions for sub.
sistence and convenience in the house
hold as well as clothing and furnish
ings, etc. ii operates the only ice plant
and sells ice at cost. 1t has built
pretty towns for the workers and runs
a hotel in every town for their bene-
fit, serving meals at 80 cents to en-
rloyes and 30 cents for transients. 1t
bakes bread, cakes and pies with
which to feed these thousands and
sells bread at 8 and cents loaf.
Z lcur can be bought here for less
money than in La Plata county. Ey-
cry article of personal wear is sold
for less here than in the states. The
sanitation of every town is looked
after vigorously, Every morning be-
fore sun-up the streets are sprinkled,
every bit of dirt and garbage is swept
up and carted off later. Any water
IN little streams or pools within miles
around is heavily oiled with crude oil
TO kill off mosquitoes. The water
supply for towns is piped in from
mountain streams from five, to ten
miles away. Every house is furnish
ed with electric lights. There are
churches and schools for the children.
Every child who lives over one fourth
cf mile away is carried to and from
school in a big buss that will accom-
modate from twenty to thirty. 1t is
drawn by two big Missouri mules.
The Panama railroad, as every one
knows, is the property of the govern
ment, but is operated by company
in its behalf. 1t is the shortest trans
continental road in existence and on
the actual investment of it is said to
pay day in and day out thousand
per cent. Seven daily passenger trains
are operated, three from Colon to PAM
anna and four on the return, to ac-
ccmmodate the travelling public. Pas
senger rates for first class are cents
per mile and cents for second class.
Freight movements are principally
carried on by night. The highest per-
manent relocated line is double track.
Equipments are in every particular
first class and the service is fault
less. The distance between Colon and
Pnnama is forty-seven miles and the
rpn is made in less than two hours.
And so l think it will easily be
seen that it is these last named things
and doings that have made it possi-
bic to build the canal and make the
world just now sit up and take notice
of how our Uncle Sam is cutting the
Americas in two.
Contributed by H. C. s.