Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-10-28

The Americans had been H. :'rli1r:r
/ more than year. and still the type Vi
| canal to be built WIS uideciA,i. In
| the meantime Mr.. Stevens rapi lily was
rounding into shape an organiz3t. on oi
| workers, getting suitable quarters
erected for the employees. who were
coming in large numbers. organizing
the commissary and hotel systems, Sc
curing mechanical equipment and
bringing the transportation facilities
to a satisfactory standard. Governor
Magoon simultaneously was organic
ing civil government along the lines
blaZed by Governor Davis. Police,
courts. schools. fire departments, post
offices. recreation clubhouses, church
es-in short duplicating on scale
suitable to the canal zone the civiliza-
ton of the United States.
BY June. 1906. the end Of his first
year as chief engineer, Mr.. Stevens
had made a remarkable showing in
every phase of the work. There were
against nine in 1908. The working
force had increased to 23,90l, of whom
3,2G4 were Americans. But as show
ing how closely his efforts were con
centrated Oh preparatory work the to-
tai excavation for the year was only
1,499.562 yards. the highest figures for
one month being in March. 1906. when
239 11S yards were removed
Colonel Gorgas and his sanitary de-
partment got on top of the yellow
fever epidemic in September. 1905. and
in general so dominated the hitherto
unhealthful isthmus that even the hos
tile press began to show change in
heart on this score. with the result that
the immigration of workers largely in
creased. Recruiting agencies already
had been opened in the West Indies.
Europe and the principal American cit
les. More than 10000 men We're i'm
ported in 1906 on contract with the
commission. The common labor was
estimated by Mr.. Stevens to be about
33 per cent as efficient as similar Amer
lean labor. 1t was not until 1906 that
the wives and families of the Ameri-
cans began coming to the canal zone
in considerable numbers. although
there had been a heroic band of them
throughout the trying days before the
tropical terrors had been conquered
Early in his connection with the
canal Mr. Stevens discovered that
practically all the material in the Guile
bra cut would have to be blasted be-
fore it could be handled by the steam
shovels. He had to be careful in Sc
lecting dumps so as to insure that they
would not become an obstruction to
any type Of canal or route that might
be selected.
The high wages and salaries for
which the canal zone Is noted original
ed under Mr.. Stevens. SO bad a name
had been given the isthmus in the past
that extra inducements had to be made
to attract workers, free quarters, pay
from 80 per cent to 60 per cent higher
than in the United States and a rate
of 500 from New York to Colon on
steamers operated by the government,
with other perquisites. being some Of
the advertised attractions. Besides, in
the latter part Of Mr. Stevens regime.
the United States was enjoying unex-
ampled prosperity. the palmy days be-
fore the panic of 1907. Mechanics and
all kinds of workers could obtain en-
ployment at home ut high wages and
would not come to Panama unless for
the unusual inducements enumerated,
and, in addition, vacations with full
pay, sick leave on pay and cheap food
and other necessaries.