The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-11-20

and no hotels
An executive order had made the
ivil service cover the t.alEll zone on
Nov. Is. 1901. but both Mr.. Wallace
and Mr.. Stevens protested So earnestly
against the restrictions Of this order
that on Jan. II. 1905. President Roose-
veit removed all employees except
clerks from the scope Of the act. thus
allowing Mr.. Stevens to employ any
one he saw fit on any terms he chose.
The eight hour day restriction likewise
was lifted. but agitation in the Unit
ed States caused the president later to
reimpose both limitations, with what
ever increase in time and cost Of con-
stlucting the canal they might involve.
The Americans had been IN Panama
more than year, and still the type OF
canal to be bnilt was undecided. In
the meantime Mr.. Stevens rapidly was
rounding into shape an organization OF
workers. getting suitable quarters
erected for the employees. who were
coming in large numbers. organizing
the rommissary and hotel systems, Sc
bringing the transportation facilities
to satisfactory standard. Governor
Magoon simultaneously was organiz-
ing civil government along the lines
blazed by Governor Davis Police.
courts. schools. fire departments, post
offices. recreation cinbhouses. church
es-in short, duplicating on scale
suitable to the canal zone the civilian
ton of the United States.
| By June. 1906. the end of his first
year as chief engineer, MIR. Stevens
had made remarkable showing IN
every phase Of the work. There were
thirty mine steam shovels ut work as
against nine in 1906 The working
force had increased to 23.001. OF whom
1924 were Americans. But as show
/ ing how closely his efforts We're con-
centratcd ON preparatory work the to-
tai excavation for the year was only
,499.562 yards. the highest figures for
one month being in March, l9O6. when
239, 17S yards We're removed.
Colonel Gorgas and his sanitary de-
partment got on top of the yellow
fever epidemic in September, 1905, and
iii general so dominated the hitherto
unhe:llthful isthmus that even the hos
tile press began to show change In
heart on this score with the result that
1.-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 1900 men were i'm.
lported In 1906 on contract with the
commission. The common labor waa
estimated by Mr.. Stevens to be about
33 per cent as efficient as similar Amer
Iican 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 heroic band of then
throughout the trying days before thu
tropical terrors had been conquered.
Early in his connection with th'
canal Mr. Stevens discovered thai
practically all the material In the Guile
bra cut would have to be blasted be
fore it could be handled by the stean
shovels. He had to be careful in Sc
lecting dumps so as to insure that the.
would not become an obstruction t
any type Of canal or route that nigh
he selected
The high wages and salaries TO
which the canal zone Is noted original
ed under Mr.. Stevens So bad nam
had been given the isthmus in the pas
that extra Inducements had to be mad
to attract workers. free quarters. pa,
from 80 per cent to GO per cent highe
than in the United States and rat
of $40 from New York to Colon o
steamers operated by the government
with other perquisites. being some
the advertised attractions. Besides.
the latter part of Mr.. Stevens regime
the United States was enjoying une,
ampied prosperity. the palmy days b
fore the panic Of 1907. Mechanics an
all kinds of workers could obtain en-
ployment at home at high wages an
would not come to Panama unless f
1.-THE unusual inducements enumeratet
and, in addition, vacations with fu
pay, sick leave on pay and cheap foo
and other necessarics.
: Although the French had abandone
. !. the idea of sea level canal In favt
of lock type, thefe still was goo
deal of life in the idea among IL
American people. For one thing, a-se
level canal was SO much more easi
grasped by the popular mind. and the
: MI engineers concede that 1t is Il
!. ideal canal where 1t is practicable.
Panama division OF opinion arose ov'
J this point Of practicability.
: A sea level canal aptly has been d
!, scribetl as "a wide and deep passa,
! navigable at all times. day or night.
= all seasons and in all weathers by .
]. sorts and sizes Of vessels. The 10.
:. type Involves operations not readi
portrayed to the lay mind. but en-
!. nently simple when seen in practic
A. Use.
.. The Walker commission OF 1901 h
. estimated the cost of a sea level car
ne ut S145OOO.O0O. The commission
ts 1905 recommended A sea level type
N cost $3.50 O.5O0. 900. Mr.. Wallace later
10 .imated the cost at sea level at $50
ID coo 900. exclusive of the 100000
III paid for the canal zone and Fren
id property.
ia That these American estimates shot
come. In the main. under the amou
e actually spent by the French. who
n tie more than scraped the surfa
al shows, for one thing. that the Am,
II cans believed there had been gross
o travagance and inefi1ciency In
ne French operations and, for anotl