The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-09-13
By WILLIAM R SCOTT
(contlnued trom yegterday.l

sanitation OF Colon and Panama. and
early in the American occupation the
construction Of sewers, waterworks
and paved streets was begun. The
Americans advanced the money for
these improvements on a plan Of taxes
that at the end OF fifty years from
their completion will repay the United
States and turn them over to the re-
spective cities.
One OF the dredges left by the
French was found to be, after twenty
years, In excellent condition and was
put to work In Colon harbor. The
twenty miles Of track In the Culebra
cut occasioned derailments and wrecks
with exaspefating frequency until re-
laidswith heavier rails, and this mile
age was increased by an addition Of
fifteen miles during the first year. Ma
chine shops existed at Colon. Mata-
chin and Gorgona, where, when the
jungle, had been cut away, facilities
were found for repairing machinery
and rolling stock 7
Mr.. Wallace made his headquarters
in Panama in a building that formerly
had been occupied by the French di.
rector general. The disbursing officer,
sanitary officer, engineering parties
and clerical forces were centered in
Panama, but site for an American
administrative town was selected at
the foot Of Ancon hill, just outside OF
Panama,
French towns at Culebra, Empire and
Gorgona were rehabllitated and sys-,
TENS Of sewers and waterworks begun.
There were settlements at Matachin,
Bias obispo and Colon. Accommoda-
tons were Of the crudest description.
Powder boxes served for norris chairs,
furniture was scanty and of ancient
design. tropical insects made life mis-.
cry, servants were worse than Indif-
ferent, there were no baths. no running
water in the houses. and TINT which
was used sometimes was caught from
roofs on which the buzzardss roasted,
the native foods had to be eiten. and
ice was a luxury TINT only occasional.
ly'couid be obtained from the railroad
Ice factory at Colon.h W
Each ship that brought workers to
the canal zone Invariably carried the
same or others back. Yet percentage
stuck accepted undesirable
conditions gracefully A few had vi
sion enough To see That our great gov
efnnient would rectlfS everything IL
only glFeH time. Others realized that
the canal never would be. bhjlt If the
workers exRedted soft. conditions right
the start, and; they accepted their
sacrifices Of comfort as q national ne
cesslty.
Mr. Wallace came from a highly or
ganized railroad system to an abso.
lutely tinorganized enterprise 1000
miles from the base Of supplies. Gov
eminent red tape to such a man was
exasperatng to the last degree. 1t was
necessary for the government to nd.
vertise for bids. aud this constituted
the principal delay in securing orders:
but, barring that procedure. it has not
been shown that private contractor
could have placed machinery and sup.
plies on the gronnd, with pncll greater
.celerltyttDiIp the government.
The overriding idea wus to make
showing President Roosevelt himself
had set the pace for quick results.
Congressman who were expected TO
vote for canal APPROXIMATIONS frequent.
~ could not be8liafressed ,tlmt The
Projetr was worth while IL the dirt
was not dying. Mr. Wallace therefore
coneentratSths energfes on excavation
work that more probably could have
been spent on PREPARATIONS. He got
out IA, GA yards in his year, credit.
able showing with the equipment at
hand. The first steam shovel was In.
stalled on Nov. II, 1904, and was No.
101, of the seventy ton class 1t is
still in use in the canal. On Dec. 2,
1904, the second steam shovel was
erected, No. 201, of-rhe ninety-five ton
class. BY June, 1905. there were nine
steam shovels at work, and the last
French excavator was abandoned on
June I6, 1905, the day Mr.. Wallace left
the canal zone as chief engineer.
All engines, cars, steam shovels and
other large equipment had to be i
brought to the isthmus knocked
down" This work, with the repair
work and original steel and iron con.
struction work, required bollermskers.
mechanics, blacksmiths and machine
shop workers Of all kinds. Recruiting
offices were opened in the principal
American cities to engage them, and
sometimes conditions in the canal zone
were pictured a little roster than the
facts warranted.
As secretary of war William Howard
Taft had the immediate direction of
Panama canal Affairs. Every time he
touched the project he manifested tile
high order Of ability that made him so
admirably equipped for the presidency |!
later on.
Almost coincidental with the begin.