The Raymer enterprise., 1913-07-31

Colon, C. I'm writing or talking
about the Panama Canal the superla'
tive degree is very likely to be over.
worked. The canal itself is the big.
gest thing Of the kind ever under.
taken; the locks are unequalled in
size: the work Of the department Of
sanitation is the most remarkable
ever carried out, and 30 It goes.
But there is one other feature Of
the building of the canal that calls
loudly for the superlative degree-the
commissary department and the way
In which 1t has fed the Zone. Not fed
1t only. either. but largely clothed 1t
and supplied It with household neces.
stiles and even luxuries.
The commissary department is de-
partment OF the Panama railroad,
which is owned by the United States
and Of which Chairman Goethals is
president. AS officially stated:
THE comnissary department Of the
Panama railroad Is operated by the
subsistence department Of the 18TH
mian Canal commission for the pur-
pose of supplying employees Of the
Panama railroad and Isthmian Canal
commission and their families with
foodstuffs. wearing apparel and house.
hold necessities, and also supplying
food for the hotels. hospitals, messes.
and kitchens operated by the Isthmian
Canal commission and for the United
States soldiers and marines located on
the Isthmus Of Panama, and ships OF
the United States navy. 1t is esti.
mated that the department supplies
about 10000 people daily. computing
one dependent for each employe.
THE business Of the department for
the fiscal years ending June 90. 1912,
was S6,702.355.6S, to transact which It
Is necessary to carry stock valued
at about $1,000, ,000."
That sounds decidedly prosaic, but In
truth the operations of this great bust.
ness machine are almost romantic.
The vessels of the Panama railroad In
unending procession bring to the
docks at Cristobal the vast bulk Of
supplies and as continually these are
sent out to the score of stores main
tanned by the department along the
route OF the canal and at Porto Bello.
Every evening each storekeeper tele-
graphs to the headquarters in Cristo-
bal the list Of supplies of which he is
In need. and during the night the cars
are loaded. At 3:45 o'clock each morn.
Ing the long supply train starts out
from Colon. It consists OF 21 cars. II
Of which are refrigerated, and the food
and ice are distributed along the route
80 that they may be delivered to the
quarters OF families by O'Clock.
In Cristotal is the biggest store OF
all, and It compares we'll with the
huge department stores OF American
cities. There may be obtained all
kinds Of food stuffs. American and
European; clothing for men and wo-
men, furniture, household wares, sup.
plies for travellers, cigars and cigar.
ettes-indeed almost anything one
might call for except intoxicating
drinks. Articles from foreign lands.
being imported by the government II.
self. Of course pay no duty, and con.
sequently such things as fine English
chinaware can be bought there at
prices far below those charged in the
states. 1t Is said on the isthmus, and
generally believed. that the members
Of congressional junketing parties
which from time to time go down to
inspect the canal always carry home
with them a lot Of this choice por.
celain.
At the head Of the commissary de.
partment is the subsistence officer,
Col. Eugene Wilson. whose huge phys.
ical bulk is well matched by his great
executive ability. It would seem that
no better man could possibly have
been found for the position, for he has
in hand every detail OF the immense
business and II runs like clockwork
Seldom Is complaint heard from
even the most exacting Of housewives
and when one Is registered II Is cour
teously received and the fault, II one
exists. promptly rectihed.
Cleanliness before godliness every
time" is Colonel Wilson's motto ant
though II is not posted on any wall
every employe understands that his
Job depends primarily on his cleanli
ness. In Cristobal are the great COLI
storage plant, bakery, coffee plant, ic,
plant. Ice cream plant. corned bee
plant. butter printing plant and laun
dry. and in every one Of them the un
written rule BE clean" ia adhered I,
with the utmost care. Nowhere. II 1
can be avoided. is there personal con
tact with the food. and the numerous
and ingenious automatic machines ar,
kept scrupulously clean.
Now let's get back to figures. II
order to obtain some idea OF the mag
aitude OF the commissary department
operations. Take the cold storag
plant first. In Its i92.230 cubic feet o
refrigerated space are kept constant,
on hand meat and vegetable supple
to' Ten days at least. In some In