The Winslow mail., 1913-09-27

lI7lzLzIZzE ALH6T m
Colon, c. Z-FTequently the off,
cials of the Republic of Panama
the minor ones-have been ridi-
culed for the combination Of stu
pidity and pomposity that governs
their conduct. Sometimes the rid
1cule is not deserved, but often 1t is.
Some months ago an American resi-
dent of the city of Panama imported a
pair of riding boots from the states,
and in his manifest submitted to the
native customs authorities he so listed
them, with the price, $3.50 The paper
was returned to him with curt instruc-
tions to correct it. Not knowing how
he had erred, he consulted the customs
man and was told the boots must be
listed as two separate articles, thus:
"One riding boot, value S4.75; one rid
ing boot, value $4.75," Mr.. American
complied silently, and received his
boots.
The Isthmus of Panama does not
belong to the English, never did, and
there are not many real Englishmen
there. Yet the presence of a large
number of British subjects-the ia
maican negroes-has forced on the in
habitants an English custom, that of
vehicles taking the left side of the
road. Probably this is due to the fact
that most of the cab drivers are ia
maicans. All the people of that island
are intensely proud of being subjects
Of King George, and they are tenacious
Of such British customs as they know.
Every cabby in Panama and Colon
and their number is legion-carries
either bicycle gong or an automobile
horn with. which to warn other We
hicles and pedestrians of his approach,
and on busy day the noise is more
unpleasant than that of the blasting
in the Culebra cut.
Speaking of the blasting reminds me
that one of the very high up engineers
on the canal job is exceedingly afraid
Of dynamite. He is also strict dis
ciplinarian and does not allow the
workmen to loaf. Whenever one Of
the frequent "doby shots" or small
blasts is to be fired, the nearest steam
shovel emits a series of short, quick
toots and the men scurry to cover. AS
soon as Mr.. Engineer appears in the
cut to see that the laborers are losing
no time, the warning whistles are
heard from steam shovels all along the
way and he speedily returns to his of-
flee on the hill, leaving the unprodded
workmen to resume their leisurely
gait.
Tourists focked to the canal zone
In such increasing numbers that the
Panama Railway company-which
means the United States government
decided to erect new Washington
hotel in Colon to supplant the old hos
telry of that name. The architect de-
signed a handsome four-story struc-
ture Of concrete and, to take full ad-
vantage of the cool breezes from the
Atlantic, provided in his plans for a
large roof garden and two dumb wait
ers running up to it. The builders made
the roof all right, and put in the dumb
walters, but when the hotel was near
ing completion some one discovered
there was no opening in the roof for
the aforesaid dumb walters. The nee
essary changes would cost several hun
dred dollars, and the government Of
ficial who passed upon the expendi-
lures decided against making them as
the hotel already had cost more than
had been expected. Consequently
those two dumb walters run up to the
ceiling Of the fourth story and there
stop, while the roof garden, having no
service, remains unopened.
Charlie Ying, a moon-faced celestial,
had prospered on the isthmus and de-
cided not long ago to open an "Ameri-
can bar" He knew some English for
he used to work on the docks at Can
ton, but when it came to the impor-
tant matter of wording his sign he
thought best to consult another China
man, who formerly lived in Chicago.
This was the result of their joint ef-
fort:
AMERICAN BAR
WE SERVE WHISKY COOKIES
AND GIN RICKTAILS.