The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-07-17

VIZ
Colon. @. I'm writing or TALKING
about the Panama Canal the superla
i've degres Is very likely to be over
worked. The canal itself 10 the bio
gest thing of the kind ever under
taken; the locks are unsQualled il
size; the work ~ the department OF
sanitation 10 the most remarkable
ever carried out. and 20 1t goes.
But there 10 one other feature Of
the building Of the canal that calls
loudly for the superlative degree-tha
oommissary department and the way
In which it has fed the Zone. Not fed
It only, either, but largely clothed II
and supplied it with household necosr
stiles and even Injuries.
The commissary department 10 dc.
partment Of the Panama railroad
which 10 owned by the United States
and Of which Chairman Cocktails ID
president. AZ ohlcially stated:
''The commissary department Of the
Panama railroad 10 operated by the
subsistence department of the 18th.
milan 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. It 10 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 30, 1912.
was 5000. 356.es, to transact which It
70 necessary to carry stock valued
ct about u, 900, 0O0.''
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 ct Cristobal the vast bulk of
supplies and ~ continually these are
sent out to the score of stores main
tanned by the department along the
route Of the canal and Ut Porto Bsllo.
Every evening each storsksspsr tsle-
graphs to tho headquarters In Cristo-
bal the list Of supplies Of which he 10
In need. and during the night the cars
are loaded. At 8:46 o'clock each morn
ing the long supply train starts out
from Colon. II consists Of Il carr. II
Of which are refrigerated. and the food
and ice are distributed along the route
% that they may be delivered to tho
quarters Of families BY 8 o'clock.
In Cristobal u the biggest store Of
oil. and Il 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.
ettss-indesd almost anything ono
might call for except intoxicating
drinks. Articles from foreign lands.
being imported by the government 1t.
self. Of course pay no duty. and con-
sequently such things % nns English
chinaware can be bought there at
prices far below those charged in the
states. It 10 said on the isthmus, and
generally believed, that the members
Of congressional tunketins parties
which from time to time go down to
inspect tho canal always carry home
L ~. - q az 4 d