Mexico Missouri message., 1913-07-31


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 so it goes
But thsre is one other featSre of
the building of the canal that calls
loudly for the superlative degree-the
commssary department and the way
in which it has fed the Zone. Not fed
It only, either but largely clothed it
and supplied It with household neces-
stiles and even Injuries.
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 commissary department of the
Panama railroad Is 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 Isthmlan
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 80, 1912,
was s6,702. 355.6S. to transact which it
Is necessary TO carry stock valued
al about 100000"
That sounds decidedly prosaic, but in
truth the operationsbf this great bust
ness machine are ALMOST romantic.
The vessels of the Panama railroad in
intending 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. 1t consists of 21 cars. IL
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 Cristobal 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 it.
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. II is said on the isthmus, and
generally believed, that the members
Of congressional junketing parties
which from time to time go down 10
inspect the canal always carry home
with them lot of this choice por-
celain
AZ the head of the commissary de-
partment is the subsistence officer,
Col Eugene Wilson, whose huge phys
lcal bulk Is well matched by his great
executive ability. 1t 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 n complaint heard from
even the most exacting of housewives
and when one is registered 1t is cour.
teously received and the fault, II one
exists, promptly rectifed
Cleanliness before godliness every
ume' is Colonel Wilson's motto and
Ihough II is not posted on any wall
every employe understands that his
Joo depends primarily on his cleanli
ness In Cristobal are the great cold
storage plant, bakery, coffee plant ice
pant ice cream plant. corned beei
pant butter printing plant and laun
ury, and in evory one of them the I'm
written rule be clean" Is adhered L
WIN the utmost care. Nowhere, II 4
.ah be avoided, is there personal con
.ac' with the food, and the numerous
sno ingenious automatic machines are
Aept scrupulously clean.
now let's get back to figures, II
"Iler to obtain some idea of the mag
Jude OF the commissary department
operatlons. Take the cold storag,
plSht hrst. In its 1920 cubic feet o
-. ''iserated space are kept CONSTANT!
ta nahd meat and vegetable supplies
'oF ten days at least, In some in