Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-08-28

the isthmus really deserves a cnapter
to itself. for it has been n OF the big
factors in the successful building OF
the canal. At first it was found i'm
possible to persuade men from the Uni
ted States to remain long on the 18th
mus. The pay was good, the work in
teresting, but inconsistencies found
easy victims and they resigned and
went back to the States in d~iscourag-
ing numbers. Several remedies were
tried, and finally the commission es-
tablished a club house in every zone
town Of any size and wisely put them
in charge of the Y. M. c "A. In these
houses are billiard rooms, bowling al
leys, gymnasiums, soda fountains, IL
braries, lounging rooms and a dozen
other conveniences, and each house
has a hall large enough for dances and
amateur dramatics and musical enter
tainments. The secretaries in charge
have been exceedingly active in the
organization of bowling, baseball, bill
lard and other leagues, and the tour
neys are continuous and of great In
terest. Of course no intoxicating
drinks are to be found in these clubs,
but in other respects they are conduct
ed on lines so liberal as to be some
times surprising. In one Of them, for
instance, | saw a number of young
r men and women dancing in the hall, to
the music of a monograph, immediate
J.. " after the close of the Sunday, eve
t ming religious service. This may have
: been an exceptional case, as it was IN
5 one of the more isolated towns.
S In Ancon, Cristobal and some 9TH
ers of the larger American towns -four
ishing women's clubs have been main
tanned, and these were united in a
S zone federation which dissolved only
r this year, feeling that its work was
e done with the virtual completion OF the
l. canal. The clubs have done a great
n deal in the way of philanthropy and
study, and many social functions are
given under their auspices.
u AS may readily be comprehended
" life. for Americans in the zone Is
much like life in an American suburb
i an town, and it has some of the disad
vantages of the latter. Gossip and so
b. cial iealousies are prevalent here, al
81 there, and not a few women have beeI
u driven back to the States by them
Disputes over promotions and the as
- signments of living quarters cause oil
terness and arrangements, II o
III course there are innumerable CON
NC plants of undue in1uence-"pul'-l
nc these matters. In some cases it mus
'e be admitted there has been cause 10
a' these complaints, and, sad to say
10 often woman has been the cause. He
ue influence with certain of the high O.
III fcials cannot be doubted, and som
NJ times it has results that are to be d.
of. plored,
Here is one instance of the powe
exerted by pull" A man for SON
~ wears has held a responsible p
sition with the Panama Railroad cor
,IN pany, and who has a wife, two daugl
tiers and a young son, has been wa1tln
long for housekeeping quarters, whic
are at a premium. Two minor clerl
of the railway had been attentive
~ the daughters, but, being objectionab
to the father, were discouraged. b
the clerks had some influential co
~ nections, and in revenge have so co
trived things that the family in que
ton has been passed by repeatedly
~. the assignment of housekeeping que
ters The father and son live in Of
len tels' iho 80 .,.h+oua
another, and all must take their mea
at the hotel.
Naturally, not many Of the Anne
leans on the isthmus will rema
there after, the completion OF Il
canal. A few of the doctors may {
gage in general practice there-soI
already have done so-and some
~ the workmen may find the tropic
tnn mate so to their liking that they W
stay. But nearly all are looking ra'
err eagerly to the time when they c
- return to the states. The enginet
and physicians no doubt will find Il
the experience they have mad will
p invaluable to them in the getting
Ma positions and practice when tn
~ come home. But to readjust the
- selves to the old conditions Of livi
may not be easy for the men a
~ vomen who have been in the zone
a years.