The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-12-04

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families, whose members posseaa adm,
cation and refinement, and those thai
are there are not especially fond OF
Americans. Consequently there 10 NOT
much social intercourse between tho
two races. The social activities OF the
Americans have three general centers
the Tivoli club. the Washington Co
tillon club and the Young Mems Chris
tian association. The first two are
dance organizations and give balls al
ternate fortnights at the Tfvoll hoteA
In Ancon and the Washington hotel In
Colon. These affairs are quite formal
and attract the best Of the Americana
from all parts OF the zone. 81
AS for the Y. NJ. c. A., its work o1
the isthmus really deserves a chapter
to itself, for 1t has been one OF the big
FACTORS In the successful building OF
the canal At first 1t was found Inn
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 homesickness found
easy victims and they resigned and
went back to the States in discourse.
ing numbers. Several remedies we're
tried, and finally the commission e.
tablished club house In every rome
town OF any size and wisely put thens
In charge of the Y. M. G A. In theSs
houses are billiard rooms. bowling al
leys, gymnasiums, soda fountains. II
brarles. lounging rooms and q dozen
other conveniences, and each house
has hall largo nnnn0h fOv n.
amateur dramatics and musical entesl
tainments. The secretaries in charss
have been exceedingly active In the
organization Of bowling. baseball, bill
lizard and other leagues. and ths 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 number Of young
men and women dancing in the hall. to-
the music OF photograph, immediate
ly after the close OF the Sunday eve
ming religious service. This may have
been an exceptional case as II was In
one of the more isolated towns.
In Ancon. Cristobal and some 9th
ers OF the larger American towns -four
ishing womens clubs have been main
tanned, and these were united In .
zone federation which dissolved only
this year. feeling that It's work was
done with the virtual completion OF the
canal. The clubs have done q great
deal in the way OF philanthropy ana
study, and many social functions are
given under their auspices.
AS may readily be comprehended.
life for Americans in the zone u
much like life in an American suburb
an town, and II has some OF the Ciaad-
vantages OF the latter. Gossip and DO
cial jealousies are prevalent here. a.
| there, and not few women have beou
! driven back to the States by theu.
Disputes over promotions and the as
| signments Of living quarters cause Bit
| terness and arrangements, and 81
| course there are innumerabie COM
| plants OF undue infuence-"puh"-l
| these matters. In some cases II nuse
| be admitted there has been cause foS
/ these complaints. and. sad TO say.
! often woman has been the cause. Her
| influence with certain OF the high o.
| ficials cannot be doubted, and some.
times It has results that are to DO DE-
! plored
Here is one instance OF the pov.ov
exerted by pull" A man for some
years has held a responsible po-
sition with the Panama Railroad CON.
pany, and who has a wife, two dauKh.
ters and young son, has been waiting
long for housekeeping quarters, which
are at a premium. Two minor eierks
OF the railway had been attentive to
the daughters, but, being Objectionable
to the father. were discouraged. But
the clerks had some influential COR
nections. and in revenge have so con-
trived things that the family In qnes-
ton has been passed by repeatedly in
the assignment Of housekeeping quar-
ters. The father and son live In one
building, the mother and daughters in
another, and all must take their meals
at the hotel
Naturally. not many Of the Amer
leans on the isthmus will remaim
| there after the completion OF the
canal A few OF the doctors may en-
gage I'm general practice there-soms
already have done so-and some Of
the workmen may find the tropic cli-
mate 80 TO their liking that they wis
stay. But nearly all are looking rath-
or eagerly 20 the time when they can
return to tho states The engineers
and physicians no doubt will ind that
the experience they have had will BE-
Invaluable TO them IN the getting %
positions and practice when they
come home. But to readjust theea,
selves t0-the old conditions OF nvina
may not be easy for the men anN
women who have been in the sono fog
years.