Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-07-30

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e~ Pacific ocean, Is almost COM
plete. When finished it will cost the
United States Government S375,2OO,-
600. OF this amount about s15O,OOO.-
600 was paid out for salaries and
wages.
The Americans began work on May
4th, 1904, with TAG employees These
were increased from time to time until
the number at the busiest period
reached 1861. Between FIVE and six
thousand Of the workers were Amer
leans who filed such positions as engi-
heers, foremen, clerks and policemen.
or these the greater number came
from pennsylvania. New York was a
close second in furnishing employees
for the Canal and Ohio third. Men
from eighty-seven countries worked
on the ditch as laborers.
The average temperature Of the
Canal Zone, which comprises 44S
square miles, is IS degrees. The vege-
tation is tropical and the rainfall
heavy, the annual average on the At
lantic side being 1870 inches, and on
the Pacific 10 inches. These condi-
tons coupled with excessive humidity
naturally brought illness to the north
erner, and during the early days many
of the workers died from malaria. In
1905 there was a yellow fever epidemic
and thirty-seven employees were
among its victims. When Colonel
William c. Gorgas came TO Panama to
clean up, the death rate was 1924 per
1000. In 1914 in the same places 1t
vas Ellis, cut down more than one
aalf. This decrease In tho death rate
vas brought about by cleaning up the
Hues, killing the mosquitoes and en-
forcing rigid quarantine. Thirteen
hundred employees We're required in
the sanitary department to carry out
the reform in cleanliness, and II cost
the Government s16,5o0,O0 to make
the place a livable one for the white
man. The money was well spent. for
II Is doubtful whether the canal could
nave been built at all If the sanitary
squad had relaxed it's vigilance.
During the period extending over
ten years Of American rule on the
Zone about six thousand EMPLOYEES
died, eleven hundred being killed nv
accidents, such as dynamite explosions
being run over by trains, hit bv cranes
etc.
Each employee was given thirty
days sick leave each year with nav
and free medical attention. Twenty.
Jour out Of every thousand emnlovoes
nave been constantly on sick leave
the most of them in the hosntt,ls
which have capacity of about twelve
hundred patients, Six weeks. vaca.
ton with pay was allowed TO the
American employees.
Canal Commission Abolished
On April first of this year the 18TH
mian Canal Commission was abolished
and the permanent organization for
the operation and maintenance of the
canal was put into effect, with Colone,
George w. Cocktails as Governor.
Ever since the canal work was taken
over by the Americans a Canal Com
mission has existed. From time 10
time changes were made by the re-
trement of different members. There
was however. little change made in
me poucy OF that body after 1908,
when Colonel Goethals became It's
ehair man. Inc labors OF the Commits
sun were py no means easy, and many
times 'heir plans were unJustly at
'acheo py hostile press. Time and
usa'" muck rakers visited the canal
$500 ""S' tiicy were unable to find tho
silghtest trace Of graft they set about
TO criucse certain plans of the canal
For instance. the Gatun Dam was re-
ported as sinking. This Ia one of tho
worlds greatest pieces of engineering
and was set up TO dam the chaeres
River and form Gatun Lake, the lar
gest artificial body Of water in the
world. The construction of this dam
alone cost thirteen and one half mill
lion dollars. 1t was commenced in
1906, and finished in 1914. For the
hrst two or three years the plans of
the dam were assailed in the most
bitter terms, but the engineers never
changed their plans. and after It was
completed in 1913 these same muck
rakers were loud In their praise.
Others took up the slides In Culebra
Cut, and one sent a report to his paper
mat the sides Of the cut were smoking
md that volcano was under the
sold Hill. The report spread over the
country and experts were sent to the
Isthmus only to flnd that no such con-
ditions existed.
All sorts OF ridiculous stories were
circulated. Even the Commlssary De-
came In for share OF thej