Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-08-17

Y r AvING acquired narrow strip
- of land through foreign terri
tory and built therein the
great Panama canal, Uncle
Sam quite naturally felt that, as the
work neared completion, there also
should be a capital city from which the
strip could be governed and the canal
managed. Therefore he built Balboa.
Balboa Is the permanent town at the
southern end Of the canal, Is the seat
of government, the residence of the
governor and the headquarters OF ca
nal construction and management. In
short, ii Is to the Canal Zone what
Washington Is to the United States.
Balboa was named In honor of Vasco
Nunez de Balboa. who, SILENT upon
peak in Darien," first saw the dis
tant waters of the Pacific ocean and
thus became known to history as its
iiscoverer, writes II. HI. Updegraff, In
the st. Louis Republic.
The town of Balboa is not the first
village that Uncle Sam has built along
the route of the canal. 1t probably
will be the last, however. But, unlike
these others. which were no more than
wooden construction camps, Balboa is
permanent in character. 1t Is to last
as long as the canal, which. indeed, Is
as long as time itself. There is an
other difference between this new
town, this capital of the Canal Zone
and the other canal villages, and that
Is that much more money has been
and Is being spent to make ii the most
attractive place of residence on the
entire isthmus. In fact, 1t Is Uncle
Sans model town.
An American Community.
Notwithstanding its wholly unamer.
IAN name, Balboa is thoroughly
American community. It's inhabitants
are all American, for 1T was built with
he intention of giving the American
canal workers and operatives an ideal
spot in which to have their homes, In
proper American surroundings. and
| where 1t would be possible to have q
| wholesome American atmosphere. The
| only foreigners who are part Of the life
| In Balboa are the West Indian negro
servants, most of whom, however. live
elsewhere.
While Balboa Is wholly. American. II
| q yet quite unlike any American city
| or town of it's size back home" in the
states. 1t has absolutely no political
atmosphere. 1t Is difficult to conceive
an American town, no matter how
| small, that has no mayor, no city coun
Gil. no political boss and hence nc
| politics. Balboa has none of these.
The Canal Zone Is prohibition terri
| tory and, therefore, Balboa has not q
| single saloon within it's limits. In this
| respect it also Is different from a ma
| iority of the cities and towns bach
home" The poor mans club" Ii
| wholly unknown, not only because
there are no poor men on the Cana
Zone, bat also because they are pro
hibited. The occasional tippler mus
| either maintain his own private little
bar in his own home or journey to thu
neighboring city Of Panama, where tn.
"cantinas" are both numerous ant
we'll stocked and where everything /.
wide open and the bars never close.
In place of the poor mans club
Of the cities back home" there liz thu
spacious building of the Young Men,
Christian association which fills all thu
needs of club for the men, meeting
place for the women's societies snt
playhouse for the children. A separate
as well as general, room or rooms Il
reserved for each. Not far away Il
the 25-acre athletic field which LIZ nov
under construction with a lavishness
and detail such as no politically self
governed city in the United States cal
boast Of 1t was all done without ex
pense to the population for there ar
no taxes to be paid in this model tow
of Uncle Sans.
Site Was Once 4 Swamp.
The site of Balboa, between AncoI
and Sosa hills, originally was a swami
which was filled In. 1t was chosen be
cause of it's proximity to the huge ma
chine shops and other canal activities
at the southern end of the waterway
1t also was chosen because it wouI,
be near the capital city, Panama, o
the Republic Of Panama and would
therefore, place the two capitals int
quick communication. This was neces
sary because of the varied interela
tionship between the two countries du
to the building and operation Of tn
Panama canal
Only a small portion, however.