El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-07-26

far from being q miasmatic struggle
against fever and jungle, according
to a very interesting letter received
by friends here some time ago from
Miguel A. Otero, former governor and
now United States marshal for the
canal zone, with headquarters In An
con. II described graphically what
American enterprise has done to
make the zone a lively place and con,
tains some especially noteworthy OBJ
servations on the climate and cost OF
living. The letter, in part, is as fol
lows:
Our steamer was a very nice little
boat Of $500 tons. We only had 81
first class passengers as As backed out
on the DAY Of sailing, fearing subma
rines or German raiders. The first
night we were out we were conveyed
by two destroyers. Immediately after
dinner, all lights were put out and we
travelled in absolute darkness. We
were mighty glad when daylight ar
rived. The trip of six days was 'rath'
er mysterious. They would not give
out where we were, but said we were
travelling on a new course. The Gull
stream was very rough. On the third
day out two large whales came up
near the ship and all of us said Good
night We thought they were sub
marines until they spouted. On the
afternoon of the third day we sighted
the first land, the island of San Saliva
dor and on the following morning
sighted Cape Maisi, Cuba. The Carib'
bean Sea was a little rough and very
warm. We landed at Colon on the
forenoon of the sixth day out and re-
mained there until $40 p. m. when
we took the train for Panama, arriv'
ing at 7:10 p. IN. The scenery Is
beautiful, much like the upper Pecos.
Everything is green and blooming,
After two days at the hotel Triyoli,
we were assigned to quarters on Bal
boa Heights, a very pretty cottage
next door to the Governors residence
We were very near the Army Head
quarters, but General e. H. Plummer
the commanding officer, had only ar
rived two days before and we met at
the hotel Trivoli. General Plummer
and myself were old friends and he al.
SO knew Mrs. Otero. When he made
his first trip of inspection through the
canal on the u. S. cruiser, Charleston,
he invited Mrs. Otero, Miguel and my
self to accompany him. This was the
following Monday, We had a most
enjoyable time. On arriving at Colon,
his private railroad motor a was
waiting and we returned to the Triyo-
Il to attend the Red Cross ball. Every
body was there and we had a good
opportunity to meet many fine people.
Madame PavIowa the Russian dancer,
served punch. Her husband, General
D'Andrea and Miss Plackovitski were
on the steamer with lis, coming from
New York to meet her here on her ar
rival from Costa RIGA. We all went
To the National Theatre the following
night to see Madame Pavlowa and
company. We have several tennis
courts, golf links, baseball parks,
cricket parks, fishing CLUBS, hunting
clubs and a great number of moving
picture shows, SO one is provided with
everything necessary in these lines
while boating and g bathing are
great. Bathing suits are one of the
first things you acquire here. We all
go down to Belle Vista Deacn, which
is only a short distance from u resi-
dence.
Last Saturday we moved into our
permanent quarters, No. 305 Ancor
Hill, very near my office. We are In
the center of a row OF five houses
which | like better than any quarters
on the zone, They are high up on the
hill, facing Panama and the Pacific
Ocean. The stairs leading to the
front door are wide with two landings
the lower floor has a very large living
room about 20x30; the dining room
about 20x20, separated by folding
doors, SO they are practically one
large hall behind these, on right ser
wants room with bath, shower, ant
toilet, center staircase, on left kitch
en-, large buffers pantry with large
steel refrigerator and ironing room
with electric appliances for iron, etc
Under the kitchen is the laundry will
hot and cold water and concrete tubs
Second story; three large bed rooms
one large dry closet 12x12, large batf
rooms and shower baths and large
hall. The ceilings are all high ant
French windows leading out on wide
porches entirely screened. We arr
placing many plants around thu
porches and hanging baskets with
quite a variety of orchids (twenty-ont
differently The house is nicely fur
nished while the porches have hang
ing swings and wicker chairs, rocker!
and sofas.
Servants are plentiful; negroes
from Jamaica and other islanders. i
is sometimes difficult to get good ones
but we were quite fortunate. Living
liz cheap as compared to Santa Fe
Fine fresh fish, sufficient for family
of six, for 30 cents, oranges IL cents
per dozen, large ripe pineapples foI
8 cents, bananas 4 to to 6 cents PEI
dozen; mango, papaya and other
fruits grown here are cheap. The U
S. Commissary has everything; butch
err shop, groceries, clothing, hardware
etc. Only employees on the Zone cal
buy a cash ticket book or get credit
The negroes have separate doors ant
counters % trade from; the designa
ton as between whites and black
being "Gold Employees for tn
whites and "SHver Employees" 70
blacks. The whites are all paid il
gold while all the blacks are paid II
silver. This is the polite way of dis
tinguishing between the colors. For
jitneys are very plentiful also the ill
tie one horse carriage, price ten cent
tgold) to any point. You can Away