Evening star., 1928-11-04

month.
supply OF malaria germs and dis
triouting them III multiplied numbers.
At Bca Vista there had been an epi-
dcmic Of malaria one month ago, but
by the tree and persistent use of quiz
nine Senior Da Costa had cleared up
the disease in the camp. Today there
are 70 active cases.
Weekly Examinations.
Or. Falls also plans to institute
weekly examinations of all lahorers Cn
the plantation. He believes that If
they can be freed from hookworm and
malaria, are given sanitary conditions
and are properly nourished. the battle
will be won in the medical department
Of Boa Vista
AS we approached the dock at Boa
Vista. temporary structure, we saw
the river steamer, The Tuchachua, dis
charging lumber for the Ford building
operations line of native workman
was carrying the long. heavy hardwood
boards from the steamer. Some of
these men were apparently in robust
health. some of unusual muscular de-
velopment But many of them gave
evidence of having lived. perhaps for
years. on a poorly selected 6iet The
majority Of them had suffered at some
tine from malaria or hookworm, or
both.
As lot of workmen. however, they
presented fair appearance of physical
ability. and there IS no douot of their
willingness to work faithfully and eff
NiA II IL
oVerseers to show them what to do and
how to do 1t.
Mr.. Chatfeld, who was in our party,
had net been at Boa Vista two hours
before he made plans for the clearing
Of runway from the rivers edge. To-
day he has the piling well driven, and
before the two lighters now on their
way up from the Lake Fargo and the
Lake Ormoc, at Santarem. with the
first load of freight arrive he will have
a skidway built and steam winch
ready to make short work of unloading
lighters.
Laborers Well Housed.
Capt. Oxholm explained that the same
attention to proper housing will be Civ.
en- laborers as is given officials of the
company On the property north from
the working buildings of the plant, and
on the side of the town site opposite
the homes of the officials of the COM
pany. homes for the married laborers
will be built and furnished free to
them. These will be built as rapidly as
lumber and carpenters can be obtained
company store. where family sup
plies may be purchased. will be built
and stocked as quickly as possible. The
ala nf ct,V,VH1x,ixar flAe
cessities Of life from this store at
low cost to employees Of the company
will be the rule, Capt. OXholm said
This will be a new note in the econom-
les of the rubber industry In Brazil.
At present the laborers at Boa Vista
are receiving wage of 3 nlilreis (about
81 cents) day, with board and housing
and medical care free. The wage Is
high for such labor in Brazil.
Workers Are Contented.
The result is apparently entire con-
tentment on the part of the laborer>.
There appears to be opening new era
for the "caboclo"-the common laborer
who formerly led a precarious and
sickly life, gathering a little rubber
where he could find the wild rubber
trees. catching fish from the river MAX
ing fsrinha from the mandioca plant,
gathering native fruits and periodically
suffering from diseases of the Tropics.
In Para, in the home Of Gov.
Dionysio Bentes: on the streets of the
capital city of the state: at the river
ports as we came up. Santarem,
Gurupa. Aveiros. Boim. Boa Vista
there was everywhere the same turn
ing of hopeful eye toward the planta-
ton at Boa Vista. I have not heard
, sny citizen Of Brazil express doubt OF
the ultimate success Of the project. A
great industry and a city of fair size
are in the making at Boa Vista.
What foundations there are here at
Boa Vista for this hopeful prospect I
shall indicate in another article
(In his next article Mr.. Smith tells
of = trip through the jungle of the
Ford concession).
copyright. 1923. by North American News
paper Alliance.)