New Britain herald., 1930-07-28
Private Anthony Yesutis One of Six Connecticut Enlisted Men Aiding in Task Which May Sur pass Panama Project.
By GEORGE H. MANNING

Washington Bureau. N. B Herald)
 Washington, D. C., July 28.-An- other epic of human audacity and engineering conquest is in the writ ing in Nicaragua and six of the heroic characters are from the state of Connecticut. The army engineers are making the preliminary survey for the proposed Nicaraguan canal, a more gigantic undertaking than was the Panama canal. Undoubted- ly before that monumental engineer ing project has been completed many other heroic characters from Con- necticut will have played their part, but the cities of Bridgeport, Derby, Greenwich, New Haven, Southington and Windsor Locks will retain the singular distinction of having been represented in the army battalion that did the initial work and blazed the trail for another great inter oceanic waterway under the. control of the United States
 Working under the blistering sun invading the saurian jungles. braving the pestlential swamps of Nicaragua today is composite battalion, con- posed of one company from Panama, another from Fort Humphreys, Va, and third from Fort Dupont, Dele ware.
 Travel in OX-Carts
 The fact that ox-carts are being used in some cases as the only avail able method of transportation is but one of many intriguing facts con- nected with the work of the bat talon that has been in Nicaragua since last fall. In the movement of one company, with it's material from Granada to Brito, recently, to begin field work on the western division Of the route of the proposed canal, had there been every type of modern land transportation available, OK carts would still have been the only type that could traverse the country.
 While the engineers have modern scientific knowledge and equipment, the lack of which in large measure accounted for the many historic fail ures in similar projects, they still must endure the torrid heat. They still must reckon with the monkeys, alligators, wild beasts and other jungle dangers. They must face. also, the pestiferous and venomous in sects, the torrential rains, the lone someness, the lack Of amusements and comforts, and if there is touch of romance in living in grass-thatch- ed huts. it is romance of the strenu- ous sort that requires something more than ordinary courage and en- durance.
 Women Play Heroic Part
 One of the important factors In keeping up morale of the battalion in.these conditions is the presence of eight or ten women-wives of the officers on duty-who have brayed the hardships of this jungle life to be with their army husbands.
 The modern army life, in Ncara- qua, can proudly face the record of her mother of the Philippine days and her grandmother of the pioneer days, conscious that she is living up to the traditions they established.
 However, there is one sport amusement that is open to these army men. The lake of Mica ragua is regarded as flsherman's paradise, containing the only fresh water sharks and tarpon in the world and the necessity of fishing with impro- vised tackle adds zest tdNhe'sport
 Connecticut's representation in the battalion is as follows: Staff Ser geant Richard Olson, so Stratford street, Bridgeport: Corporal John Day 118 Water street, Derby; Mas ter Sergeant James Y. Gutherie. 61 Park avenue, Greenwich Private Joseph l. Moran. 15 Cottage street, New Haven; Private Anthony Yesu- tis, Southington; Staff Sergeant James Pastore, Grove street, Wind sor Locks.
 Connecticut has another connec- ton with the beginning of this work which may bring forth one Of the greatest engineering accomplish ments in the worlds history. Senator Hiram Bingham of Connecticut was one of the senators chiefly responsi- ble for the legislation authorizing the preliminary survey of the proposed Nicaraguan canal route. >