THE 1C0B.XIXG OMGOKUUC, X05DAT, JLFRH -30, 190T.
DIRT
M
IS
ON THE BIG CANAL
Correspondent Surprised Not
to See Greater Activity
in the Ditch.
STEVENS IS NO TALKER
Chief Engineer Meets the Sixtieth
Newspaper Man -Who Comes With
Advice With Very Scant Cour
teey and Kb Smile.
BT TTOODTVORTH CLVM.
CULEBRA, Canal Zone. April 12. (Spe
cial Correspondence.) As In some vast
necropolis, we find perchance one mour
ner to a thousand deaa, so here at Cu
lebra. where mountains must literally be
torn down and towd into the wa. I find
one puffins, snortlnp and industrious
steam shovel to a thousand deserted
acres.
The monotone of the- onslne bell Is
softened a It niters through the valley
more like a requiem than a signal of
Industry. Now and then there Is a rum
ble as of far-away thunder: It is the
blasting sans working with a dozen drills
and a dozen cans of powder. Occasionally
a train of flat-cars loaded with dirt
steams away around the mountain, seem
ing to effervesce with the consciousness
of It own spasmodic energy. Then for a
moment all Is quiet.
In 15 minutes another dirt train may
give chase to Its predecessor down the
rickety track that leads to the dump.
For an hour I sat upon the brow of C"u
lebra Hill watching this fitful scene.
Surely, this could not be the spot upon
which the American people are concen
trating their Interest.
Stcnni Shovels Far Ketwecn.
Comparatively no work Is being done
on the canal proper. I say comparative
ly, because If we should gather together
the 38 5eam shovels that are working
here and there along the line, bring In the
37.000 negroes that are on Uncle's Sam's
payroll, and ring all th- bells and blow
all the whistles of all the engines If we
should do this within the area of one
square mile, the scene would lie refresh
ingly active.
But when you look down the "prism."
as the engineers call the Culebra cut. and
see a. steam shovel, like a ncrvoup fly. on
the mountain side, or glance down on the
floor of the valley and see a tiny puff of
smoke, as If a mosquito has rustVed its
wings in the dust If you stand there on
the brow of the hill, as I did. and slowly
gtasp the greatnesp of It all. the appalling
magnitude of the task to which we have
set ourselves, I think you will realize
with me that the "dirt has not begun to
flyi"
I say this ns a statement of fact not
tip a crltklsm. The official bureau of
information at Washington permitted
the idea to get abroad that considerable
digging was being done. But. If you
stop to contemplate how much th-re is
to do, and how much room there Is for
more steam shovels and more trains
and more tracks, you will come to the
conclusion that the present condition is
, activity only In miniature.
Machinery and Men Arriving.
More steam shovels are coming at
least .iomc 60-odd have been ordered
more laborers ar- being landed every
.week more dump cars are en route more
engines will soon be clanging tneir oens
and pufflng their way to and rro. it may
take another y-ar for this better condi
tion to materialize.
But let us turn around with our backs
to the steam shovel. 'Che City of Culebra
is rising before us. I counted TA houses
in various stages of completion. The
carpenters told me that when these 3
buildings are completed. mor will be be
gun, and that th music of the hammers
and saws will nut cw until a city of
ample proportions shall have been con
structed.
Culebra Is Bclnp: Well Unlit.
The site of the city Is on the hillside
and the houes cling llk mountain goats
on the steep Incline. Bonds have been
built of crushed stone, perfect natural
drainage has been Installed, a reservoir
for drinking water has been constructed
upon the crest of a still higher hill, a
mammoth hotel Is catering to the appe
tites of 300 white employes in fact, noth
ing Is being left undone that will add to
the completeness of a modern village, and
1 am told that It Is to Culebra that the
administrative headquarters of the Canal
Zone are soon to be transferred.
Look once moru ai the intermittent ac
tivity of the steam shovels, and then con
template the energy that Is being exer
cised by the carpenters, the w.lnters,
et al. Yes. we are a nation of builders
and not diggers.
Where the Schoolmarm Presides.
As I walked up the hill through the
town there was a lull In the din of ham
mers and saws, and this is what 1 heard:
"Three times one is three: three times
tvo Is six: three times three Is nine"
It was not one voice, but a chorus, and
I looked in the window. Thero sat a
dozen llttl tots, sons and daughters of
the officials, whose families were at Cu
lebra. Presiding over them was as pleas
ant and congenial a school marm as It
ever has ben my good fortune, to en
counter. She listened to their recital,
patiently corrected their errors, and then
'she rang the recess bell. Out came the
youngsters., singing and laughing, to romp
for a few moments on the hillside.
On the very crest of the hill, overlook
ing the country for mile around. 1 found
a beautiful residence, whero Mr. Stevens,
the chler ongineer of the canal, is per
manently established. There Is no pret
tier or more healthful site on the entire
Zone than this. The breezes that blow
around the wire-screened porch are cool
and Invigorating. The vista is inspiring.
A mll or two away, nestling on the
crown pr another hill. Is the town of Em
pire, its-Tvhlte walls glistening In the sun
light like diamonds set In green. Mr.
Stevens has his office here and the watch
men told ms that every night he burns
the midnight oil. poring over plans and
diagrams and wrestling with the intricate
problems that arc pf necessity Involved
In such a gigantic enterprise.
Engineer Stevens Not a "Mixer."
Mr. Stevens is a worker. His friend
claim that he works too hard. The worst
that his enemies say is that he does not
Know how to handle men. He has been
educated In the school of corporation
power
I presented my card to Mr. Stevens. He
glanced -at it. and then at me. He did
not proffer his hand, he did not warm
up. even to a smile. Jn a cold, deliberate
manner he said":
"Yes. you are about the sixtieth news
paper man that has been here to help
me .dig- this canal."
I started to tell him I had troubles
enough of ray own without essaying any
canal work, but he said something about
Jt being his busy day. So I departed for
the wore congenial atmosphere of the
working people.
In the administration building. Just
opesed tor, the transaction of feust&ue
pertaining directly to the canal dining.
we find a typical Government offlce. The
clerks a hundred or more come and go
the same as in Washington or any other
place. There is an occasional clatter of
typewriters and a persistent murmur of
voices.
My guide at Culebra was Lieutenant
Foley, an old Washington boy. who is
now In charge of the nineteen policemen
that patrol the streets and camps In this
thriving town. There are about 1500 la
borers and 700 white employes here, all
of whom constitute a considerable, com
munlty. Law-breaking la rare, and th
offenses are -insignificant as a rule. Tho
law-breakers soon become stone breakers,
however, and in the Jail yard they spend
many days swinging a sledge hammer on
boulders.
Jamaicans as Skilled Mechanics.
As we leave Culebra. let us take
glimpse at the machine shop and the
roundhouse, where the engines used to
haul the work trains are kept In good
condition. Here we find the foreman as
black as the proverbial midnight, and
naturally so. for he is a full-blood Ja
ma lean. At night the engines come roll
ing Into their respective berths, each with
some variety of mechanical aliment. The
engineer of the disabled steel calls loudly
for the foreman. He comes; the case is
diagnosed, the trouble ascertained, ana
with the deft fingers of genius the fore
man repairs the damage.
Yet this fellow came to the isthmus
two years ago as a common laborer. and
was paid at the munificent rate of SO
.cents per day. I understand his salary "
'now J1S00 a year. And he Is one of the
men that really earns hla pay. There is
no better place to study the adaptabll
ity of the Jamaican ngro than at Culebra.-
Most of the engineer are negroes
and so are their firemen. They are all
ambitious, work well, and from all I was
able to learn are giving perfect satisiac
tion.
END SHIP SUBSIDY GRAFT
IF PASSED, TRUST MAGNATES
GET ANOTHER BLUDGEON.
High Financiers as Mendicants Beg
Millions Yearly as a Gift
From the Nation.
SALEM. April CS. To the Editor.)
The proposed ship subsidy bill, embody
ing, as It does, all the self-evident ear
marks, dips and angles of a most stu
pendous steal, naturally attracts and fas
clnates the average National lawmaker
of the upper house. The original bill
called for only JS.O00,O annually, run
nlng for a period of 20 years, aggregat
ing the modest sum of J1GO.OW.000. This
sum looks almost startling to the dlsln
trestod observer, especially when he
calls to mind thp fact that no one wants
such an expenditure for such purpose.
except certain transcendental "guys
who go to make up the membership of
our American "House of Lords." and
shipping trust which, has more money
tnan it Knows what to do with, but is
desirous of putting Mr. Rockefeller in the
ehadc as a capitalist and trust magnate.
Mr.. Galllngcr. the most eminent of the
whole boodle Senatorial gang, has la
bored without cessation for years for the
consummation of this stupendous win
die. an outrage on the American people.
The bill Is reported to have passed the
bcnate.In the early days of March possl
bly In a somewhat modified form, but as
an entering wedge, nevertheless, whereby
the original steal will ultimately be ac
complished. What use would we have
for fhlps If the agricultural, mining and
other labor Interests should cease produc
tion, and what would be thought of tho
sanity of a National lawmaker who would
offer a bill to appropriate and equitably
aistnnute s,wg,wo annually for tho pit
motion and furtherance of agricultural,
mining and other producing Interests,
without which these shipping syndicates
and trusts would have little use for any
snip wnaicver?
There Is certainly no Interests of great
er moment to us all than the success of
the mighty host of producers, and no
class who labors so constantly on so
rmall a margin of profit. If we arc vis
ited with times of financial dcDressIon.
what do we do but helplessly wait until
the farmers "raise good crops." and
tnereby lift us out of our financial
slough of despond"?
The Galllngcrs tell us. In explanation
or the grart. that the American ship
owner In compelled to pay so much higher
wages to American seamen than foreign
sntpowners do that they are fast beeom
Ing destitute, and that the little cratultr
they ask Is indispensable to the mainte
nance of our National prestige and nrlde.
If It suited lhelr purpose better, the ship
subsidy people would in the next sentence
be telling us that, as a matter of fact,
pretty much all American ships are
manned by foreigners to our eternal dls
grace. Suppose their statement to be
true. Is it not equally true that there Is
a corresponding increase in the wages of
every employe of the agriculturalist.
miner and all other forms of production?
All will agree also that the farmer
works longer houre. lives more economi
cally, makes less profit and Is Infinitely
more essential to the general prosperity
or all. than the "capitalists." who. for
present purposes, assume the role of
mendicants. In order to perpetrate thin
enormous graft. Can this measure be
viewed In any other light than that of re
quiring the producers of this Nation to
dig these millions out of the ground and
pass it up to these capitalist as a gift, ns
an Inducement to them to use their capi-
iai ior me lurmerance of their own flnan
clal Interests? There can be no brand of
brazen Impudence equaling the proposi
tion. Our Government has been, in one
way and another nursing and eoddltnc
juki sucn progeny as tms. until the brats
nave outgrown pretty much all parental
amnoniy. ana give great promise of ulti
mately disrupting the paternal household.
Being above and superior to the law. thev
are consistent in not often appealing to
li. oui. win tne aid of past masters in
intrigue, they bring secret forces to bear
with a merciless power, to spread wreck
ana ruin on all who presume to obleet to
being devoured, digested and assimilated
within their all-pervading financial grasp.
juage uudersleeve has recently given
testimony as to the right of Mr. Rog
ers. Mr. Rockefeller, etc to hold lnr
in contempt, and snurn all courts f
justice. Judge Humphrey more recently
krvo an illustration of the too fre
quent complaisance of the courts,
"where "large Interests" are involveJ.
and explains the Senatorial anxiety to
raie ana reoate commission of
any effective power, by amending- tho
bill SO AM tn irlvo PMlta, j
'jurisdiction tq the courts, where by
corporate Influence and legal subter
fuge it would remain forever, thereby
cffectivtfly defeating all attempts- at
rccieaiai legislation. There are esti
mates b&sed on what seems sound
logic, facts and figures, which
that In 50 years a half dozen men of
tne type or Rockefeller will literally
own me inuea iaies, and in due
time the arth. and "sit astride our lit
tle world." With, or without subsidies
unless the methods of these modrn
world-.robbers are put in restraint,
every decent, honest person wjllln the
near future, receive notice to et oft
the -arth. Then, any old ship -will beat
pedestriaulsm. But who will hare the
price?
In fact, -with the vessels now owned
by the shipping trust, and tho added
power afforded by the proposed subsidy,
would not the Morgan combine reach
for everything afloat? This subsidy
is a standing: invitation for x shipping
trust as deadly and ruit&us in it ef
fect on our commerce wita the aa
titxt, u &r tke prastat exiitlar
mettle trusts to Individual interests
la our aene. commercial, productive
and agricultural affairs. That tae pro
posed subsidy would he promptly utll
Ized for the accomplishment of just
such purpose, no candid and intelligent
observer of past events can for a mo
xnent question. It is not so much the
proposed dissipation of S160.000.00e
worse than thrown away or the fact
that a debauched United States Sen
ate is the Instrument through which
the tolling millions are to be thus
robbed and plundered. It Is the evl
dent Durpose of these despollers of
human interests to place the measure
less curse of industrial slavery over all
oceans, and thereby make complete
the temporal curse of the human race.
Such results arc inevitable, or the study
of the history of recent trust exploita
tion is a foollsn waste of time.
I cannot but feel that the United
States Senate, composed of intelligent
citizens of jthls free republic, who are
oath-bound as it relates to conserving
the interests of our common country
and who will solemnly dole out their
long-drawn hypocritical speeches in
pretended defense of their self-evident
villainy, ought to be branded with eter
nal Infamy. Senator Foraker. in his
speech in the United States Senate
April 1 In opposition to the Hepburn
bill, the purpose of which is principally
to put a stop to the rebate system on
the part of the railroads, was much
grieved to find a sentiment In thfe lower
house and among the people, which re
garded opposition to the hill as "a
species of treason, against whom, and
tn what way nobody seemed to know."
Mr. Grosvenor, of Ohio, has Just re
cently received a message from the
people of his state whtch pretty clear
ly indicates that they do know, and If
the signs of the times indicate any
thing-. Mr. Foraker is in a fair way to
be the recipient of a similar notice.
Another characteristic performance was
the suppression. In the Senate committee.
of the Payne Philippine tariff bill, not
even allowing it to come to a vote In the
Senate when it passed the House by a
vote of 23S to 7L If any one thing 1
proved by such action of this Senate
cabal, it Is tho fact that they are, as it
relates to the Payne .bill, absolutely
dominated by the sugar, tobacco and rice
trusts. Thus, by securing the Forakers,
Galllngers. Aldriches, Platts. Depews,
Gormans. etc.. In control of such com
mlttees as are likely to have trust In
tcrests referred to them, the trust In
terests are truly "In the saddle, and
public appeals count for nothing. It Is
only the controlling influence of such men
that makes tho proposed ship-subsidy
possibility, and except for the fact that
we have a President who Is honest, patri
otic and capable, the temporal Interests
of S0.0CO.OOT citizens of this country would
be almost without hope.
"With the clearer understanding of these
issues being acquired by the people, and
the course being pursued by our Chief
Executive, there Is hope that he time I
not far distant when the average trust
debauched United States Senator will find
It to his Interest to "sit up and take
notice. and that the professional "stand
patter will also discover the fact that
there Is some merit In Intrinsic Justice.
The certainty of this coterie of trust
owned Senators Invariable opposition to
every measure tending to curb the rapad
ty of their owners and masters, and their
total indifference to the tolling millions
who ask no gratuities, but are pleading
for the privilege to live. Is something
most truly alarming. It constitutes
source of danger to our form of govern
ment more portentous than that before
which patriots trembled during the dark
est days of our great Civil War. A ell
max is not difficult of discernment on the
not far distant horizon. Eighty millions
of people will not forever continue to
Implore, plead and pray to a corrupt
cabal of trust hirelings for a Just con
side-ration of their unquestionable rights
ns citizens of this great republic.
Trust must be rendered subservient to
law. or our government in Its present
form cannot continue to exist.
TV. A. C.
VERY LONG WHISKERS.
The Wind Izz-crs Raided In Historic
Pike County, Missouri.
Soeneersburr fMn.l for. Votr TVirlr CnA
Valentine Tapley. of Spcnecrsburg. and
K. K. Gates, of Purr-will ir h1ft.r'
by the people of Pike County to have the.
ioiiKcr-i oearos in me wona.
Gates was born in KentueW. n
gold-hunter in . and haw llred In Pike
.:ounty since before the Civil War. He
Is an old friend of Champ Clark and
former Judce of district. u
his whiskers about his body and under
ms ciothes. and the casual observer
wuuiu not realize mat tne appendage
is so mng.
Valentine Tanlev !
whiskers are 11 feet long. He Is one of
the oldest residents of the county and one
of the wealthiest. He rtMhu. vi -v.i.
kers with much pride, and dislikes any
one wno questions wnethr they are the
longest in the world. H u hat.
hearty and liven an active life on the
j arm. ooing me narccst of work which
does not endanger his remarkable whis
kers: but he will not burn hh n.
around a fire. The belief that shaving
muii..ch3 me Krowm oi a Deard is not
sustained in the case of Tapley. for he
stales that he never did shave. The
beard appeared when he was 15 years of
r . .DCiorc ne a) Tapley had. to
plait his beard and tmt- th in .
Inside his vest. In the next five years
e Drean to wear it inside his shirt. Th
next provision was to wear It around his
uimy reneatn nis ciomes.
nen me oeara vsi r-ivM t i
-sras aeciarea tne longest In the world.
a iPirjr rcceivea a nne offer to exhibit
himself in a museum hut Vi a.m.
llcity and the thought of leainjr the
Tho Overland Mall.
Outlnjr.
The men who panned and backed th
Overand Route wor .i- ,
but they could hsr ...
. .,- ; ' """"' wiin-
wul u miin armv or annt tjt
every whit as big and brave in their
iiumoitr SDneres or not ai
" . . . .... viiu 11.
was action, trnite-hot and picturesque,
such as you may find today only on the
nrlng line of an armr.
in ere was an agent in charge of
vnu uivjpion ox zii mn. r .. a
,. . . . iwou, nun
an its stations and equipment. He
oougni ana distributed rations, fodder.
juui. nrncsn, ana Kept the buildings
in repair. He fed his passenger and
fOURht fOr their llVfS h Van hi.
era on the Jump, and his mule teams
fit and ready. His statlona -r. ...
as well, in which he must stand off the
inautn raids mat lent xest to a trip
In the Overland coach. There was no
ummonlnc a. TrrVlnr
when a coach toppled off a mountain
roaj. The agent wa Vine- nf v.i
rltorr and his resnonihiiiti.
mandcd that order of ability which
made the American pioneers a race of
giants.
The stage driver tnnV hi
and counted clmself lnrW if v,i. .vi
would hold whiskey, without leaky and
annoying Duuet-noies. at the end of his
run. The road he must travel wan no
more than a trail, and one of his chief
concerns was to keep in It during the
wearintr niebt hour. Kfa c ri.i.,
an art departed with the passing of
this race of experts. Now and then
you will find in the quartermaster's
-wagon trains of the refjular army a
grizzled pilot of four or six Govcrn-
wai mutes who learned his trade In
the far WesL and who hit iu wmit
an heir to the skill of the men oa the
boxes ef the "Overlaad.
Hare Tea Seem There?
Thrfciia)"
There Jtt mweh a e far a
BANK ALSO
OPEN FOR
INSPECTION
FROM 7 to 10
AT NIGHT.
Our New Home
Open to the Public Today
TC So great has been the growth. of the
j OREGON TRUST & SAVINGS BANK,
that larger quarters were necessary and
the Officers and Directors extend to the public '
a cordial invitation to inspect their new home,
Sixth and Washington, this Monday morning.
We will have as good facilities for serving you
in all branches of Banking as can be found on
the Coast, and ask you to bring your friends
and inspect our new home.
V
Directors:
W.-H. MOORE
LEO FRIEDE
H. A. MO'ORE
E. E. LYTLE
W..COOPER MORRIS
W. H. MOORE, President
E. E. LYTLE, Vice President
W.COOPER MORRIS, Cashier
JJHHy HBa ssstew
CIGARS
and the Sign of the SHIELD
IN PORTLAND
We announce the opening of a UNITED
CIGAR STORE in this city, Saturday;
May 5th, at 147 Third Street.)
We come to Portland because we believe there is room for us.
In upwards of 40 other big cities wc operate stores on the original
plan which will prevail here all known by the-sign of the UMTED
shield the emblem of quality.
Our stores 1nate a chain which links the Atlantic with the Pacific
hundreds of them Our first store in Portland will be No. 409.
These stores are all operated on one plan to give better cigars for
the same money, more cigars for equal money and equal cigars for less
money.
Whether we do or not wc will ask the smokers of Portland to decide.
UNITED
CIGAR STORES
COMPANY
I
flflflW
I
I
I
I
1
I
I
I
I
1
I
Vtr"
.
-
'
i
V
t