Show e Building of the tie Panama Canal ana I By MAJOR-GENERAL MAJOR GEORGE W. W GOETHALS Governor of the Panama Canal J III LABOR PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH THE CANALS CANAL'S CONSTRUCTION HE wide spread reputation reputation reputation tion of the Isthmus of Panama ns as a II pesthole pesthole pest pesthole pest pest- hole which prevailed t when the Americans took possession of the work in 1904 1004 increased materially the cost of the canal In order to induce skilled labor of the requisite character and quantity to go to the isthmus it was necessary to adopt a scale of wages higher than had been known on previous Pl construction construction construe construe- tion work anywhere and to continue that scalp scale unmodified after the isthmus had hod ceased to be more mora perilous to health than any other tropical country Existing dread of the tho isthmus was confirmed and enhanced by by- byan an outbreak of yellow fever among American employees which occurred in 1905 1005 and which reached the proportions o of an epidemic When the Americans arrived at Panama they established their official headquarters in the old administration building in Panama City which had been used by the French Canal company for the same purposes and had been acquired by the American Amen Ameri can ean government in the canal purchase The American Ameri- Ameri can enn employees were obliged to find living quarters in various parts of the city since no others were obtainable and as the city was infected with yellow ellow fever of which there were sporadic cases from time to time they being non immune fell victims to it One hundred and three thirty-three of them were stricken and thirty five died Wide Vide publicity was from the nature of the c case se given to this disaster and and the effect was to render still more difficult and expensive the task of assembling a force of sk skilled men Gold and Silver Employees Although the prospect of active resumption of canal nal construction had attracted a a. few hundred men from Mexico exico and Central and South Sooth America the available working force composed of these and others brought from the United States formed only a fraction of the large number required It was realized that a plan of ot systematic recruiting of both skilled and common laborers must be put into opera opera- tion This was done and the assembling of a working working work work- ing jag force divided into what were known later as II gold and II silver sil er employees was begun American employees who desired to be paid in inthe inthe inthe the money of their own country were called I goldmen gold goldmen gold goldmen men and the natives naties Panama of-Panama and the West Vest India islands being familiar only with the coinage of their o own lands desired payment in silver As a consequence consequence consequence conse conse- quence the designations of II gold and II silver employees were adopted and prevailed till the com com- completion completion completion of the work notwithstanding the fact that subsequently the Panama coinage was put upon the gold standard The tl gold force comprised officials clerks superintendents mechanics steam shovel operators locomotive engineers and broadly speaking b gb g all classes of skilled American labor while the silver silver force included all common laborers both European and West Indian and alien artisans This divisional divi divisional divi- divi 6 onal designation was found not only convenient but politic since it avoided all reference to the color line Prior to 1907 efforts had been made to secure common labor from various sources About five fie hundred of the European laborers had bod been re- re in Cuba but opposition developed on the part of the planters and no large supply could be secured from this source Southern negroes had not been brought down except in small numbers as teamsters because of the objections that would be raised raised to their removal In hi large numbers from farms Because of the inducements inducement offered by the railroads rail- rail roads roada in the western part o of the he United States State it Ellis island was wed impossible to secure emigrants at Bids had been invited and received for fOT Chinese labor labar but h had been rejected Mr r. r Stevens considering the character of West Indian labor was of the opinion that the labor i problem could be solved soled successfully by securing laborers of several different nationalities As a result in April 1907 three r recruiting agents were in the the- field two o operating ting rt in the West India islands islands is islands is- is lands and one in Europe to obtain common labor Laborers From Europe In Europe efforts wore were principally directed toWard toward toward to to- ward securing Spaniards from the mountain province of Galicia as it was found that they were hardy intelligent and tractable Opposition to recruiting in Europe developed from official sources in Italy a press agitation was started with official support l and laborers were warned against coming to Panama and finally pro prohibited The Tho King of Spain in November 1908 issued a decree temporarily forbidding forbidding forbidding forbid forbid- ding emigration to Panama Notwithstanding these obstacles laborers i were recruited from Spain 1941 from Italy and aud k 1101 from Greece with the understanding that they should be p paid id at the tho ra rate rae e of 20 cents gold per hour for a nine hour da day and be supplied with free quarters free medical attendance and meals if I desir desired d at the rate of 40 cents g gold ld per day In addition to the laborers recruited directly mani man many came of their own accord induced to do so so by by letters lettes i from friends or relatives There Were ere occasional difficulties with European t laborers borers but not of f a serious nature The food furnished furnished furnished fur fur- at the tho messes was one ono cause and inability to under understand tand the tho language another These were overcome overcome over ocr come however cr ln tar largely ely ly through Giuseppe Garibaldi who w was s employed to investigate their grievances I- I He enl enlisted sted cooks arranged their menus and with his Ins nS assistance the commissary was enabled to tu cater catel to their tastes and provide pro the foodstuffs to which they were accustomed med Trouble resulted because colored policemen w were re placed to guard their camps i but thIS thib was remedied by detailing whites for this I 1 duty The Europeans Europea s. s were used d l largely largely- on track work t In the tho central division which included Culebra cut cut I and were often obliged to cont continue nue at work work fro from 7 a. a a. a m m m. to p p. m. m without intermission sion clearing and aligning tracks trucks during the noon hours Their morl morning meal was not a substantial one so the men M tarried cd a n. roll or sandwich with them which the they ww w r. r r r rELIEF RELIEF ELIEF map mop of the region ion of the Panama canal conal showing showing- the great waterway from its Atlantic II outlet at Limon b bay r lower left hand hanel corner to io the Pacific end about fifty miles to the south south- I east cast The b big g construction features of the C canal nal included the Gatun locks and dam close to the Atlantic Atlantic Atlantic At At- lantic end the long Culebra cut at the southwestern end of Chagres lake and the Pedro Miguel and Mi looks locks at nt the Pacific end of the canal y c t W 1 1 s w would eat in the course of the morning To this the division engineer objected and some of the men were suspended five da days s 's in consequence then an entire gang was suspended with ith the tho ultimate result result re result re- re sult that upward of six hundred quit work a number number number num- num ber of them leaving They were orderly presented their grievances for consideration and I directed that they be allowed ten minutes s during b the morning morning morn morn- ing for their repast the foreman to fix the time West Indian Laborers Jamaica offered the most promising field for recruiting in the West Vest Indies but arrangements could not nat be made with authorities to permit it However a great Jamaicans many have been employed employed em em- on the canal as artisans cooks janitors and petty clerks Recruiting from the other islands brought to the isthmus 1000 men from Barbados s from Martinque 2053 from Guadeloupe Pe and 1427 7 from Trinidad 1493 1403 were also secured from Colombia These figures do not show the large lays a numbers who came of their own accord including East Indians This class of labor was employed at 10 ce 0 is g gold old per hour given free quarters quarters and medical attendance attendance at at- at and furnished three meals a day at a total cost of 30 cents West Indian laborers were never entirely saris sans factory Their standard of living is low an and as as asa a class they are sluggish and lack vitality y but th their ir efficiency was increased b by introducing b competition through the European laborer by supplying them with proper food by training and b by familiarizing the American foremen with their peculiarities The ratio of efficiency between the European and West rest Indian which at the beginning was fixed at 2 to 1 did not hold good through the entire period of service while that of the latter increased that of the former decreased as the result of working in juxtaposition At the beginning of the work carrying ng out the wishes of President Roosevelt an effort was made to recruit all nIl American employees from the classified classified classified classi classi- fied civil service but this proved impracticable fin and highly unsatisfactory and by executive or order er of Januar January 12 1906 1006 th the civil service ice rules were amended amended so as ns to exempt all employees of the commission commission commission com com- mission mission except those for the positions of bookkeeper bookkeeper book book- keeper clerk stenographer typewriter surgeon physician trained nurse and draughtsman Recruiting the Gold Force The recruiting ting of the II gold force was carried on through the Washington ashington office of the tho commission by means menns of correspondence by advertising and by agents in the tho field of whom at nt one time three were employed In making these the employments requirements requirements requirements re re- were broadly that the applicant must mist be an American citizen in good physical condition as shown by a medical examination just prior to departure n not net t less than 20 nor more than 40 years old for some positions the maximum ago age limit t was less and capable of performing the duties for which employed The Panama Railroad company a corporation operating operating- under a charter from the State of New NewYork NewYork NewYork York and a concession concession from the tho Republic of Colombia Colombia Colom Colom- Colombia bia bia had for years a as a health measure provided certain privileges eg in the way of vacation and sick leave and it followed naturally that similar pr privileges privileges must be he accorded to the canal workers As Asa a consequence the commission allowed certain privileges in addition to salary alary and because of the intimate relations between the two interests the Panama Railroad company and the isthmian canal canol commission the same conditions were made applicable ap applicable ap- ap to both Compensation of employees began beg on the date of sailing online from a n. port of the United States and they were furnished with free transportation to the isthmus mu mus including subsistence Where here available quarters quarters were provided pro free of charge including fuel lights and water and except at nt atthe the ver very be beginning of the work bachelor quarters were wore always available avail avail- able Free transportation was also allowed to aport aport a port of the United Slates upon termination of service service ice iee b by or at nt the instance of the commission provided provided provided pro pro- vided such service had hoeI been satisfactory satisfactory- All employees whose salary alary was was fixed on a monthly or annual basis were allowed sick leave durin during the the period of disability not to exceed thirty days in any calendar year car for an nn employee appointed in the the United States and not to exceed fifteen days in any calendar year car for an employee appointed on the isthmus Such leave lenc was not cumulative was not given cn to an employee appointed with a rate of pa pay per hour and could be granted only upon the certificate of an nn authorized physician in the employ of the commission Care of Injured Employees All employee employees whether on a monthly or hourly basis hasis in the thc discretion of the proper official were allowed leave for injury injury- incurred in the performance perform perform- ance of duty ditty while incapacitated by reason of such injury but not to exceed thirty days in any c calendar year Inthe case of an employee paid by the month or year pay for injury leave lene was at the rate of compensation received at the time timo of the injury while an employee paid by hy the hour received pay on the basis of eight hours constituting a day In Inthe Inthe Inthe the ca case e of all employees free medical and h hospital attendance was provided An employee whose salary was fixed on an annual annual an an- nual or 01 monthly basis basi was to receive no pay for overtime work required of him but as compensation and in consideration of such overtime as was vas anticipated anticipated anticipated antici antici- and expected such uch employee could be granted six weeks' weeks leave of absence with pay for every twelve months' months service and such leave was to be cumulative cumulate e for a period of two years The leave for one year could be taken at the expiration of eight months months' continuous service This leave leae also earned carried with it the privilege of ofa a twenty-dollar twenty rate each way on steamers of the tho Panama railroad operating between New York and Colon for the employee and members of his family It was expressly stated that this grant of leave i is not to be considered a vested right but is made to promote the welfare and best interests of the service Compensation for such leave was made on the return of the employee to the isthmus The compensation of employees appointed with rate of pay per hour was wag based on an hour eight-hour day with time and half for overtime including Sundays and holidays Employees of this class were not allowed vacation leave leae though thc they were allowed tho the reduced steamship rates when traveling traveling travel ing on leave at their own e expense pense In February 1907 1007 the commission adopted new conditions of oP employment to become effective April 1 following which modified the leave privileges es then in force The sick eick leave privilege was extended to all classes of II gold employees but payment ment was to be made for a period not to exceed fifteen days for each six months' months service and then only onh at ot atthe atthe the expiration of the six months provided the time roll showed that the employee had worked 96 6 per cent of the working days or hours during the period less the time the employee was absent absent on account of sickness In no case casc was this sick leave cumulative in other words if no sick leave leavo were taken the first six months the could receive only fifteen days during the remainder of the year ear The injury leave len privilege remained as formerly The conditions governing annual leave still app applicable ap ap- p able h-able Only to men on m the monthly or annual basis were chanced chanced- While six weeks weeks' leave leae with pay par for fur e each eh twelve months' months service was granted if leave leRo were taken in the United |