Executive Order 3585

by President of the United States

By virtue of the authority vested in me, it is hereby ordered:

1. Pursuant to the provisions contained in paragraph 17 of the Executive order of February 2, 1914, fixing conditions of employment governing employees of the Panama Canal and Panama Railroad Co. on the Isthmus of Panama, a charge will be made for rent, fuel, electric current, water, and services in connection with quarters, on and after January 1, 1922.
   
   

   Rent.

2. The rental will be based on the present average depreciated value of the area occupied by the tenant, to be determined by the governor of the Panama Canal. The rental will be sufficient to amortize the investment in quarters on the basis of a total average life of 36 years, to return 5 per cent for amortization and interest on the investment, and in addition cover the amount fixed for expenditure for repairs due to ordinary wear and tear of buildings and for the disposal of garbage and other services necessary from a sanitary point of view. The rental for bachelor quarters and for nonhousekeeping married quarters may be fixed to include all miscellaneous services which are rendered. The rental of buildings hereafter erected shall be fixed so as to conform with rentals theretofore charged for similar buildings.
3. Charges for fuel, electric current, and water will be based upon cost; where meters are not installed the charge for water will be based upon the average consumption, and the charge for current upon the number of lamps or other devices installed.
4. Miscellaneous work, such as repainting interior of houses, repairing electric fixtures, breakage in screens, furniture, and stoves, plumbing, etc., and the cutting of grass and trimming of hedges around quarters, will be done upon requests of tenants and charges for such services will be made on the basis of cost. Any repairs made necessary by reason of a tenant's misuse of the premises or any property therein will be made by the Panama Canal and the cost therefor collected from such tenant.
5. The governor of the Panama Canal is charged with the duty of issuing such instructions as may be necessary to carry out this order and to fix charges as herein outlined, subject to the general instructions provided.

Warren G. Harding

The White House,

December 3, 1921.