The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-04

Romantic Story of Miliionaire Contractor
ON the Panama Coast

Romantic Story of a Millionaire Contractor
ON the Panama Coast
Panama Correspondence Colonial Standard.
People are trying hard to make themselves be-
lieve that the times getting better, or, at
least, that they will get better very shortly.
Since it is now certain, they say, that the canal
company will obtain the proceeds of the
900. 900. 900 loan, much talked of matter
of course there will follow new boom-in fact,
very boomerang of boom-in business of all
sorts Money is found to be plentiful, and
everybody will therefore prosper and be happy.
We shall see
Meanwhile there is no denying that Colon. in
fact the whole isthmus, is suffering from a
severe fit of dependency Perhaps it may be
partly ascribedto the weather; for notwithstand
Ing old DR.. Johnsons vigorous protest that no
man of sense should allow his spirits to be
affected by so trivial matter as rain or shine,
heat or cold, good weather or bad. yet it is my
belief after considerable time for observation,
that most people are less cheerful when a
gloomy thunder-cloud ia hanging around two
thirds OF the time, ready and w ling and
positively anxious to inaugurate the deluge.
How can they do otherwise than feal that
their stock of daily hope and sunshine is abund-
antly watered, to say the leastl Contractors, for
instance, who have large numbers of fnen at
work, must wish that kind Providence had SO
arranged the celestial water works that large
share of that most precious fluid which now falls
here say nine-tenths, had been bestowed upon
lessfavored places. 1t is a perfect eraoarrass-
ment of riches.
There is one of the great enterprises connected
with the canal however, that heeds not sun nor
rain. 1t is beyond and above such accidents and
approaches in its operations the independent
ton or natural agency. 1t is the admiration
and the wonder of all intelligent beholders. A
mighty automaton. lacking only the breath and
blood of life to rank with the tabled monsters of
Plutonian or Megatheriau origin!
Would you know what this wonderful object
isl This cunning combination of mechanism.
upon SO huge scale and so perfectly adjusted
that 1t seems a living things
will tell you.
1t is the monster Slaven dredge of the Amer
lean Contracting and Dredging Company. Or.
rather, it is seven of them! A small feet! I do
not think it would be possible for any writer to
describe In words the workings of these great
machines and tho strange impressions made upon
the mind while watching them literally ''eat UP"
and devour the space of earth they are set Co
attack. / have tried once or twice and have
given it up. could stand for hours spell
bound, watching the great steel buckets,
each of which holds a cubic metre revolve
upon the endless chain from the depths below to
the seventy feet high tower, where they empty
themselves into an immense receiver. from which
tho softened and astonished material SO lately
dreaming the dream of creation in undisturbed
repese, is shot away through great pipes, hun
dreds OF feet, too. from the banks of the future
canal Slowly and surely like fate or like the
mills of God in the poem, the great wheels
CINE deep down below, while half dozen other
lesser engines, like arms, and legs, and hands,
and feet, guide all the operations of the ponder
Gus and wonderful invention. Day and night,
in sunshine, or in rain, there need be rest.
Change the watch, as on a ship at sea, and all
through the twenty four hours the treless mon
ster labors for NJ. de Lesseps and civilization
am sure that ordinary readers care little or
nothing for figures therefore why should tire
you and them tbegging your and their pardonl
by stating the details of work performed by this
company2 Suffice it to say that they will put
out !, 900 006 cubic metres month until their
contract of 80, 900. 900 is finished. What proper
ton is already done cannot saw but am as
sured by the very able and enterprsIng young
gentleman who is at the head of their affairs,
viz, Commodore H. B. Slaven, that they will be
up to time. The work will be completed as
agreed.
And since have inadvertently mentioned the
name of my friend. the Commodore will ven
ture to tell you something about him. even at
the risk of his displeasure, for he IS an instance
of what young man of energy and intelligence
NAV accomplish in a few brief years.
Henry Bartholomew SlaveE was born>in Can
ada West, now Ontario, little over thirty years
ago. His parents were farmers, in moderate cir
cumstances. The youngest Of several brothers,
all of whom had gained prominence. he remained
at home on the farm, "a bare footed boy work
ing hard, as all farmers boys are used. until he
approached maturity. Then came the irresist-
ibe impulse of adventure that tore him away
from the parental roof and the home acres, to
begin his struggle with fortune. His first skir-
mish in the great battle of life was in the city
of Philadelphia, where he soon graduated as
a skilled pharmacist, at very early age. From
there he went to San Francisco, where, with
out friends or money, he opened, under the
celebrated Baldwin Hotel the largest and finest
drug establishment oE the Pacific coast. He
was youthful Aladdin. with lamp of cheerful
toll.
In a brief space his name and fame were
known, not only In the city of san Francisco but
all over the State of California. He invented
and patented medicines, and was the soul of en-
terprise and of quick perception. To the sur
prise of every body this youth. who had not yet
attained to manhood, had already made the be-
ginning of a fortune Success had already
crowned his efforts. But the process of accumu-
lation seemed slow to this active mind. There
must be new worlds to conquer.
And SO, one fine day, the plans of new kind
of dredge were shown him. ! will not have time
or space for the intervening details; the strug-
giles, the delays. the severe trials, and the final
triumph. But the result speaks for itself The
most wonderful part 9s it all is the constancy
and untiring energy and faith with which the
Commodore has pursued his object. Associated
with his brother. NJ A. Slaven and backed by
such worthy men and millionares as Hon. Eu-
gene Kelly, of New York. the American Con-
tracing and Dredging Company has become the
leading factor in the solution of the great Pana-
ma canal problem.
In personal appearance Commodore Slayen is
tall, dark and handsome, with the air of man
who knows exactly what he wants and how to
get it. He is still unmarried. Genial with his
friends, liberal and considerate towards mis- asso-
ciates and assistants, and just TO all. he pursues
the even tenor Of his way towards the near goal
of his ambition. From the brave, bare foot boy
Of the Canadian farm. to the millionaire con-
traitor of the Panama isthmus, will be like the
magic transformation of a dream
The Future OF the Negro.
Oliver johnson. in New FORK EnterprIse.