The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-10
MILLER'S HUGE TASK.
To Carry the Nicaragua Canal to
Completion.
he Arrives Here and Talks Of What Has Been
Done to Further the Undertaking and
What Is Still Necessary.

Hon. Warner Miller, President of the
Nicaragua Canal Construction Company,
arrived in this city yesterday, and IS now at
the Palace Hotel 1t is his intention t. re-
main here for about a week.
This is not NY first visit to the Coast,"
he said Il was here last 10 the spring Of
1887, and planned a trip here last winter, but
was unable 70 come on account Of business
engagements. At that time l expected to
come by the way Of Nicaragua, but there
was some unavoidable delay, and after going
over the ground found that it would be as
expeditions 10 come by the way Of New
York. My object now is TO present to the
people Of san Francisco the advantages to
accrue 10 them from the construction Of
the canal, and to solicit their active CO.
operation. While l % not, of course, ex-
pect TO secure here the funds necessary to
carry on the great enterprise that We have
undertaken, l do expect the people Of the
Pacific Coast, and Of San Francisco in par
ticular, as being most greatly interested, to
give me such encouragement that It viii
enable US to 20 into the money markets of
the world and secure such amounts as we
may require to carry the undertaking to
completion. I am firmly convinced that
latiOn of California, Oregon and Washing
ton would be doubled in ten years, aud it IS
10 present this view CT the case that l am
here now"
Mr. Miller then outlined the plans as
mapped out, together with detailed ac-
count OF the estimated cost and time TO De
consumed ia construction.
SATISFACTORY PROGRESS.
he proceeded By saying: what has
do fan
organization, but we have already expended
from S4,C00UG0 TO $4,000, 600. Warehouses,
machine->hO barracks aud hospitals have
already been constructed, and things are
now IN such COnditiUn that we could utilize
q force Ct 10000 men, The railroad is nearly
completed. dredging machinery has been ac-
CURED. and We are now ready 10 90 ahead
with the main work. 10 addition TO this the
harbOT Of GIeytOWn has been developed
since l assumed charge OF the work. When
we first went there no improvements had
been made. Formerly ii was necessary to
lighter all cargOes in from a distance of TWO
miles out at sea. Since then we have opened
and developed the haTBOr, and two weeks
ago a large coa-laden steamer passed in
over the bar and discharged her cargo at
the wharf This IS the first steamer that
has been able to reach Greyt9Wn in twenty
five years. The work will be continued IN
til we are enabled TO maintain depth OF
thirty feet on the bar. Last year 1t was dry
land On the spot where the steamer crossed
the bar, and you could drive an OK team
across it on the sand. For two years a corps
Of fifty engineers has been at work survey
ing, and laying cut the land. The entire
work has been carefully studied, so that
every detail is now complete and We know
just what is to be done"
PANAMA SPLEEN.
"What truth is there in the story recently
sent out about a strike of laborers on ac-
count of an alleged lack Of prOvisiOns?"
None whatever. The Panama Canal
people have sent out all sorts Of damaging
reports, and this probably comes from the
same source. The men in our employ are
given food Of the best quality, AMI the ra-
tions distributed are greater in quantity and
superior in quality 10 those served to the
soldiers IN the United States Army. The
report probably was founded on the fact
that while l was in Nicaragua the men COM
planned about a cook and | had him dis
charged. There was no strike and no Seri-
Gus trouble, ana that ended 1t all. The
health of the men was fiTst-class. Out of an
entire force Of 700 labOreTs but four were in
the hospital, and three Of that number were
the victims Of an accident When | re-
turned to the Coast a month later, after the
rainy season had set in, six men were sick
in the hospital. / do not think that any
great company on the continent could make
as good a showing"
Tonight Mr.. Miller will attend the an
nual banquet of the Chamber of Commerce.
when he will respond to the toast, - The
Nicaragua Canal" and on Thursday even
ing he will lecture at Metropolitan Hall.
The Presidents Of the various commercial
bodies Of the city will act as committee to
escort the distinguished visitor from his ho-
Tel TO the hall. The doors viii be thrown
ODen 10 The public