The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-30
OPPOSED BY HUNTINGTON
HE WILL SEEK TO DEFEAT ITS
PASSAGE.
Men to Whom Nicaragua Govern
ment Granted Concession Are
Believed to Be Merely
Specializing.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
Call Office, Riggs House,

Call Office, Riggs House,
Washington, Oct. 20.
It can be authoritatively stated that
the Nicaraguan canal bill reported by
Senator Morgan and now on the Sem
ate calendar substantially represents
the views of the Maritime Canal Com
pany upon all important points. The
Maritime Company will have no new
propositions to make to Congress at
the coming session, but will direct all
it's efforts toward the passage of the
Morgan bill.
While the sentiment in favor of
building the canal has been largely
augmented by events of the war the
representatives of Mr.. Huntington Of
the Southern Pacific are confidently
predicting that the Morgan bill will
never get through Congress. During
the past week it has been alleged here
that J. ]. Hill of the Great Northern
Railway was cooperating with Mr..
Huntington in his opposition to the bill.
The Maritime Company's agents do not
believe Hill will become an ally of the
Huntington interests.
The information from Nicaragua that
Edwin T. Cragin, Edward Eyre and
Frank S. Washburne will receive from
the Nicaraguan Government conces-
sion for a canal across that country
was no surprise to those in Washington
who are familiar with the affairs of the
Nicaraguan Canal Company. Mr.. era
gin is a Chicago promoter, not an en-
gineer, Mr.. Eyre is from New YORK
and represents considerable capital and
Mr.. Washburn, who also is from New
York is an engineer and contractor.
While nothing definite is known about
the amount of capital represented by
these men it is believed they are pre-
pared to put up stiff fight Tor the con
cession and if necessary could secure
enough backing to float bonds, and,
perhaps, to construct the canal. 1t is,
however, thought that they intend
rather to dispose of the concession
when it is obtained, either to the Mari
time Canal Company, which holds the
present concession, or to other parties
DESTROYS of constructing the canal
rather than undertake the task them
selves.
The fact that under the terms of the
concession they are authorized to nego-
tiate with the Maritime Canal Com
pany leads many to believe 1t rather
speculation than bona f1de business
proposition. AS affairs stand now the
concession held by the Maritime Canal
Company holds good until next october
and this company has done great deal
of work in the way of surveying and
even in actual construction of the
canal.
The Maritime Canal Company is not
concerning itself about the concessions
made to the Atlas Company. It's rep
resentatives hold that concessions made
to this company in no way conflict with
the canal concession. AS this is the
ground taken by the Nicaraguan Gov
eminent the company thinks that
ought to be sufficient.
The bill introduced in Congress by
Senator Morgan provides that the
United States Government shall be-
come the actual though not the visible
owner of the canal. 1t is proposed that
the Government shall put up the money
for the construction and retain a ma
jority of the stock and control the af-
fairs Of the corporation. 1t is believed
that by this method international COM
plications could be avoided.
The Nicaraguan Canal Commission
has made a thorough survey of the
ground. It is now engaged on its re-
port, which will be submitted in about
a month. There is no doubt this COM
mission win represent that the build
ing of the canal is perfectly feasible
and there is no difficulty in the way
which cannot be surmounted.