The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-20

Dredging company, had contracts
amounting to $4,000. 900. The Ameri-
cans did honest work. too. and made
fortunes. Common engineers took con-
tracts and got rich. heard today Of
one man who was down on his uDpers
when his employer, a New York con
tractor. discharged him as worthless.
When the contractor returned to Colon
ne found this fellow going about with
black valet holding an umbrella over
MN ana apparently very prosperous.
Beng asked how he had gotten along.
the man replied: Il am a rich man
now.
You see, I took a contract to fill
mole along the line of the canal. and
was to get $4,000 for the job. Another
man mad contract to cut down q hill
Tor 100000. and 1 charged him $50. 900
70 put his hill in my hole. 1t gave me
$lO0.o0O without spending a cent" An
otner man measured up a part of The
Chagres river in a section of his exca-
walton contract and by a collision with
the French accountants made a for
tune. Houses VIII CHI you could put I'D
at home for 5000 were charged for
mere at $4,000 and $4,000 l drove out
this afternoon to the Pacific mouth of
the canal. past big frame cottage not
as good as many $4,000 house in the
suburbs of Boston, which I was told
cost Its owner 100000, ard as we pas
sed by it resident banker of Panama.
VINO has long since done business here
and whose guest 1 was for the time,
SAID: The same man who built that
house constructed this three miles Of
road on which we are riding, and what
do you think it COST"
L can't guess" said l.
1T cost just 100000. Oh, those were
flush times. Everybody made money
then. Interest rates were 10 per cent
month, and the profits were enor-
nous We had Sarah Bernhard and
other actresses from Paris to Dlay for
us, and one time I remember Sarah
got $4,000 francs fer ten performances.
Panama was then almost as wicked as
Paris"
Wooden Stockings of France.
Yes, they were flush time. Flush
times among the rich contractors ir
Paris. as well as with the associate
contractors here. Shipioads of costly
machinery We're found useless, but
more of the same kinds We're sent On.
Paris shared in the profits. Nearly
$9,O0O,0OO were paid to subsidize the
French newspapers. The majority In
the chamber of deputies was bought
with 100000, and a member Of the
cabinet got $4,000 for services rendar
ed IEls all came out when the bub-
Die burst and 1.-The wooden stockings"
the French peasantry and middle
classes. awoke to find their savings
gone and their canal stock worth MOTH
ing.
They were the same people who had
come to the front and paid at the de-
mands of Germany 81 ,000. Geo 06O in set
tlement of the Franco Prussia war.
and now when they had again grown
WeN-to-do many found that they We're
penniless. 1t is from these same hard
nsted, economical, patriotic citizens
that France will have to get the great
part Of the money to finish the canal.
They have been badly bitten once,
when their own trusted De Lessep..
the hero of SueZ. was at the head Of
AFFAIRS VIII they risk the same thing
again when another hundred millions
or so are required? They may, but I
should say they will not The canal
may be built. 1t probably will be built.
but that France alone will build it
does not now seem among the posi-
plllties. Frank G. Carpenter.
Thank you for showing me other hats. but
l want the Gordon"