The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-11-17
CLAIMS ID CONTROL
Latest lnter-0ceanic Canal
ConceSSionaire
MAKES A GREAT BIG TALK
Maritime and Atlas CON-
panieS Knocked Out.

New York. Nov. Is.-J. P. Cragin OF
Chicago who engineered the purchase OF
the concession for the building OF the
Nicaragua canal IN the interest OF the
Grace syndicate, arrived here today on
the steamer Allegheny from Greytown.
He was accompanied by Colonel Alex
ander Bacon and Ar. Eyre. of the firm
OF ". P. Grace & Co.. and a corps of
civil engineers belonging TO me corpora
ton Mr.. Crag4n says that the syndi-
cate which he represents has now fun
control Of the building OF the inter-ocean-
&c canal and that the old grant has been
cancelled
Mr., Cragin In an interview said:
Va went down there for the purpose
OF ascertaining II the grant held by the
Maritime CMiller) company was workable
and soon discovered that IL was not
The concession for years had practically
been cancelled blythe violation OF several
articles of the agreement. Although the
| government held that the c0pcession ran
until October. 1899. There was no dIspo-
sition OF the officials 70 grant renewal
OF work which had ceased nine years ago.
Then we arranged for ne wand indie
pendent concession, the owrk on which
will be pushed vigorously. This new
grant has been dated when the Warner
Miller convention IS supposed to end
In 1889
There Is probability, however. that
the Maritime company VIII abandon the
owrk when they understand the provis-
ions Of the new syndicate's purchase and
this owuld give US chance 10 begin
work Immediately, our contract contain
ing clause which says: Unless cancell-
ed before that date
There Will be no hitch about the new
agreement owing to the formation OF the
United States of Central America Our
agreement with the Nicaraguan govern
ment was made and ratified before the
ne wrepublic came into existence. The
constitution OF the Central American
republic provides that contracts made by
the separate states prior TO the union are
final and binding. Costa Rica hos moth
ing to say IN the matter, and owing 10
the strained relations between that state
and the stae OF Nicaragua the new COM
pany has nothing to fear"
Mr. Cragin was asked II the purchase
OF the Nicaraguan governments steam
boats, railroads and natlonol lands by the
Atlas, a British corporation. would not
interfere in any way with the concession
to the Grace syndicate.
He replied: THE Atlas contract spe-
cially states that there Shah be no inter
ference with grants made with the gov
eminent prior to or after the purchase"
Mr. Cragin, IN closing, said that the
route of the canal twill not be materially
changed. and that the capital to complete
the work has already been subscribed.
A HINT FROM PORTO RICO.
Washington, Nov. 16.-The state de-
partment has been informed By Minister
Calvo, OF Costa Rica, that President
Iglesais viii visit Washington within the
next fortnight. Ordinarily such a visit
would be a ceremonious ceremony but in
this case President Iglesias comes incog-
nito and on an entirely private mission,
so that outside OF the exchange of unofii-
cial courtesies the government viii not
give him a formal welcome He will ar
rive at New York next Tuesday and after
e brief stay there will come on TO Wash
ington, stopping az the Costa Rica legs-
ton. Later he Will make a "trip 70 Chi
cago. St Louis and some other western
cities, and then may go 10 Europe. He IS
travelling chiefly for his health. During
his stay here ne will meet President Nc
Kiniey and Secretary Hay and there Will
be an opportunity for exchange of views
on the interests Costa Rica claims in the
inter-oceanio canal. whose construction
she greatly desires.
botle OF Hood's Sarsapa rilla contain.
the besinning Of good hAalth tor you.