The evening times., 1899-09-02
An ALGERIAN CONCESSION
Embarrassment ofthe State Depart
ment Over a Canal Privilege.
The Former Secretary OF War is
Said to Have Conferred Upon Per-
sonal Friends Water RIGHTS in
Michigan In the Face of an Adj
verse Report Upon the Matter.

The State Department finds itself blocked
by one of former Secretary Alger's acts.
from making vigorous protest against a
plan of Canadian capitalists to connect
Lake st. Clair with Lake Erie. The pro-
posed action of the Canadians has been
protested against by the Lake Carriers
Association. This protest places the State
Department and the War Department in
an exceedingly awkward position, for on y
short time before he went oct Of Office,
Secretary Aiger granted some OF his
Michigan friends privilege that involves
the same proposition. With this privilege
in full force and effect, the State Depart
ment does not see its way clear to protest
against what is now contemplated by Ca
madam capitalists.
Behind 1t all there is an interesting
story. Several months before Mr. AIger
went out of office the Sault Ste. Marie
Water Power Canal Company was organ
lied for the purpose OF using the water
power OF the rapids and converting 1t into
electricity. to be sold to all comers. 1t
was the intention to build the canal
around the town, the rapid descent Of the
water affording abundant power.
Colonel Lydeeker. OF the Engineers De-
partment. in charge of the public works in
=
He made careful Investigation and rem
dered an adverse report.
Then 1t was that Chase Osborn came to
Washington for conference with the Sec
retary. Mr. Osborn is one of Ayers warm
personal friends. He had much to do with
the working up Of the Alger-Pingree COM
bine. In view of the report of Colonel Ly-
decker, Secretary Alger could not give Mr.
Osborn what he wanted, buf he did send
him to Attorney General Griggs with the
proper sort of an introduction., Mr.. Griggs
looked up the law and found that the COM
pany, if it could give the Secretary of War
an assurance that it would not impede navi-
CATION, could operate under a simple per
NIT from the Secretary
With this ray OF hope lighting his path
way, Mr.. Osborn hastaned to the office of
Aiger, and there the scheme was fixed up.
The formal application was withdrawn and
with that withdrawal the report of Colonel
Lydecker fell to the ground Secretary Al
ger quietly put the report OF his engineer in
a pigeonhole. The assurance" suggested
by the Attorney General was given. and the
company was told to go ahead. The opin-
ion OF the Attorney General was not reduced
TO writing, but this did not stop the power
company. 1t began the business Of financ-
ing the concern, and is now making, appar-
emily, every effort to begin the active con-
struction of the canal.
Immediately following the permit granted
by Alser came letter from the Lake Car
rier's Association asking for copy of the
Lydecker report. 1t was furnished, and
engineer officers believed a sharp protest
against this scheme would soon be forth
coming. When the protest reached the de-
partment the officers were astounded to
discover that instead of the protest being
against the Sault Ste. Marie scheme it was
aimsd against the Canadian scheme. which
is on all fours with the other proposition
and against which the same arguments ap-
ply.