The Washington times., 1901-12-11
BOUGHT IN BY
SPECTATORS.
Nicaragua Canal Route in
Hands Of Syndicate.
My SHELVE ENTIRE PR0JECT
Claim of New York Bankers,
Apparently Authentic, Makes
Building Canal Costly Undertak-
ing-Own Every Foot of Route

The Maritime Canal Company of Mica
ragua, corporation organized under the
laws of New Jersey, has secured posses
sion OF the route for the proposed 18TH
mian waterway which was surveyed and
recommended by the lsthmian Canal Com
mission. The holdings include all fran
chises. concessions and grants. and all
the land available for the huge ditch.
The tract which lies between Lake
Nicaragua and the Pacific Ocean. and
without which the Nicaraguan route
would be impossible. is now in the pos
session of company OF American fnan-
ciers
senator Morgan Notified.
These facts were made known to Sena
tor Morgan. Chairman of the Committee
on lntcroceanic Canals. in a statement
from the Maritime Company which was
received in Washington on Monday. The
facts have been referred to Mr. Morgans
committee and sor,e action will be taken
in connection with the matter when the
canal bill is called up.
The statement of the corporation.
backed. apparently, by official documents
supporting the facts advanced, is as fol-
lows:
THAT the Maritime Canal Company of
Nicaragua, an organization Incorporated
under the laws OF New Jersey, ras full
and complete control OF the route selected
by the lsthmian Canal Commission and
surveyed by that body.
THAT the said company has acquired by
purchase all concessions and franchises
looking to the construction of water
way through Nicaraguan territory.
Owns Every Foot of Route.
THAT this company owns every foot of
the lard between Lake Nicaragua and the
Pacific ocear which is at all available
for the construction of the canal.
THAT this company has secured posses
sion of The route and has erected build
ings ard machinery and has actually be-
gun work on an isthmian waterway.
THAT thus far the company has eXpend-
ed 81, ,172.71 in cash for the lands Sc
cured and that the concessions granted
by the Nicaraguan Government are
sweeping and cover everything.
That the United States cannot begin the
construction of the proposed waterway
without purchasing from this company all
franchises, lands, and concessions now
held by IT,"
These statements are backed by official
documents, and Secretary Hay of the State
Department and Secretary Hitchcock of
the Interior Department send endorse
ments which prove the actual status of
the corporation and its operation.
Men Behind the Deal.
The officers OF the Maritime Canal Com
pany are Henry E. Howland, president;
7. B. Atkins, secretary, and Joseph Bryan.
Henry E. Alvin. s. H. Chisholm. John
herd, II. L. Hotchkss. II. d. Pierce. r.
C. Shannon, and Edward Menocal. board
Of directors. Most Of these men are
prominent New York financiers
The Maritime Company. It is believed,
has made a shrewd move in secur
ing what the United States must pur-
chase, and the waterway, in the opin-
ion of many Senators, viii be a costly af-
fair. even before the first shovelful Of
earth is removed.
May SheIye Canal Project.
The move OF the Maritime Company is
believed to place the United States be-
tween two fires in the construction of the
isthmian canal-the syndicate whose
scheme & now unfolded, and the Panama
Company, and to deal with either. it is
thought. will prove a costly proceeding
Yesterdays developments may result in
shelving the entire canal project for this
session II not indefinitely, a number of
Senators already manifesting a decided
reluctance to playing into the hands OF
the New York syndicate.