The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-23
PANAMA CANAL ROUTE
TITLE NOW IS VESTED
IN THE UNITED STATES
Ownership of the Waterway Has
Passed from the French
Company,
PAPERS ALL EXECUTED
And Delivered to Representatives
of This Government Now
in Paris.
PAPERS ALL EXECUTED

PARIS, April 22.-The Associated Press
is authorized to announce that the contract
by which the ownership of the Panama
canal passes to the United States has been
signed. scaled, delivered and is complete.
The title to the canal route is now vested
in the government of the United States.
The document by which this transaction is
consummated bears the signature of Pres
ident Bo and Director Richman, of the
Panama Canal Company, who signed for
the company as its responsible officials.
The transfer is complete and without res
ervation, and the United States secures a
perfect title.
Inls result has been accomplished quietly
and most Unexpectedly, as the public had
been given to understand that the contract
would not be executed until after the meet
ing of the stockholders of the Panama Ca
nal Company tomorrow, at which the
question of ratification would be presented.
As matter of fact, however, when the
meeting takes place tomorrow President
Bo will announce that the sale has been
completed. and instead of asking for au-
thority to execute a future contract it will
only remain to ratify the contract of sale
which the officers or the company have al
ready formally completed.
Only a few of the highest officers of the
company are now aware of the secret.
which will not be known, except by this an
nouncement IN the United States up TO the
time OF the meeting.
1t is confidently believed that the COM
pletlor OF the sale before the meeting will
increase the vote for ratification as il will
be. recognized that nothing more remains
put to acquiesce in the action taken by the
highest officers of the company.
A w
the United States assistant attorney gen.
eral, who are i'm Paris to assist i'm the
Srs transfer OF the property. were seen tonight
py the Associated Press they reluctantly ad-
mltted that the transfer had been consum-
mated, and in order to avoid msunderstand-
ings regarding transaction of this magni-
tuoe they furnished. the following official
statement in writing:
THE papers transferring the rights and
property by the new Panama Canal Com
pany to the United States have already been
executed and delivered. They will be rat
ifed tomorrow afternoon by the stockhold-
ers meeting. The arrangement includes "A
general conveyance and provisions for deeds
and resignation in the republic of Panama
and in the canal zone now under the juris-
diction of the United States in which zone
the civil law continues i'm force by reason
of the cession of the zone from a civil
lay sovereignty. All formalities of the
local law on the isthmus have been arr
ranged for and secured TO the United
Ste tes The property will shortly be de-
livered on the isthmus and upon that being
done the purchase price will be immedia tely
paid. The full text of the principal docu-
Inents will be published tomorrow night.
The United States gets an unencumbered
title
The main figures in the transfer have
been Messrs. Bo and Richman, for the
company; Messrs. Day and Russell for
the United States, and Consul Generals
Gowdy and Roberto Lewis for the United
States and Panama. respectively the two
consular representatives joining in affixing
their seals attesting the signatures.