The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-03
PANAMA CANAL
SAVANNAH'S GAIN
WILL MEAN A GREAT DEAL.
NEW YORKER SEES BRIGHT FU-
TURE FOR CITY.

Dir. Mckenzie, Formerly Sunday Ed
itOr of the New York Press, WINS
in Panama When the Revolution
Occrrred-k nOvs the Country and
the Opportunities offered - Be
1feves That savannah viii Derive
the Greatest BENEFIT From Canal.
should Get Deep Water ApprOpri-
alton,
That Savannah win be one of the
most important trading ports in the
United States when the Panama canal
in completed is the opinion of Mr.. A.
c. Mckenzie, formerly Sunday editor
of the New York Press, who is spend
ing a few days in the city.
Mr.. Mckenzie has spent the last few
years in South America on an eXplor-
ing expedition, and as the head of
railroad syndicate. He has spent much
OF his time in Panama. He says the
late revolution was a cut and dried
affair, and that he was informed what
the programme was a month before
the revolution broke out He was in
Banana during the revolution, and
says the programme was carried out
10 the letter.
10000 Sub-COntracts.
There will be no less than 10000
sub-contraCts given out when the work
begins on the canal and any man who
is competent and has had experience
as a civil engineer will find rich OPP
pOrtunities awaiting him on the 18th
mus for the next ten years said Mr.
Mckenzie. THE United States gov
eminent will naturally pay a very
large price for the work in order to
induce competent men to go to PAN
anna and assist in the construction of
the great waterway.
In speaking of the great benefits that
the South would derive from the dig
ging of the canal Mr.. Mckenzie re-
ferred to the rich mineral deposits in
South America that would soon
be opened up by the constructing of a
railroad which is now being built
across the Andes, and which will open
up one of the most fertile countries in
the world. The South. he declares,
will be the market for this country as
we'll as for Chile, Peru. Ecuador and
other South American countries.
Will Help Savannah.
He also referred to the great in
crease that would be made in the trade
with the Pacific coast and declared
that on account of Savannah's posi-
important ports in the country. Con-
gress should not be backward in
granting liberal appropriations for
giving Savannah a thirty-five foot
channel from the city to the sea, Mr..
Mckenzie said.
Mr.. Mckenzie considers the $40 00O,-
600 paid by the United States govern
ment to the French Panama Canal
Company as just that much money Civ
en- away, in order to avoid any con-
fiict about the title of the canal prop
erty. He declares that the property
which the French company transfers
TO the United States government is
absolutely worthless and cannot be
used at all.
The difference in the water level be-
tween the two oceans, he says, is esti-
mated anywhere from two to sixteen
feet, and this difficulty will have to
be controlled by erecting water gates
on the Pacific side, which is higher
in elevation than the Atlantic.
Mr. Mckenzie is personally acquaint-
ed with all the leaders in the recent
that the Colombian government was
persuaded by the railroad companies
to take action as they believed that
by defeating the treaty they could
much longer prevent the construction
of the canal by this country. He be-
lieves that the citizens of Panama will
act with good faith toward the United
States and do all within their power
TO carry out the work of improving
the sanitary condition of the isthmus.