The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-23
IN HANDS OF AMERICA
CANAL RIGHTS PASS FROM
 TRENCH COMPANY.
Transfer compI6te and without Re- servation, and the United States Secures q Perfect Title
 to the Property.

Paris, April 22--The Associated Press is authorized to announce that the contract by which the ownership of Panama canal passes to, the United States to be signed and delivered and complete. The title to the canal route is now vested In the government of the United sStata&
 The document by which this trans acton is consummated bears the sig- natures of President Bo and Director Richman of the Panaana Canal Com pany who signed for tile company as its responsible officials.
 The transfer is complete and with out reservation and the United States secures a perfect title.
 This result has been accomplished quietly and most unexpectedly aS the public had been given to understand that the contract would not be execut- ed until after the meeting of the stockholders of the Panama Canal Company tomorrow at which the ques- tion of ratification would be present. ed.
 As a matter of fact. however, whom the meeting takes place tomorrow President Bo will announce that the sale has been completed and instead of asking for authority to execute a future contract 1t will only remain to ratify the contract of sale which the officers of the company have already formally completed.
 Only few of the highest officers If the company are now aware of the secret which will not be known except by this announcement in the United States, up to the time of the meet ing.
 It Is confidently believed that tho completion of the sale before the meeting will increase the vote for rat ifcation as 1t will be recognized that nothing more remains but to acqutes:e in the action taken by the highest of- fcers of the company.
 When W. A. Day and Charles W. Russell. the United States assistant at- torneys general who are in Paris 10 transfer the property were seen to- night by the Associated Press they re- luctantly andmitted that the trans .r had been consummated and in order { . avoid misunderstanding regarding a transaction of this magnitude they fur nished the following official statement in writing:
 The papers transferring the rights and property by the new Panama Can- al Company to the United States have already been executed and delivered, They VIII be ratified tomorrow after noon by the stockholders meeting.
 The arrangement includes a gem eral conveyance and provisions Cor deeds and resignation in the repub of Panama and in the canal gone now under the Jurisdiction of the United States in which zone the rival law continues in force by reason of tho cession of the zone from a civil law sovereignty. All formalities of the .o- cal law on tfre isthmus have been ar ranged for and secured to the Uni ( | States.
 -The property will shortly be deliv- cred on the isthmus and upon tha. | being done the purchase price will be | paid.
 The full text of the principal docu- ments will be made public tomorrow night.
 "The United States gets an unincun.- bered title"
 The main figures in the transfer have been Messrs. Bo and Richman for the company; Messrs. Day and Russell l for the United States and ConsuIs Gen eral John K Gowdy and Roberto Lew is for the United States and Panama respectively, the two consular repre- | joining in afixing the seals | and attesting the signatures