Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-01

m kh0 tO tne LlquOT bu91neBe ID
 Railroad C.mp-Thrfllins Expe-
 Yience While Lost In the wflds of
 British Columbia.
 Stevens will surmount all difficulties and build the Panama canal" asserted Judge K. R. Kinkade of Toledo, O., not long ago while speaking of the new chief engineer appointed by President Roosevelt. who recently reached the isthmus on the steamship Mexico with Theodore P. Shonts, president of the canal commission, says the Toledo Blade
 Stevens doesn't bother with the lit tie frazzled ends of any proposition. He has no regard for red tape and is man who does things, as I know from intimate acquaintance with him." continued the judge.
 Seventeen years ago Judge kinkade and Mir. Stevens had headquarters to- gether at Marquette, Mich. As prin- cipal assistant engineer of the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic railway Stevens located right of way for the company, and Judge Kinkade, as gen. eral attorney, bought it. The road was built bg syndicate headed by Calvin s. Bnce of Lima. O., and Gen eral Samuel Thomas Of New York, both of whom are dead
 In reminiscent mood Judge Kinkade related two anecdotes of the man who has undertaken the greatest engineer ing proposition in the world
 Mir Stevens connection with the Du- kth, South Shore and Atlantic rail- road was from 1887 to 1889. At one time he had charge of construction gang of several hundred men who camped in tents on the railroads right of way, many miles from the nearest settlement, in or near Ontonagon coun- ty. west of Marquette They were making big cut. and operations were expensive, because all camp provi- sions had to be hauled by teams over idaul fOuk ulsLdflfe.
 The work progressed satisfactorily until fellow possessing more enter prise than principle appeared upon the scene to profit by trading upon the vices of the laborers. He erected a rude shack and stocked 1t with vile whisky. The men. having no other place in which to amuse themselves or spend their money. patronized the sa- loon so freely that the gang soon be- came demoralized. IL was a costly proposition for the railroad company.
 The saloon was not located on rail- road land, so Stevens had no legal au- thority to rid himself of 1t, and expos tulatfon with the proprietor. who was coining money faster than a govern ment mint. were of no avail. Finally Engineer Stevens made personal wis. it to the saloon and engaged in a brief interview with the proprietor.
 When are you going to leave herer' demanded the railroad official.
 ~When I get - good and ready- was the surly response of the saloonist.
 "I am going now" laconically retort- cd Stevens. And so saying he drew from his pocket a mammoth dynamite cartridge, scratched match on his corduroy trousers. ,gnited the fuse. threw the missile of destruction behind the bar and ran. The saloon keeper decided that he was quite ready to go also and didn't argue the proposition. In thirty seconds the shack was blown from the face of the earth and business was not resumed at the oH stand.
 Soon after ttis occurrence. however. a man appeared in camp carrying upon bis back big tin receptacle filled with whisky. which he retailed to the men. He had been in business but short time when a Frenchman. shsrpshoot- CT. acting under Stevens orders. plug ged the can lengthwise while the own CT was carrying it on his back. The bullet made two holes in the can. The whisky gurgied out. and the thorough ly frightened owner must have been convinced that be had more effective antisaIoon law than the Brannock bill 10 deal with. That was the end of the liquor business in the camp under the Stevens regime.
 These acts" said Judge Kinkade. -vere thoroughly characteristic of John Stevens. For this reason and because be is 8 splendid discipllnarisn as well as & thoroughly capable and experienced engineer I know him to be just the man to plan and superin- tend the digging of the big ditch.
 But had fl not been for the bowling of a dog in the selkirk mountains, in British Columbia. twenty-five years ago. John Stevens would no; have gone 10 Panama. Lost in the v-iIds. travel ing on snovshoes. vith a meinan for a companion. be would have perisbe9 from exposure and starvation. At that time Mfr Stevens was assistant and ] division engineer Of the Canadian Pa eifc. AS such he assisted in the ioea- ton If the rad which crosses the Sei. | kirk mountain ranse between the peaks of Sir Donald and Glacier House. st sn altitude of 4,3no feet.
 Winter had sef in severely. Ths snow was six fee; deep and the en. siueers and vork1e1 in sdvsocs os the track laying ssns bad sstzssisa~i quarters fno miles O- more from ciyiE- ration. Stevens. sn e1p>- st travel fnr that vsy. set out upon snovs5o~s { for ii. nearest settlement. sccoEoe.