The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-09-06
Still Has Hopes Of Aiding in the
Construction Of Canal.
SEEKS CAR CONTRACT
Makes Some Interesting Observations
Anent the Job and Says He Gould
Finish 1t Within Five Years.

to secure the contract for the Panama
canal made him a national figure, has
been in Washington on a business trip
He expects to get the contract for fur
nishing dirt cars for The big ditch, and
is incidentally closing some plans for
engineering feats IN Brazil and Cuba
He is also busy with some legal mat
tiers in connection with tn great dam
and lock which he is building at Chat
tanooga
MIR oliver has not yet given up
hopes Of having his name inscribed at
the Atlantic end Of the canal as it's
builder, and he smiled somewhat en-
couragingy when reporter of the
Washington Herald asked him If, ac-
cordng to the report, he would build
the canal after everybody else had
failed"
What do You think Of the progress
Of the c6hal?" the reporter asked.
1T wilr be nnished' Mr.. oliver an
swered The men at the head of it
are determined workers but they are
under many handicaps IN the first
place, all the plans Of that canal must
b. kept In one mans mead, One man
must be the executive, and do the work
according to his own plans and no
others. It's dig, dig, al The time. and
its no sllirt-dance, as anybody who
knows anything about the business can
testify
NOW, a man is there today and not
there tomorrow. The plans that one
executive has in his head and has be-
gun 10 place in operation, are frustrat-
ed when a successor is appointed. The
successor has his plaas, and spends
year showing where the other fell
low was wrong. When he gets his
plans formulated and working he
leaves, and that's the way it goes The
caaa will be built, put it VIII take
time.
Major Goethals is d capable man,
and one who really understands the
business, and l hope he win succeed
for the south wants that canal finished
and flushed quick. and as long as l
can't build it q come from the wrong
side OF the llne) l hope Major Goe,
thals makes fine job You know 1
wouldn't add any political prestige to
the administration"
Gould you build the canal in your
lifetime. Mr.. orver?"
4 could finish it in Ave years.
am sure ] could / would transport a
lot Of my colored men and lot of
Others and die day and night until
It was finished know / could do it,
ana it's not because am a better en-
glaeer than many othors But | would
know FIRST hand what tRc bitches were,
ann ! would be driving my hired
hands all day long. 1t isn't The same
when the government has IT, The chief
gels information second nand and
through, maybe, ten hands, aud by
the time ii gets to him it is pretty
wen coored. and he rs led TO believe
that things are going swimminsly
res a great job, The largest in the
world, and when it's finished win be
the first to take OF my hat aud bs
thankful
In speaking Of the effects Of the
administrations policies on railroads
MIR. Oliver said:
"There can be no doubt that il has
caused the railroads TO be fearful and
wary. They are under a hsavy handi
cap. and in my opinion a great fnan
cial depression viii be caused unless
the policy Of the administration
changes. In fact, that policy is ruin
Gus. Work is being stopped all owe
the south, and several Of my opera
lions are completely tied up
There will have TO he cnange, ant
the people seem to be coming TO real
lie It. do not believe in placing tn
business 81 a country I'M the hands o
socialists and thsre are many other
Of my opinion. These threats Of i'm
prisonment and other talk Of that lin'
win hamper the business OF the coun
try. andIt viii moi take very long 70
for the country to find that pug