The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-01-31
NOW UP TO OLIVER.
Wins Canal Contract Provided He
Cnly Secures Two lndePend.
ent Partners.

l)NiLg 4 conference at the White
House Sunday night, it was officially
announced that the contract for build.
ing the Panama canal would be award
cd to William J. Oliver, who, with
Anson NJ. Bangs, was the lowest bid
der i'll the recent competition, pro-
rided that within the next ten days
he associates himself with at least
two Independent constructors whose
skill and experience, combined with
his own, shall cover the entire field
xf work to be performed under the
,.:
contract.
President Roosevelt teak the posi-
lion that since Mr.. Olive: had met all
the requirements of the government,
il would be unjust to- reject his bid
of 0.75 per cent for the construction OF
the canal. or even 20 require nlln
to submit a new bid for the con-
tract.
Mr.. Oliver had Informed the presi-
dent that it was his desire to submit
az independent bid for the work and
that when the canal commission Of
fcials informed him that it would De
necessary to form partnership with
some other financially responsible
contractor, they even went SO far as
to suggest that he enter into an agree
nent with Anson NJ. Bangs, OF New
York City.
MIR. Oliver said that after recelV'
ing this suggestion from Chairman
shonts, he visited the war department
and was informed that Mr.. Bangs
would be entirely satisfactory to the
government. Mr.. Oliver told the pres
ideni with this assurance as to the
reliability cf Mr.. Bangs, he lmme-
diately entered into an agreement
with the New York contractor.
Powerful influences were brought 10
bear on the president and Secretary
Taft to reject all oids and advertise
for new proposals, but the president
insisted that Mr.. Oliver should be
given reasonable time in which to
make a satisfactory arrangement 10
substitute another contractor, or
eronp of contractors, to take the place
of Mr.. Bangs.
At the White House, conference on
Saturday night the friends OF Mac
Arthur Gillespie syndicate argued thas
the contract figures should be IN,
creased to 9 per cent of the totai
cost of construction and that the
contract be awarded to Oliver, MacAr.
thur and Gillespie. This sugsestlon'
however, did not meet with the ap-
proval of the New York firm, VINO
insisted that they could not undertake
the work fer less than $50 per gent
Of the total cost, the figure mentioned
in their original bid. The president,
Secretary Taft and the canal commits
sion officials decided to award the
contract to Mr.. Oliver, provided ne
could make satisfactory arrangements
with at least two ether financially re.
sponsiblc contractors.
Secretary Taft and r. r.. Rogers,
general counsel to the canal commits
sion, were in conference with the
president for two hours Sunday night
and the whole matter was again gone
over. At the direction Of the presi-
cent Mr. Rogers prepared the Official
statement for the press.
When informed of the statement by
the direction of the president, Mr..
divers r'%representative said:
There is absolutely no doubt about
Mr.. Oliver being able to fulfill the
requirements of the canal commits
sion. There are now at least TWEEN.
ty of the most responsible contrac.
tors of the United States who have
expressed a willingness to join Mr..
Oliver in the work mentioned in his
original bids. These names will be
submitted to President Roosevelt at
once, with proof Of their financial
ability. Before entering into another
arrangement Mr.. Oliver. wants to know
positively that the contractor he
chooses will be acceptable to the