The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1907-02-08
THAT CANAL JOB
Statement From White House Says
Oliver Has No Assurance That
He Will Get It.
NO CONTRACT MAY Be LET
tReports Coning From Authoritative
Sources Seem Conflicting And
Contractor and His Friends
Are Guessing.

Washington, Feb. lin a state
sment made at the White house
Wednesday evening 1t is stated enl-
phatfcally that no decision has been
reached that William j. Oliver is to
be given the contract for the con-
istruction of the isthmian canal. Not
only does the announcement declare
that Mr.. Oliver has not been awarded
the contract even Professionally, but
it opens the possibility Of the work
going to the Gillespie
combination which submitted the
only bid other than that of Mr..
Oliver to receive serious considera-
ton.
For several days there have been
symptoms Of Il desire ON the part OF
the president to have the govern
sment do the work. and it is be-
lieved that this will very likely be
done. The statement of Wednesday
evening indicates that it is possible.
Mr.. Oliver and his associates are
surprised at the attitude taken by
the administration They refuse to
talk openly about the matter, but it
is known that since last Sunday,
when an announcement was made
that Mr.. Oliver would be given am
opportunity to get the contract. they
have thought that all that stood be-
tween them and the contract was the
forming of an association Of contrac-
tors which would meet the require
ments of the government. From the
White house it is declared that no
assurances, "of any form. shape or
manner" had been made to MIR.
Oliver that he would get the con-
tract.
The following statement was made
public at the White house Wednes-
day night by Secretary Loeb:
Reports in the papers seem to in
dictate a belief that the canal con-
tract has been conditonally awarded
to Mr.. Oliver This is not So No
decision has been made even that
the contract will be awarded to any
of the bidders
Mr.. divers bid was SO hopelessly
defective that it could not even be
considered, and time was given him
to complete and put 1t in shape that
will enable it to receive considera-
ton. If it is put into shape. it will
be considered, together with the bid
already made by the GillespieMcAr-
thur combination, which may itself
be altered, and then, whichever bid,
after the most careful examination,
seems most advantageous, may be
taken, or both bids rejected, and the
canal be constructed under the direct
supervision Of the government.
In such case the government would.
were it to choose, use the contractors
simply as agents. The real object in
contracting for the work is to have
assembled a large number Of the
best specialists in each class of
work, and the prime consideration
will be the ability and fitness shown
I'm a variety of directions by the men
making the bid.
The president and the commission
would not even consider bid Of
merely one or two men. The work
is already going well. Over half a
million cubic yards were taken out
of the Culebra cut in January, and
the amount being taken out is stead
lily increasing.
Mr.. Oliver has been negotiating
,r,;tb otbor and hoc about
completed his combination. His
efforts in this direction will not lie
retarded by the statements made
from the White house.