The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-02-07
M'DONALD HEADS
CANAL COMPANY
w. !. oLIvERs CORPORATION
MAKES HIM PRESIDENT
READY TO BEGIN DIGGING
". c. Stevens No Longer Actively In
terested Government Forces,
Meanwhile, Are Making
4 the Dirt Fly.

New York, Feb. 6.--John B. Nc
Donald of this city, the contractor
who constructed the subway, was
elected president Of the Panama Con-
struction company Tuesday. The
COMPANY was formally organized un-
der the laws Of the state of New
York for the purpose of building tho
Panama canal, in the event that the
contract is awarded by the govern
ment to William J. oliver, one of the
contractors, and his associates.
The other officers elected were:
First vice president and general man.
ager, w. J. Oliver; chairman of the
board, r. A. G. Smith; secretary and
assistant treasurer, d. v. Reynolds;
treasurer, r.. A. Chester; executive
committee, John B. Mcdonald, w. ].
oliver, John Peirce, R. A. G. Smith
and r. A. Chester; board Of directors.
John B. Mcdonald, John Peirce.
Charles H. Ackers Robert A. G.
Smith, Robert A. Chester, George
Peirce, Patrick 7. Walsh, William H.
gayre, Patriu- Brennan, George F.
Hartman and It, rt Russell.
Says They Are Ready to Dig.
Upon adjournment Mr.. Mcdonald
announced the formation of the COM
pany, and ad ID: Everything is now
ready for the actual work Of dig.
ging."
Mr., Mcdonald declined to say
whether he would resign the Office
OF vice president of the Interborough.
Metropolitan company, to which he
recently was elected. At the time 1t
was announced that he would have
complete charge of construction work
Tor the Interborough-M Metropolitan
company.
2. 6. Stevens Task Is Done.
!, Albany, n. Y, Feb. 6-Superintend.
ent Frederick G. Stevens, of the state
department of public works, returned
Tuesday from Washington, whittier
he went to discuss with the secretary
of war and others concerned in the
matter the Panama canal bid of Will
liam J. Oliver with whom Mr.. Ste
vens has associated himself. Mr..
Stevens Tuesday night issued for.
NAL statement, in which he said:
"Inasmuch as am public official
Of the state, possibly it may be de-
sirable for me to say that, having
been instrumental in bringing to-
gether the strongest combination of
general and expert contractors to be
found in the United States, who are
willing to associate themselves with
Mr.. Oliver and build the Panama
canal as per the terms and conditions
contained in the bid made by Mr..
Oliver a corporation having been
formed under the laws of this state,
and all the conditions imposed by the
government having been complied
with, my active connection with this
enterprise is at an end"
l,,..,.. Making the Dirt Fly.
Washington, Feb. 6.-While consid.
Grafton is being given to the question
of letting the contract for the digging
of the Panama canal, the work is
going on there at a rapid pace. Nu-
merous reports from time to time
have been submitted regarding the
progress being made, but cable
gram received at the war department
Tuesday from Chief Engineer Stevens
contained the announcement that all
previous records had been eclipsed.
The dispatch is as follows:
I, I'VE took out 566,750 cubic yards
from Culebra cut in January, about
twice the best monthly record made
by the French since inception Of
work by DeLesseps."