The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-01-13
GREATEST PROJECT EVER
All Bids Average About one Hundred
Million Dollars-The Successful
Bidder Must Furnish Bond Of
Two Million Dollars,



for the construction OF the isthmiar
canal. the greatest project OF modern
times. It Is stated that all the bids
average about slO0.oo0.o0o. The com.
mis1lr will probabl require some
time for consideration Of the propos.
ais before arriving at a decision II
is possible that an bids will be- re.
jected and In that case the commits.
sion will either throw the cumpctl.
tlon open TO foreign bidders. or the
government itself will undertake the
work
The successful bidder will De re-
quired 10 furnish bond of 100000.
In case the work Is not carried ont
satisfactorily the contractor will be
liable to the loss OF percentage and
premiums and S300O.OOO IN addition.
The contractor will not bee held res.
ponsible for the use of defective ma.
tcrials. provided same have been ap.
proved by the governments chief en-
hlllNfl III 'llAl 80 VI 'bAAnAA hhkAbhs 4 A'
agreement also provides for a possi.
bic change In the estimated cost and
time OF construction In case mater.
ial alterations are made in the plans
and specifications. or II It shall be
found that the estimates were based
on erroneous data, or in case Of any
great catastrophe for which the con
tractor is not responsible
Under the terms of the contract
the government will supply all the
permanent plants and will furnish
most Of the material. The successful
bidder will be required to furnish on
ly the men and the minor machinery
and tools and to do the work within
an estimated time and at an agreed
cost. Premiums will be given in case
the work is performed in less time
or mt a lesser cost than provided in
the contract, while heavy penalties
will attach for a violation Of the
. contract In regard TO time and price
without adequate reason.
Tho act of congress providing for
the building Of the canal authorizes
the expenditure of Sll5OODO0D for
that purpose According To- the csti.
mate of the international board OF
consulting engineers. the thrcylock
clghty-Gvc foot level will cost for
construction about Sl3O0OO. Ia addi
tIon Jo this, millions of dull,rs will
necessarily be spent in the admins.
truuon and sanitation OF the canal
zone. I'm addition to many other small
cr expenses aside from the actual
construction work Many engineers
who have investigated the subject
declare that the original appropria
tion will be inadequate and that many
millions of dollars more will be re.
Quirod before the work is completed.
Up to date there have been eN.
pended for an purposes connected
with the canal about eighty millions
OF dollars, including forty millions
for the franchise and Panama rail
road, ten millions paid the Colombian
government, ten millions for per
, anont plant; six millions for actual
construction work; four millions for
materials and supplies; three ANA one
half millions for sanitation, two mill
lions for watcrworks. sewerage and
railroad equipment; one million for
administration purposes, and halle
million for cnriucoras and survey
ing expenses. OF this sum only about
fifteen millions are charged to tine
actual canal work. TO Doe paid out of
the Sli5,oOO,oOO appropriated by con-
gress
All Of the bidders are corporations
formed by several contruct.ng com
panies, including those who have
worked at dredging, oNcaatnr dry
earth, heavy concrete construction
and dam building. No single contract.
Ing frI in this country has ever
undertaken to do an the various kinds
of work involved IN the building OF
the canal, and few II any have sunic'
lont capital TO undertake such a CON
tract The government for couycn-
icucc IN making the contract, has
required these groups to Dee inrorpo.
rated as Single concern with sunic
tent capital to undertake the work
but each company will do its work
practically Independent Of the others
and will De entitled TO an agreed per.
contage upon the entire cost of the +.
work, Should any penalties attach
for failure 10 properly perform any
portion Of the contract however the