Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-02-15
How Lewis Figured In II.

HOW LEWIS TlSuTtu Ill IL.
Mr. Oliver was the first man to sug-
geSt that the Panama canal be dug by
contract. He thought over the matter
for months. then sent his chief engi-
neer to Panama to make Il close in
spectiOn and report, with a view to
presenting bid for the job. The en-
gincer'S report was placed in the hands
of Alfred Henry Lewis of New York,
an all round author. who whipped it
into literary shape in his well known
style. This literary document. it is
understood was laid before President
Roosevelt and Secretary Taft and no
doubt had some weight in influencing
them favorably toward the prospective
bidder for the building OF the canal.
Great is the literary physician and
surgeon,
Mr.. Oliver has a magnificent home on
the Tennessee river at Knoxville called
Cherokee Place. He loves social life.
is a clubman and an active Elk, but
does not permit the club or the lodge to
Interfere with his spending much time
at home with his wife and four chill
dren.
Not long ago at an amateur theat-
rical entertainment in Knoxville Il To-
cal life insurance agent sang song
in which Mr.. Oliver was the hero. 1t
had TO do with his building railroad
to the moon. So pleased was the con
tractor that lie called the agent into
his Office the next day and took $4,000
worth of life insurance on the spot.
Frederick G. Stevens. the financial
hacker of Mr. Oliver in the Panama
canal project. is another interesting
character. He Is much better known
Mt the national capital and III New
York financial circles than is Mr.. Oil
YER. Mr.. Stevens has been in politics
He served two terms i'll the New York
state senate and tried TO get into con
gresS. but was prevented by Congress
man WadSwOrth. who wanted TO stay
there himself. Last fall Mr.. Stevens,
according to fairly good authority,
financed the campaign of Peter y.
Porter, whose emblem was a cow, and
Mr.. Porter defeated Mr.. WadSworth,
who had been the chief upbolder of the
have cost Mr.. Stevens 100000 to bring
about the retirement Of his ancient
enemy. but he could stand ii. having
inherited $3.00O0O0 from his father and
multiplied il by at least three through
his own operations in banking and 9TH
or lines
Senator Stevens was chairman of the
f1InpuS frnS opvnmiSS which i
gated the New York gas trust. He Sc
lected as counsel TO this commission
Charles L. Hughes. Il lawyer not in
politics. Senator Stevens also insisted
upon having the life insurance compa-
MES investigated. though Governor
Higgins of New York held that there
WAS no reason for such an inquiry Mr.
Hughes was counsel in this invCStiga-
ton also. When Mr.. Hughes became
governor of New York last January he
appointed Frederick c. Stevens super
intendent OF public works, greatly to
the chagrin of James W. Wadsworth,
| who two years ago had caused Stevens
| to he retired from the state senate by Il
gerrymander.
Mr.. Stevens was not only unSQuclch-
ed. but he was just starting out on his
career apparently. AZ Paul Jones re-
marked, Il have just begun to fight
| His enemies saw him appointed to a
| post in which he would have the ex-
penditure of SOL 100000 for the en-
| largement of the Erie canal. next 10
the Panama canal the greatest engi-
neering project in the world. And Gov
ernor Hughes appointed him without
consulting any politicians. 1t was like
a bombshell bursting in the camp of
the machine statesmen. Governor
Hughes, elected on his record, regarded
Mr.. Stevens as a fit man to have
charge of the vast canal fund-Ere ca
nal, remember-and made him superin
tendent of public works.
Now Mr.. Stevens comes forward as
| financial hacker TO Contractor Oliver
| whose bid on t4.e Panama canal iot
was the lowest submitted. Mr.. Oliver
| proposes to take the responsibility OF
seeing that the canal is dug and con
| creted. its entrances dredged, its locks
built and everything put in proper ship
shape for the passage of ships from
ocean to ocean, his compensation to bt
SO per cent of the cost of construc
ton. This means that if the canal shall
cost $20O,OO0,O00 the contractor will
get 13,50O000 for his services Some
figurer estimates that it will cost only
about $140,OO0,000. 1t may be finished
in six years and maybe not for twelv,
| years. The contract will set definit,
term, the contractor to get a bonus 70
each month under that term or pay ,
forfeit for each month over the limit
Ar. Stevens says that his work will