The Washington herald., 1907-02-10
BUILDER OF CANAL
William J. Oliver, Whose Bid
Was the Lowest.
NOTED FOR CONTRACT WORK
Was FIRST To Suggest Digging Pa
mama Canal by Contract, and His
Scheme Attracted Attention az
President ROOseveIt-Is Only Thir-
ty-nine Years of Age.

William J. Oliver. who with Arson n.
Bangs, of New York City submitted the
lowest bid for the construction of the
Panama Canal by contract, is the fore
most railroad contractor IN the entire
South, ans has contracts now in force
and under way which. it is said, aggre-
gate more than 100000. In addition TO
his extensive railroad construction inter
rests. Mr. Oliver Is also practically sole
Iowner OF the William J. Oliver Manufac-
turing Companys plant in Knoxville,
(which is the largest ear and locomotive
works and mine tool and railroad con
struction tool mandatory in the South.
He is at the head Of the oliver company.
which builds Reinforced concrete Btruc-
lures exclusively, and which is the only
concern of it's kind in this section Of the
country. writes the Knoxville correspond
ent Of the Boston Transcript
In addition to the private contracting
business conducted by " J. Oliver as
railroad contractor" Mr.. Oliver is asso-
Iciated with ten 10 fifteen other firms. all
of which are in the railroad contracting
business, and which have large contracts
said 10 have been sublet to them by W.
y. Oliver. Associated with him in these
enterprises are his brothers. r. b. and
Ralph Oliver, Charles J. Mckinney, a.
M Monday. Benjamin Russell N. VI.
Schitz. j. A. EIkins. and others. all Of
whom are well known in the railroad
construction circles in the South.
The firms with which Mr.. Oliver is as
socated have contracts on the Southern
Railway. Cincinnati Southern Railway.
Underwater Railway. all amounting 10 be-
TWEEN 900 and 500 miles. lie has just COM
|pleted the practical rebuilding OF tine
Louisville and Nashville line between this
city and Atlanta. and is understood to
be negotiating with that road for other
extensive works.
His Engineering Feats.
For the Southern Railway Mr. Oliver
is building the extension from Chatta-
uooga 10 Stevenson. Ala. which includes
"A tunnel through Lookout Mountain and
"a long steel bridge over the Tennessee
River. IT, the construction Of this tun-
mel a vast cave was struck and il VIII
have the distinction Of being the only
tunnel ia the world which has within it
steel bridge crossing great cavern
at the bottom Of which is sixty-fye feet
Of running water. presumably from the
/ Tennessee River.
/ IN his concrete enterprises. MT. Oliver
built q $500 concrete viaduCt i'm KNOX
vile, and IS now building q similar struc-
Z tuTe i'm the city Of Atlanta. over railroad
tracks. He erected the six-story Van De-
venter Office building in Knoxville. which
was the first re-enforced steel concrete
building 10 20 up in the entire South.
So successful was this engineering and
building feat that the demand for re-
enforced concrete and steel structures has
brought him large contracts for similar
/ buildings I'm Nashville Louisville. and At
lauta, in each Of which cities his firm,
the Oliver Company. now has large
forces Of men at work. Air. oliver is an
expert and successful worker of con-
crete.
Mr.. Oliver Is but thirty-nine years OF
age, q remarkable young man for having
mastered such gigantic enterprises. and
for being the active head of corporations
and firms that control such an en0r-
nous amount of construction equipment
valued at from $4,000 to 100000 lie
/ claims % have assets Of S3,0G000 or
credit and financial backing which make
/ him abund3nty able TO carry out the
great Panama Canal proposition. Alr.
! Oliver Is one Of the stockholders and
leading directors Of the Mechanics Ma
tional Bank in this city. He Is also in
terested i'm other local financial institi-
tons He is likewise an extensive owner
/ OF real estate I'm knoxville and at other
points in The South.
Lowry Hoosier by Birth.
Mr.. Oliver first came South twenty
years ago from his birthplace. South
Bend. Ind. He is related 20 the family
made famous by the Oliver chilled pillow
/ He began life in a humble way and was
attracted to railroad construction work.
He was employed in various subordinate
capacities. frcm commissary clerk and
/ bookkeeper to foreman on construction.
until finally he determined that he would
no longer work for others, but would
/ launch a contracting proposition upon his
( own account. Backed by his vigorous de-
/ termination. his extraordinary executive
ability. and his experience in railroad
/ work he secured a contract and made
| good His first work is said 10 have
! been on the Illinois Central road. Later
/ he obtained work for other reads, and
i finally secured large contracts on the
4 Southern Railway.
/ it Is said OF Mr.. Oliver that when the
/ Southern and the Atlantic Coast Line
were having a vigorous fight for life in
! South Carolina "a few years ago, the stake
/ being the speedy construction of a line
/ into Savannah, Ca, Mr.. Oliver rendered
/ the Southern substantial service, and
proved his fitness and ability to do work
and established himself thoroughly with
/ the Southern Railway. 1t is a notable
/ fact one commented upon in railroad
/ circles that Oliver always delivers his
wo:k free of any legal membranes, and
/ that railroad arrangements prefer to give
I him work because they know that when
/ it is turned over it will be without any
strings tied TO it. in that it viii be free
/ Of any financial obligation. Mr.. Oliver is
noted for his high integrity and his
/ strict business acumen These traits.
coupled with his natural ability and the
/ able corps Of assistants he has associated
/ with him. account in large measure for
/ his splendid success.
/ Until four years ago Mr. Oliver resided
+ at Langley, s. G. Since moving to Knox
! vile his business interests have expanded
/ considerably. and he has brought the city
/ into prominence quite as much as the
South and the firms bearing his name
/ To ". J. Oliver belongs the credit OF
/ having been the first man to suggest thai
the Panama Canal be built by contract
Mr.. Oliver has been deeply interested in
the canal project since its inclpiency, and
when it was demonstrated that the gov
eminent was having no mi Of difficulty
In pushing the work, Mr.. Oliver volun-
teered the suggestion that the contract
plan be adopted and that instead OF i'm