The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-08-26
SEEKING CANAL JOB
". J. Oliver Would Furnish
Dirt Cars for Panama.
HOPEFUL FOR BIG WATERWAY
Contractor Who Gained National
Notoriety in Efforts 10 secure Con-
tract for Work on ISthmus Re
visits Capital in Connection with
several Business Enterprises.

William J oliver. whose strenuous en-
deavor to secure the contract for the
Panama Canal made him a national fig
ure IS In Washington on business trip
He expects to get the contract Tor fur
lni5hias dire cars for the big Atch. and
/ is incidentally closing some plans for
engineering feats in Brazil and Cuba.
/ He is also busy with some legal matters
! in connection with the great dam and
/ lock which he is building al Chattau Noga-
/ He has lately come from New lork,
where his son Irwin. eighteen years old.
/ is IN with typhoid fever. The last re-
ports from New York indicate that the
/ boy VIII recover
Mr. oliver has not yet given up hopes
/ Of having his name inscribed at the At
laDtic end Of the canal as It's builder and
/ he smiled somewhat encouragingly when
a reporter Of The Washington Herald
asked him if. according TO the report he
would build the canal after everybody
else had failed
Predicts Financial Depression.
/ In speaking Of the effects OF the adj
ministrations policies on railroads, Mr.
oliver said:
There can be no doubt that it has
caused the railroads to be fearful and
wary They are under heavy handicap.
land in my opinion a great financial de-
! preston win be caused unless the policy Of
the administration changes. In fact, that
policy is ruinous. Work is being stopped
AN over the sorth. and several Of my
/ operations are completely tied up.
There VIII have to be a change, and
/ the people seem TO be coming 10 realize
tit. / Go not believe in placing the basi-
ness OF a country IN the hands Of social
lists. and there are many others who are
OF nay opinion. These threats OF imprison-
ment ard other talk of that kind viii
hamper the business of the country, and
it will not take very long for the country
TO find that out
What do you think Of the progress OF
the canal?" the reporter asked.
Canal VIII BE Finished.
ct viii be finished" Mr. oliver an
swcrcd THE men at the head of il are
determined workers. bat they are under
many handicaps. In the first place all
the plans Of that canal must be kept in
one mans head. One man must BE the
executive. and 90 the work according %
his own plans. and no others. It's dig
dig. all the time. and it's no skirt-dance
as anybody who knows anything about
the business can testify.
Now a man is there to-day and her,
tomorrow. The plans that one executiv,
has in his head and has begun 10 place
in operation. are frustrated when a sue
cessor is appointed Then the successc1
has his plans and spends a year showini
where the other fellow was wrong Wher
he gets his plans formulated and workins
he leaves. and that's The way il goes
The canal will be built, bat it viii tak'
time
Maj. Goethals is a capable man. ant
one who really understands his business
and I hope he will succeed. for the Soutf
wants that canal finished. and finished
quick and as long as I can't build it {
come from the wrong side Of the line
hope Maj. COethals makes a fine job
You know ! wouldn't add any polltica
prestige % the administration"
Gould you build the canal "a your life
time. Mr. Oiiver?'
I could finish It IN FIVE years. I an
sure I could. I would transport a lot
Of my colored men and "a lot OF other.
and dig day and night until it was. fin.
ished. 1 know I could do IT, and it's not
because I am q better engineer thar
many others. But I would know frs
hand what the hitcaes were. and I woult
be driving my hired hands all day long
1t isn't the same when the government
has it. The chief gets information SECOND
hand and through, maybe. ten hands. and
by the time it gets to him il is pretty
well colored, and he Is led 70 believe tina
things are going swimmngly.
It's a great job; the largest in tn,
I world, and when its finished I will b,
the first TO take OF my hat and b,
( thankful"