The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-01-28
PANAMA CANAL CONTRACT
 AWARDED P1OVISIOyALLY
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOL- LOVING CONFERENCE AT
 WHITE HOUSE.

William J. Oliver the Successful Bidder He Must, However, Within the Next Ten Days Associate Himself With at Least Two Independent Contractors Whose Skill and Experience, Conn bined With His Own, Cover the En- tire Field of Work.
 Washington, Jan. 27-Following it was officially announced that the contract for building the Panama canal would be awarded to William J. Oliver who, with Anson M. Bangs, was the lowest bidder in the recent competition, provided that within the next ten days he associates himself with at least two Independent contractors whose skill and experience, combined with his own, shall cover the entire field of the work to be performed under the contract.
 The official announcement tonight confirms the Associated Press state- ment of last Friday night. President Roosevelt then took the position that since MT Oliver had met all the re- quirements of the government it would be unjust to reject his bid of 6.75 per cent for the construction of the canal, or even to require him to submit a new bid for the contract MT. Oliver had informed the president that 1t was his desire to submit an independent bid for the work, and that when the canal officials informed him that it would be necessary to form a partnership with some other financially responsible con- tractor they even went so far as to suggest that he enter into an agree ment with Anson Bangs of New York city. MT. Oliver said that after re- ceiying this suggestion from Chairman Shonts he visited the war department, and was informed that Mir Bangs would be entirely satisfactory to the government. MT. Oliver told the pres ident that with this assurance as to the reliability of Mir. Bangs he immedi ately entered into an agreement with the New York contractor.
 Powerful influences were brought to bear on the president and Secretary Taft to reject all bids and advertise for new proposals, but the president insist cd that MT. Oliver should be given a reasonable time in which to make sat- Asfactnry arrangement to substitute some other contractor or group of con- .,tractors to take the place of MT. Bangs. At the White House conference Satur- day night the friends of the MacAr- thur Gillespie syndicate argued that the contract figure should be increased to nine per cent of the total cost of construction, and that the contract be awarded to Oliver, MacArthur & Gill lespie. This suggestion, however, did not meet with the approval of the New York firm, who insisted that they could not undertake the work for less than 1250 per cent. of the total cost the figure mentioned in the original bid The president, Secretary Taft and canal commission officials then decided to award the contract to MT. Oliver provided he could make satisfactory arrangements with at least two other financially responsible contractors.
 Secretary Taft and R. R. Rogers, general counsel to the canal commis- sion, were in conference with the pres ident for two hours tonight, and the whole matter was gone over again, at the direction of the president. MT. Rogers prepared the official statement for the press.
 When informed of the statement is- sued by direction of the president, MT Divers representatives tonight said:
 ''There is absolutely no doubt about Mr Oliver being able to fulfil the requirements of the canal eommis- sion. There are now at least twenty of the most responsible contractors in the United States who have expressed a willingness to join Mir Oliver in the work of constructing the canal at the figure mentioned in his original bid. These names will be submitted to Pres ident Roosevelt to-morrow with proof of their financial responsibility. Be. fore entering into another arrange ment, MT Oliver wants to know posi, lively that the contractor he chooses will be acceptableto the government"
 The official statement given out to- ni-ht follows:
 As a result of conferences at tht White house it was to-day announced by the Isthmian canal commission that, in view of assurances that hat been received from MT. Oliver an( capitalists associated with him, tha MT. Oliver was prepared to make gooC his bid to complete the construction of the isthmian canal at a percentage of six and seventy-five one hundredth with an organization of contractors and with financial resources in full compliance with the requirements O the invitation for bids, he well be giv en an opportunity to do so MT. Oily CT has been notified that within tel days he will be required to associat with himself at least two indepen dent contractors whose skill and ex perience combined with his own shal cover the entire field of work to b. performed under the contract and t organize a corporation for the ex press purpose of carrying out tn proposed contract, with a capital O $5.000,000 of which not less than $1, 100000 be paid in in cash, and s1,5OO0O in the form of solvent subscriptions shall be available for the purpose O carrying out the contract and O which the remaining $2,0OO0o0 may b devoted to the purpose of procuring
 bond rs required by the contract or O substituting in lieu thereof, in whol or in part, and subject to the condi tions of the bond. cash or current SC ourities satisfactory to the commis sion, Satisfactory assurances not hay