Deal For Nicaragua Canal?

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 26, 1913:
Bluefields Reports Compact Signed to Give United States Control.
Special to The New York Times.
    MOBILE, Feb. 25.— Advices reach here that a contract has been made in Managua by which no other Nation than the United Slates will be permitted to put through the old Nicaragua Canal project. The contract is now up to the Nicaraguan Congress, which is expected to accept it.
    Bluefields reports say that the contract was signed Saturday by the American Minister, acting on instructions from Washington, and the Nicaraguan Minister of Foreign Relations. Negotiations to this end have been going on for some time.
    Nothing is known here of the terms of the agreement or what  the United States binds itself to do in return for a guarantee that no other nation shall be permitted to build a canal through Nicaraguan territory.