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success of the project materially jeopard- ized if payment is delayed. 3. Copies of legal documents will be forwarded Head- quarters with the receipt. 30/ Despite the fact that the $100,000 was supposed to make the finca roadway and the 17 kilometers pass- able during the rainy season, an engineering report indicated that the steep grade was washing out the ballast and the road would need to be paved. Thompson~ Cornwall, the engineering outfit which had restored Retalhuleu, had given an estimate of $185,000 to do the job. Alejos had tried to raise the difference between the $100,000 Headquarters had approved and the total contract price, but had been unable to· do so. A cable of 25 Nov 60 from Guatemala indicated that _________Imight be able to make a deal with Alejos for less than the full contract price and requested that he be authorized to offer a maximum of $130,000. The message to Headquarters ended with the standard plea that the negotiation be authorized as the matter was extremely delicate and ~ould cause embarrassment to the project. An outgoing cable from the Director on 26 Nov 60 authorized c==Jto negotiate up to $130,000 if that proved to be necessary; and the releasing