The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-26
III Health Of the American Colony
of Workmen Denied.
NO LACK OF FOOD.
How The Contractors Characterize the State.
ments OF the Returned Cook.
AN ENGINEERS TESTIMONY
The Expedition Said To Be in Good
Health and Spirits.
PHILADELPHIA, May Is, 1873.


PHILADELPHIA, May %, 1875.
The HERALD, tho othsr day, published tho state.
ment of man named Sam Scott, Of tho party
engaged by Messrs p. !. Collins, tho contractors
who are building tho Madeira and Mamorc Railway In
Brazil Scott was ono OF o largo number OF passon-
Rcrs who embarked tho Mcrcodita, tho first
steamer out by the contractors and tho mme-
d,ato predecessor of the unfortunate Metropolis
Scott also returned tho Mercedta, which arrived
In Now York recently, his connection with his ON.
ployers the Messrs Collins, having ceased. In
narrative Of his experiences shpboard and on the
River Amazon after reciling the mishaps and de-
laws which Kept Morcedta two months out before
she reached Antonio her destination Scott makes
q number OF charges rejecting on tho management Of
the contractors enterprise He Declares among other
things, that tho and coal gave out on the
way up river; that .trequent stopping along the
unhealthy banks OF tho led TO the outbreak Of
fever among tho passengers who arrived 10 very bad
state' that there much suffering and dscontent;
that therc little shelter provided a. San Antonio;
tho forests abound tigers venomous reptiles,
scorpions and vampire bats tho having 'ssx men
left senseess from loss Of blood aor being attacked
by the vamplres and that the discomfort led forty.
eight OF the mon unite q conspiracy 70 seizo
steam launch and escape
This enterprise 10 open up the south Amorlcao
continent United States commerce Is SO important,
and engaging she earnest work and the capital Of
80 many energetic from this country, that any
thing that relates the condition the colony
engaged in building the railroad Is Of very general In.
terest All the engineers aud aborcrs have families
and friends In Eastern cities, and tho story Of this
man. Scott, was doubtless read with widespread
anxiety.
With view Of ascertaining what the contractors
have TO say in regard 10 the gloomy condition OF
affairs the Amazon, Us pictured by Scout tho
HxRALD correspondent called upon Mr.. Philip Collins.
Collins oelng in Brazil the OF operations.
rhe contractor had returned to his house worry III
aud unable to attond 10 business but his rep
resenIative at the Office, Mr.. Hamilton, was willing
| TO give any Information In his power
t,rcly untrue ana referred 10 Mr Jamson. chief
Gu giDcer mentioned In tho statement, As competent
from S'I Brazil. Scott, he stated, was employed to
| go with the expedition cook, and was discharged
a. San Antonio as soon US u was discovered that ne
| low. rhore mad been no serious illness
on the sroe sn.sv. Or a;sns san As ss
| lhors had never been scarcity. there had been
shelter provided Tor them ali within twenty-foar
hours OF their arrival al san Antonio, and even u
had been any they could have slept IN tho
Merccdita, as they had done for two months. such
was supplemented by an extract IRON letter. dated
Para, the SIN Of April. addressed 70 w Harvey IN
| LONDON, chairman OF the Amazon Tug Company. The
extract id:"An the laborers and staff excellent
health. A regular village, with streets, wnarvss,
tramways. &c. already DuiiI E'ght mics OF road
THE CHIEF ExoIxxER,s STATEMENT.
| Chief Engineer Jamison, whose lace u uronzed by
his exposure 10 tropical suns, denied circum-
stantiay tho accusations OF Scott ION tho way up
the Amazon said he. "some OF the got tue
break bone fever; had Il myself, TOO; but no ono
was sick more than u few days with II, and NO ono
seriously SICK ana whom We roaSnoa san antonio
| number OF 20S except the captain Of the
snip ana ono man we mad piensy or pro
| via NIL ha Chs
! mond arrived. nearly month after We did On
March 20 We still had 40 barrels Of beet, 40 barrels Of
pork LIS barrels OF hard bread, 100 barrels Of
| moal aud - live bceves that we had purchased We
had rice, canned fruits, vegetables and plenty Of
sn and turtles the river small party OF
| oLgneers WAS sent ABOUT eight miles up the river,
and when thcir provisions wore giving out they sens
drunk and forgot all abou, them. They had to live
| monkey meat and what game they could shoot ios
In that.
AS TO the story that the men put ashore with
out shelter Mr. Jamson said that twenty-four hours
after reaching San Antonio there was accommodation
| on shore tor every man, and IN the meantime they
tho tigers aud tarantuias Mr.. Jamison pronounced
true, far their being found was concerned. En-
but 50 lar IRON the men being afraid Of them shoy
| havo great pleasure IN hunting them Tho horrible
vampire bat story was entirely untrue no declared
Mr. Jameson lett TO return on April Q. Cup 10 that
time. said he. Of 2oS there had been but
nity that had complained OF any illness Some were
SICK for twenyour hours ana some Tor several days
with brcak-bone lever, but all mad recovered
| SUBSTANTIAL GHOST.
ssOnc young man u waKiag ghost when lcts
here. hrs father evidently DID expect HIM
turn alive, Tor he asked me ABOUT having his body
embalmed aad sent home. wo haven't embalmed
hun YET. Tor when lott the ghost weighed ~
| pounds"
coRRoBoRArvE KviDEScg
While Mr. Jamison was declaring tnat the Amazon
country unhealthy was supposed Mr. J.
W. Mackey, Colonel A. Thomas scoIl's secretary, and
| young Mr. Scott, Colonel scouts son, entered tne
Office MIR. Mickey, who has lived Ia Brazil, added
vigorous DENIAL OF the discharged cooks storics ind
Mr. Scott also refused 10 indorse the historical accu
| racy Of his namesakc Both Mr.. Mackey and Mr..
Scott are TO go me Amazon III June 10 40 tho towing
| Of material Tor the railroad.
Mr.. Hurry MckiUb0n IL the young gentleman roe
ferrcd TO IN SCOTS statnont having been refused
permission by Dr. Collins TO return home upon doc-
tors certificate aiter iakch SICK. because DIR.
Collins know he would toll the truth about the snser.
| PRISE" MIR. MckIobon IS now IN this city, having
| come home In tho same ship with Scott. Hc Is tho
| son OF the we'll known Colonel Jerry Mckibcon, the
veteran motel proprietor OF Inc Grard House. Young
Mr. Mekiobon went out with the collins party
| rs engineer and he returned bee fuse,
| ing from the cold climate ol Minnesota, the
sudden exposure ~ tho heat OF tropical was too
much Tor him. He contradicts scouts story, only
as regards himself but In other n,attcra Mr.. Coz
Inns, instead OF refusing TO allow him to home,
told hun once, TO got back as soon 40
possible. Mr. McKIbDon says no tho only Of
the party who was seriously SICK lie was taken with
chiIis aud lever ON tho journey up the Amazon, aud
that the climate did not agree with him no
home lilo says that tho general health OF tue parry
as 70 tho food, aud that no nad no criticism -
| mako regarding tho contractors arrangements.
Ihcrc was conspiracy 10 got away on tho part VI
number Of moo, but tney were old miners, aud thcy
had probably enlisted III the expedition Tor the
purpose oil getting FREQ TRANSPORTATION to Brazil aud
then DESERVING their work and striking out
BOLIVIAN gold mines. They through the woods
anu quurfeiicu WITH their GUIDO, whom they and
killed His body was found and was brought back V
san Antonio ANA buried
RIJEFIANISM In ASTORIA