The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-30
A DEPLORABLE PLIGHT.

THE MEN WHO WENT TO BRAZIL TO BUILD THE
ING HOME PENNILEss AND ILL.,
The steamer City of Para of the Brazilian line.
rived at this port yesterday from Rio, bringing
among her passengers from Para 100 men who. by
their appearance. gave ndisputable proofs of the
hardships and suffering through which they had
passed. They were mechanics and aborers who had
gone from this country III the employ of Messrs.
Collins Brothers, Of Philadelphia. to engage in the
work OF building the Madeira and Mamore Railroad.
OF Brazil. As they appeared yesterday they were .
set of cadaverous, bilious men. who had evidently
once been stalwar and fine looking. and whose hats.
clothing boards and skin had faded under the tropi
cal sun almost to the same coor-a yellow brown.
They were all penniless. nearly SO. but seemed.
in their destitute condition. to be- overjoyed at
getting so near home New York.
THE EsGiNEER's NARRATIVE.
As the steamer lay at Roberts stores in Brooklyn
o HERALD reporter received account Of their ex-
perience from the principal man among them. Mr.. O.
r. Nichols of Brooklyn. who was resident engineer
of the railroad in construction. The worllnen. by
their words well their looks. confirmed his
story. far they knew the particulars. AR.
Nichols ad-"There is no question that the export
OF North American worknen to South America has
proved failure this time, independently OF the
unfortunate chain OF circumstances which brings
home in such plight. The climate, the food and
the habits OF life in South America all entirely
strange to the and they unable to accustom
sickened and some died. They We're paid for their
labor III certificates Of Indebtedness. which have not
yet been redeemed by Messrs. Collins Brothers
count OF the English chancery suit which has stopped
the construction OF the road"
GLOW was that?' asked the reporter.
II went out from Brooklyn last February re-
pany which then had the construction of the road in
hand This company issued construction bonds to
the amount OF S4O0O,O00, some OF which taken
up by English capitalists, and the road passes,
is to pass through Bolivia the Bolivian government
guaranteed the payment of the interest the bonds
When the interest due, however, it was not
paid either by the company by the Bolivian gov
ernment and a suit in chancery was brought in Eng
land by the bondholders to force a return
OF the amount they had subscribed to the fund.
they alleging that the road could not be built.
This suit decided adversely to the claimants and
another suit was at brought in the inter-
est, different persons being made parties it, This
also was decided in favor Of the English company,
and then the way being supposed to be clear Messrs.
Collins Brothers undertook the contract. They
in in good faith, being assured by English lawyers
that they were in danger OF further litigation. and
they put $4,000 into the enterprise receiving for
portion CT the money certificates from OF the
entitled to pay out OF the fund which is again
chancery.
AND YET ANOTHER.
"a third suit was begun q short time ago, similar
to the two already decided and pending the decision
OF this one, which is iIp on the 14th prox.,
the men employed by Collins Brothers remain un-
paid.
''Seven hundred of these men went out and those
who have just returned make 800 who have found
their way back. They were working under a six
months contract and have received pay beyond
their keep, excepting in the shape of certificates
The money from which they expecG their pay being
the sum due to Collins Brothers certificates from
the English company will. SO the English lawyers
say be released from chancery by the result OF the
pending suit il this third suit should result
like the other two, the amount advanced by Collins
Brothers must in any event be returned to them,
the men will undoubtedly receive their pay.
STARVING IN PARA.
"when the meas time expired they were at San
can and four hundred and fifty Brazilian workmen
still remain. The others made their way to Para
whore they stayed for time in a destitute con.
dition. Collins agent at Para found to be with
out funds and for time the men were threatened
with starvation. There work for them and they
must inevitably have suffered, perhaps died, il some
of the charitably disposed citizens of Para had
come to the rescue They put their hands in their
pockets and established soup house, where the
men got one meal day. 1t was not sumptuous liv-
ing, but 1t was enough to support life and on this
they got along best they could, hoping for some
chance to get home. There was no chance for some
time; but their story in some way came to the ears
of Mr.. Roach who telegraphcd to Pcrnambuco to
bring them home. which Captain Carpenter accord
ingly did,"
Mr. Nichols said further that the Madeira and
Mamore Railroad would he thought eventually be
built though the experiment Of trying to build it
with North American labor was failure.