The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-31
REBELLION IN A TEAPOT
GEORGE w. SEIBERT WAS IN HON.
DURAS DURING RECENT FIAsCO.
Labor Too Independent to Woo Him
to the Coffee Business-Rcv.
DIR. Jenckes's Plantation.

lea, George w. Setbert has returned to In
dianapolis from two months sojourn in
Honduras. For over a month he was held
back in the interior by the little rebellion,
which was put down by President Bonelli
Mr.. Seibert met Rev Dr. Joseph Jenckes,
who owns a coffee plantation, when the lat
ter was home last winter. DR.. Jenckes pic
tured in bright colors the advantages and
profits Of owning d coffee plantation and
Mr.. Seibert made a trip 20 investigate the
subject. He landed from the New Orleans
packet at Porto Cortez and went up inland
eighty miles to Santa Cruz. A railroad runs
fifty-six miles inland. The remainder of the
trip was made astride of native mule over
the rough mountainous roads.
Shortly after Mr.. Seibert reached Santa
Cruz news of the rebellion reached the lit
tie inland town. 1t was said that a large
force of conservatives" those "forninst'
the government, had captured Porto Cor
tez, Selling the custom house and govern
mental barracks with all the forces. Ru-
mors were of a startling character. 1t was
reported that the rebels intended to march
inland and, after capturing Santa Cruz,
that they intended to march on and take
the capital. When the news reached the
town Of Santa Cruz the loyalists and
to the woods The postmaster of the town
went into hiding with an American family.
Then little later it was noised about that
President Bonelli was marshaling an army
to sweep down and take the rebels. Most
of the Americans at Santa Cruz SYM
pathized with the conservatives and have
but little sympathy with the government.
Native sympathizers with the uprising be-
ola ID ha
dents army was coming down the noun
tains and they left between two days AT
this news there was Joy among the loyal
lists. The postmaster came out of hiding
and his friends, other government officials,
came back to town.
When the Presidents forces passed
through Santa Cruz the general in COM
mand asserted that no one would be allowed
to pass through his line TO Porto CorteZ. In
deed this would have been hazardous un-
dertaking, as there was nothing known of
the extent of the rebellion nor the strength
of the rebel forces. Mr.. Seibert was IN FOR
pushing ahead, but his friends warned him
that it was dangerous. He followed in the
wake of President Bonellis army and was
near at hand when the uprising was
crushed. 1t was so insignificant as 10 be
ridiculous. 1t seems that q small sailing
vessel, manned by twenty-five rebels, sailed
into the port of Porto Cortez at sundoWn.
The colonel in command of the small gar
riSOn was at dinner and there was no. one
to command the governmental soldiers, VINO
imagined that a great force was about TO
wipe them outs and they very quietly ana
accommodatingly LAID down their arms. The
custom house was next seized, and Tor
about forty days the little force or rebels
held the town 1n siege The government
had no means of communicating with the
garrison. There were no telegraph wires
and the postal service was crippled When
the inCipient civil war was ended Mr; sci
bert was glad to enter Porto Cortez ana pre-
pare to return to civilization. He found
correspondent Of Chicago paper "a ana no
to the States" The newspaper man had
bicycle on which he had Travelled way up
into the interior.
LABOR TOO INDEPENDENT.
The only reason that Mr.. Seibert is not
now the owner of an extensive coffee plan
tation is the fact that the laborers of Hon
duras are about the most Independent peo-
pie on earth They have been earning about
70 cents a day of their money, 371s cents IN
United States gold, but when they found
that Mr. Seibert wanted to employ them to
put OUT %, 600 coffee plants they demanded
81 a day. For month he tried to make
terms with them When they round tn 1iaI
he would not be held up for more than me
ordinary wages they offered to work az the
usual price. BY That time Mr. setbert was
ready to return home. lie had gone 10
Honduras expecting to accomplish the en-
tire work in thirty days and was not as
posed to waste more time, c.,,-. ou
What does Iahd Cost! NIL 1ei'9i' "'
asked. 80,
arrange with tire town corporallons now
ever, which owns immense tracts or land,
to get it by simply agreeing " pay l'e
taxes and improve it."
I'm fee simpler? - w.
NO but it virtually amounts 10 eh a. lou g
might call it a perpetual lease, SO long as
the taxes are paid and the lana Is lihpIoFeu
it belongs to the tenant. aeeo
How long does it take to start a coffee
about five years. They say three, but
| think five is about right; There are some
pect a crop before five years 1870.
Mr. Seibert says that the young plants
can be bought for s. thousand, or less IMAM
$3.50 of American money C3pI9tn ssa that b1f
the first cost of starting coffee plantation
is small, but it is wearisome WORK 10 wal.
five wears for returns. CoHee plants are
planted in the forests, natives saying lhat
they will not thrive in open Iahd CnueT-
brush has to be cleared out, put tHeIe -
none OF the clearing that wore OUT carry
nioneers of this country TO be encountered.
Occasionally big trees are telled, put not
frequently. No blowing is done; a we W97oge ,-
the end of a heavy stick. 1t is thrust lnLo
the ground, given a twist or TWO, WITH
drawn, the coffee plant lnserteo ~ t t5e
toe of the foot and the work Is zone NO
cultivation of the soil has to be done Inc
planter simply waits hVe years lot nls s
harvest DR. Jenckes informed Mr. Seibert
tbat the coffee cultivation is profitable,
Notwithstanding the limited faculties or
Transportation. There are but rev rali-
roads and thousands of planters nave IL
carried to the nearest railroad STATION OF
seaport on the back of pack mules III one
hundred pound bags, two on edcn dhlIHdL
Provisions clothing and everything uSeu
has to be transported to interior toWIi k III
using wagons in the mountain countries
and never think of pillow.
DIR. JENCKES'S PLANTATION.
Santa Cuz is a place of about five hundred
inhabitants. Mr. Seibert found perhaps
TWENTY-FIVE Americans there. Beside DR..
Jenckes there was a Mr.. Watts, formerly
Of this State. Watts is a big man in the
Mace. DR.. Jenckes has been there over
wear. and seems to enjoy being planter.
The former pastor of st. PauIs Church
has 10000 coffee plants growing, and ex-
poets to increase the number to 100000 this
year.
Speaking of the native life, Mr.. Seibert
says that most of the people live in adobe
huts much like those Of Mexico. They are
poorly furnished, but there Is nothing of
the system of poems that makes the life of
native MeXicanS so miserable ana Wretched.
The natives of Honduras, ne observed, are
free and happy. They plant as they need.
Each man has his own patch or beans,
bananas and other necessities, including his
coffee. He works just enough to keep from
getting hungry. The spirit OF lndepend-
ence is the strongest trait OF character. 1t
was that spirit which made 1t so hard TO
find laborerS. They wanted Mr.. SelDert
to understand they didn have to work,
and rather regarded themselves as doing
him favor by talking about working Tor
him at any price.
The returned traveller brought with him