The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-27
HERE AFTER HIS BRIDE
F. l.. TORRES WILL WED AN INDI-
ANA SOCIETY FAvORITE.
He Is Manager of the Ubero Planta-
ton, i'm Which Local People
Are Interested.

"A slender, OdTk-eyeQ young man, VI tWcH-
ty-eight or thirty, who looked well-groomed
and prosperous. walked into the Hotel
English yesterday evening shortly after
dinner, and. after inscribing his name on
the hotel register in a good, broad hand,
inquired for VIM. d. Owen. former secre-
tary of state.
Mr.. Owen came to the city yesterday
from his home at Logansport and was stop
ping at the Hotel English. He was evil
IDENTIFY expecting the dark-eyed young man,
for the two met a few minutes later and
proceeded at once to Mr.. Owens apart
ments. The young man was f. l.. Torres,
of Ubero, Mexico He is the manager Of
the Ubero plantation, of which w. d. Owen
is at the head, and is also manager of the
Mexican Coffee and Rubber Company,
which concern is Mr.. owens private enter
prise. The Ubero plantation is situated on
the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. of the
picturesque localities of old Mexico. Mr..
Torres has spent fourteen years in Mexico
and knows the country well. He speaks
the Spanish language huently, having been
associated with Spaniards. Cubans and
Mexicans the greater part Of his life. His
grandfather was General Torres who was
the leaQer Oh the SuDan TeDeillOn now re-
ferred to as the "ten years war" When
the war failed General Torres was COM
PEELED to leave Cuba and came to New
York. where he lived until his death, few
years ago.
AFTER A BRIDE.
Mr.. Torres did not leave sunny Mexico
and hasten to the wintry North entirely
because Of business affairs. A fair-faced
girl, whose photograph occupies place
In the young mans watch, is chiefly to
blame for his coming to Indiana at this
time. Although the engagement has not
been formally announced, the young man
from Mexico expects, within the next few
months, to carry away a bride to his
Southwestern home. The young woman Is
the daughter Of one Of the most prominent
Republican politicians of the State and is
well known socially. She resides at Cow
ington.
II wish l could say as. much for the
prospects, said Mr.. Torres. What /
mean by that Is that we have none Of the
perplexing problems to settle that they
nave in this country. For instance, we
have no labor problem in old Mexico There
are no walking delegates there to keep the
working men stirred up. About the only
question relating to labor we have to solve
Is getting enough men to do the work We
have to do" Mr.. Torres says that when he
left the Ubero plantation about three
hundred men were at work. For the most
part they are Indians. They receive SIS a
month and are furnished houses in which
to live and the company furnishes them
their food. They arise at 4:30 o'clock in
| the morning and begin work as soon as 1T
is daylight. They leave off work at $50
O'Clock in the evening. The work the
| men on the Ubero plantation are doing now
| Is clearing out the jungles. 1t is expected
| this work will be completed by June and
then the planting will begin. Coffee, rub
Der, pineapples and vanilla will be planted.
Mr.. Torres says that firm Of English
contractors has arranged with the Next
can government to make improvements
on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec that will
These improvements will chiefly consist in
| the construction of harbors and railroads.
People in the States are gradually COM
| ing to realize what a great country old
Mexico is" said Mr.. Torres. Where we
used to have one excursion a year from
the States we now have sixty or seventy.
The hotels are full all winter long and the
| country Is full of tourists. 1 think that
| this rush of travel toward Mexico is partly
| due to the fact that people feel perfectly
safe in going through the country these
| days."
| NO DANGER NOW
| Mr.. Torres recalled that when he first
went to Mexico. fourteen years ago, he
| was compelled to have guard of infantry
in passing through the state of Guerrero,
SO great was the danger from bandits. He
now travels all over the country without a
guard and without the protection of even
| servant, he says. Being young man of
education and attractive personal appear
| ance, Mr.. Torres has naturally cultivated
| the social side of Mexican life. In Mexico
| City, he says, there is much exclusive So
| ciety. Breakfast is the fashionable social
function there. 1t begins about IL o'clock
| in the morning and is prolonged until late
| IT. the afternoon Ordinarily the men wear
| their linen or white duck suits to these
| functions, but If the event happens to be
prolonged until after dinner the black dress
suit is in demand. In these cases a visit
to the theater frequently follows the din
| ner. Mr.. Torres says when the people &c
to the theater in Mexico they pay so much
for each act. They don't buy ticket fol
| the whole performance
In Mr.. Torress opinion, one reason fol
| old Mexico's rapid Improvement is the fac
| that the better class of Mexicans are send
ing their children TO the United States Il
| be educated. He says the true-bloodeC
| Mexican thinks a great deal of this coun
| try, and even during the Spanish-Americar
| war was kindly disposed toward the United
| States.
Mr.. Torres brought with him from Mex
leo a sweet potato that weighs from twelve
20 fourteen pounds and box of blacl
\ cigars that 'rea