Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-03
City Of Bocas Del Toro on 18th.
mus Of Panama Besiesed.by
Insurgents.
Liberals Hold Strategic Position
Commanding the Harbor..-
Commerce Held Up.
A Conflict Of Armed Forces is
Likely to Occur Soon at
That City.

Colon, Colombia, Aug. 31.-(Delayed
by the censor).-Bocas del Toro, 40
miles west of Colon, is virtually be-
sieged by the Liberals or insurgents
They number at least 200, and, as all
ready cabled. occupy Provision island,
mands the entrance to the harbcr.
They are fairly well armed, possessing
two small modern cannon, as we'll as
plenty of amunition and are commands
ed by a Nicaraguan. Among them are
many Nicaraguan and Costa Rican
Liberals. For more than month the
Liberals have been threatening the
town. About a fortnight ago they inn
proved their position on Provision ISL
and, about a mile and half from Boz
cas- del Toro, which also is on the ISL
and; and the opposing forces have oc-
casionally exchanged shots, altho, with
the exception of one Jamaican wound
ed, there have been no casualties. Am
ong the liberals are several who own
property In BOcaS del Toro. The Lib
erals express no desire or intention to
damage the town or to modest foreign
ers or foreign vessels. There is easy
communication by mail with the land
east and west Of Bocas del ,Toro. Can
non, arms and ammunition are obtained
from coast towns in Costa Rico and
Nicaragua, Bocas del Zorro being
about forty miles from the Costa Rican
frontier. The Liberal position is
strong. and the situation is likely to
remain as it is until one side or the
other makes an attack. Such an action
would subject the attacking party to
the severe fire of their opponents, as 1t
would be necessary to pass from Bocas
del Zorro to Provision island, or vice
Versa, in small open boats. Neither
side is inclined to take the risk. The
Liberals profess to believe that pro-
clamation of the present situation
would result in a withdrawal of the
government force from Bocas del Toro.
Counting reinforcements, the govern
ment has about ITO men there, and the
town can only be reached by very light
draught steamers thru roundabout
channels. Martial law prevails in Bocas
del Toro. The authorities have stop
ped communication with other ports
except Colon. They have stopped local
fishing and forbidden passage along
the streets after s o'clock at night.
Foreigners claim that the measures
adopted for harbor supervision mater
tally injure commerce. Two Germans
We're sent to Jail for expressing, their
views too freely in cafe, and it needed
the intervention of the German consul
to effect their release. The United
States, French, British and German
consular agents in Bocas del Toro told
the Colombia commander there that if
the severe harbor restrictions inter-
rupting commerce We're not abated,
they would call for gunboats. These
representations resulted in limited
improvement only in harbor conditions.
The local trade, which has been chiefly
in bananas sent to the United States,
is virtually dead. Fruit steamers from
Mobile and New Orleans are getting
only partial cargoes, the disturbed con-
dttions preventing work on the planta-
tions. The foreign element predomi-
mates in the town. Americans, Ger
mans, British and Chinese in the or
der named. The United Fruit company
Of Boston owns many banana planta-
tons in the neighborhood The United
States consular agent in Bocas del Toro
has made an urgent appeal to the
United States consul in Colon to send
gunboat. Commander Sargent, of
the United States gunboat Machias, is
fully informed of the situation. and, if
this does not improve shortly, the Ma
chias will probably proceed to Bocas del
Toro. The Liberals on Provision ISL
and say the presence Of the Machias
will not alter the situation, as they
have in no way interferred with or in
1ured foreigners, and the government
alone is responsible for the restrictions
laid upon commerce. Many houses in
Bocas del Toro continually fly Ameri-
can, German, British or French flags to
donate the neutrality of their occu-
1 pants. The Colombian government
considers that the measures taken
there have have been made necessary
by the exigencies of the case.
FROM soLoMoN's POOLS.