New-York tribune., 1908-05-19
MR.. RUSSELL HOME
He Tells of Conditions at La Guayra
and in Tenezueld.

.-s,- 10 a statement made by W. ". Rus
ell the American Minister to Venezuela, who has
- - 80 IN his annual leave Of sixty DAYS the
H,.-,,sp1ts has the port OF La Guayra tightly
-, sc grasp and the mortality of blacks and
l+,as ,e far greater than is generally known
zs- and Mrs Russell and their daughter arrived
=. ..oe.ardsv on the steamer Caracas of the Red
: =, and went 70 their home in Rockville Md
.. Rrssell's account OF the seriousness of the
4-,,stion Al La Gusyra agrees with the exclusive
announcement The Tribune on Friday that there
Was an average OF sihtS-1Ne deaths a day among
Tie negroes
THE rlsgue is far more serious than is gener-
uv believed said Mr.. Russell These reports
OF war in the republic idle rumors and there
ir nothing in them. The plague is the thing that
is causing trouble in Venezuela The disease has
sp-ead rapidly and alarmingly that a quaran-
tire has been declared az Trinidad and Colombia,
The latter port being quarantned against Trinidad
and La Guayra.'
Mr. Russell confirmed the stories that the Yene
zuelan troops are burning ali infected places in
combating the disease lie said President Castro
vas in poor health year ago. but had recovered
completely and had firm grip on the govern
ment. He said he thought there was no opHp tu-
nifty for revolution Venezuela.
Among the passengers on the Caracas was Mrs
Post, wife Of the Governor Of Porto Rico She is
in poor health, and comes TO join her husband
who came here several weeks ago to attend the
conference OF Governors II Washington.
DR.. Doty held the Caracas in quarantine for a
long time and made careful examination of the
Correspondence The Associated Press.l
Caracas, May s.-The popularity OF Minister
William ". Russell was shown this morning when
the German railroad station thronged by mem
be-s OF the diplomatic corps and leading citizens
OF Caracas 10 bid him goodby on his departure
for New York. Nj Russells private car, which
take him and his family TO Puerto Caoelio,
was converted into garden by the gifts from Mrs
Russel's friends.
Il is generally believed here that this departure
ot the American Minister mark a crisis in
the diplomatic relations between the two coun-
tries Mr.. Russell has been accredited to Nene-
zuela for more than thirteen years. having oeen
en-,oi--es secretary Of legation by President
Cleveland al the time OF the Guiana boundary dis
-,ure with England
arrhourh the State Department sent the gunboat
Pz6Yoah 70 Puerto CabeIlo ten days ago 10 take
-. prs.r7 au,av rhe minister preferred to wait
s,5 sail on the steamer Caracas The faducan
hsx meanwhile been used 70 carry diplomatic ols-
rsrches back and forth from CURACAO
The three cases of plague in Caracas a month ago aso
x--,z-e1,- have not been followed by any ne"
o,as and the city is enjoying good cleaning up
Il G,1av-a is ii a sad predicarnent- Inc insi-
chants there are no longer able to FEED me c1o"
n destitute persons. and mis- week lnss &C. 60
= -,a.r ~ The Chamber Of Commerce OF caracas
- This was Immediately answered by a
7z~-e mercantile subscription Prov SONS "eIe p
chased and sent La GuayTa To-Day Inc C4i"
- ~ Commerce also appointed coIn1lll'ee lo
r-.si5en+ Castro for the purpose Of explain
So - him the terrible condition Of La quay aI
e rs inhabitants and the necessity OF ~ ~lahli,s
+e-of- measures to save the rest q Nenez1ela
from calamity 1...- .-e
x,---,sea that in view OF the sanitary conFen'o.l
=. washington the Venezuelan government i'a ~.
8. v.- advised them officially OF the presence =. -
7,laer,e IN La CIuayra or Of the measures ueI,is
taken 70 exttrpate L castro oec -. e -.
.,+ ,eIrsnsper FL Constitutional. have
-gz-e- mentioned the buhonic plague. but AWAY
-s..- as the 'reigning epidemic. or the IEs-
FERROUS Sickness