The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-06
"DTXlE' TAKES MARINES SOUTH Prairie Sill Sticks in
 Mud. WILL HASTEN TO NICARAGUA Carries Eisht Hmlred Men and
 Annunitisn. Efferss of Powerful Tugs to Dlsiedge Stranded Cruiser Are |. Vain and Sister ship wfl
 Make Voyage te
 South.
WILL HASTEN TO NICARAGUA

Philadelphia. Pa, Dec. 5.-Despair- ing of quickly freeing the auxiliary cruiser Prairie from the mud flats at Pea Patch island in the Delaware river. where she has been stuck since last Thursday. the marines and stores aboard the stranded cruiser were to- day removed to the, auxiliary cruiser Dixie.
 It is probable that the latter ves- eel will get under way tomorrow and continue to Colon. the original desti- nation of the Prairie.
 Two more vain attempts were made today to free the Prairie. Lighters had removed more than 500 tons of coal and all the soo.eoo rounds of ammunition. when half Q dozen tugs strained anc pulled in an effort to get the Prairie into deep water at high tide this morning.
 The warship did not budge from the shoals. When the tide began to re- cede again the work of removing ad- ditional stores and the 800 marines to the Dixie was begun.
 This work continued all afternoon and at flood tide this evening the tugs Somer N. Smith, New Castle, Mo- doc. samoset, and vidette, and the steam dredge Delaware were attached to the Prairie and another effort was made to pull the vessel clear. The attempt failed and tonight the Prairie remains stuck in almost the same po- sifion as when 1t first grounded.
 The Cruiser Dixie, which will prob ably sail tomorrow, Is a sister ship to the Prairie and has been in readi- ness at the Philadelphia navy yard eor some time.
 F
 From Central Ameriean yunta.
 Washington, Dec. S-The Central American Junta, composed of diplo- mats and patriots from the five tur- buient little republics between Yuca- tan and South America. Is one of the latest acquisitions of the Capital of the United States. While it has been meetins regularly ever since Secretary Knox gave passports to the represent- ettxa of president zelaTe of Nfcnra-. qua, 1t has managed to ahrpud itseif an mystery. The Junta fs working steadily on plans that have to do with the future of the little States.
 The Junta is unofficial but vcctf- Hrous Its sessions are held In the cafe of leading hotel. much fre- quented by South and Central Amer tcan diplomats and the policies of the Central American. States are threshed out daily and nightly. It forms the clearing house for all the information that leaks unofficialiy from revolution torn Nicaragua. while the diplomats have framed up q half-dozen new aiignmenfs of the i've republics, each with view to the equitable distri- button of the balance of power.s
 Among the members of the Junta who daily gather are Federico Majia. Minister from Salvador: !. B. Caivo, Minister from Costa Rica; Luis Toledo Herrarte, Minister from Guatemala: Luis Lazo Arriaro. Minister from Hon. duras. and Luis F. corea. former Min ister from Nicaragua. Tn addition to this distinguished group. there are Luis Anderson. former Minister of Foreign Relations of Costa Rica: Senor Don Luis Felipe Carlo, Minister from Ecua- dor: pr. Salvador Castrillo. special agent here for the Nicaraguan insur- gents; Anibal Cruz, Minister from Chile, and a score Of attaches from the various Latin American lega, tions.
 The meetings of the Junta are not attended with any great show of cere- mony. The Central American diplo- mats have much food for debate. Ac- cording to one of them, they are torn by conflicting emotions. While none except the former representatives Of the Nicaraguan government. IS dis- appointed-at the action of the United States in aiding the movement to over throw President Zelaya. all would like to know how far this government is prepared to go in its work of policing and regulating the affairs Of Central America. @,.- .e
 Secretary Knox's letter to zelaya has been read and re-read by these di, plomats until practically every member of the Junta has 1t committed to memory Around the guarded ex> pressions of the letter. which are few in number. the debate in the Junta has ranged, each member entertaining a different view of the State Depart ment's implied intentions.
 May Ask Congress to Act.
 Washington, Dec 6.--President Taft tonight called Secretary of State Knox into consultation at the White House on Q topic thought to be the sending to Congress of hot and stinsing special message on the imbrogli0 with Nicaragua. Neither ths President nor MT. Knox would say anything of their conference. It is regarded as likely. however, that the Nicaraguan matter was uppermost, and 1t is also intimat- ed that the discussion took the form of outlining a policy that will cover the whole Central American country.
 senor Castrillo. the representative here of the ingurrectionary forces un- der G,eHeral Estrada. received mes sage tonight which declared that Gen eral Estrada has left BIuehelds and has taken the field for the battle said to be imminent in the vicinity of Rama. It Is believed in view of the reported assertions from President Zelaya'S ranks. that this fight may be a turning point in the war. especially because of the reports that zelaya's men are both short of ammunition and in extremi- ties for food. F,