El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-07-03
RANAGUA. Nicaragua, July a.
M Nicaragua has perhaps

ers within its borders than
any other republic of Central
America Yet in none of the other re-
publics has the foreigner contributed
more to the welfare of the people than
in this country. Strike out the i'm
provements which they have brought
here. and Nicaragua would be little adj
vanced beyond the civilization of a
thousand years ago. Before the Ameri-
cans came here the boon of a cool
drink. was all but unknown. for ice
was seen only on board the passing
ships. Before American enterprise
took the initiative even The presiden-
tial palace was lighted with old fash
toned lamps. Wholesome beer could
not be had except at the prohibitiye
prices of the imported product, and
the people were content with constitu-
tion destroying aguardiente-a by-pro-
duct of sugar making-for their intoxi-
eating drink.
Americans Help Most.
The English and Germans have had
some little hand in the development
of Nicaragua, but the bulk of the ben
efits have come through Americans.
ty among the foreigners in Nicaragua
is that of T. NJ Solomon. who heads
the Central American Commercial COM
pany, one of the leading enterprises
of Nicaragua Solomon is of Hebraic
extraction and came here from New
Orleans He began his career buying
rubber from the small producers. and
has prospered until it was estimated,
at the downfall of the Zelaya regime.
L -
600 by its operations.
Under the Zelaya government Solo
mon and his company had everything
practically their own way. When the
government wished to borrow some
ready cash the Central American Com
mercial company was prepared to fur
nish 1T In return for the innumera
able favors extended by Solomon and
his company to the government. they
were given many valuable concessions
One of these was for the building of
pier at Corinto. This concession COM
pels all imports coming into Corinto
and all exports going out TO pass over
the pier, and the wharf charges are
such as to make a bushes extremely
profitable to the holders Of the con-
eession. 1t is said that some of the
shipping dealers would prefer to use
the old method of sending their cargo
ashore In lighters rather than unload
ing 1t at Solomon pier, owing TO the
high wharf charges.
Owns Electric Plant.
The company Of which Solomon is
the head owns the electric light plant
at Managua- 1t claims to furnish the
cheapest electric current IN the world.
and yet it is IN constant difficulty with
the government Several times the gov
eminent has not been able to meet its
light bill and the city Of Mana qua. its
capital, has been in the same predica-
ment The Solomon company immedi-
ately cut off the current and left the
city in darkness until the bill was
paid.
Last winter an effort was made TO
abolish the concession Of the electric
light plant. The city fathers require
that the light shall be of a certain
standard. The wood which constitutes
the fuel of the electric light plant is
delivered by the national railway.
Word was passed down the line that
the supply of fuel should be restricted
and this. as was apprehended. natur-
ally resulted in a poor quality of light
That. in turn. was taken as iustifyfng
action against the light company, and
the city fathers took this action In
the shape Of an abolition of the light
ing concession. Solomon appealed to
Gen. Mena. the secretary of war, and
the power behind the throne and the
next day the entire city government
was removed and another, friendly to
the electric light plant, was substi-
tuted in its stead.
Americans Control Ice Plant.
The Solomon interests also owned
the ice plant in Mana qua, and the price
OF ice is as cheap as any one could de-
sire r11a mr.
on its large hacienda in western Mica
ragua. This plantation contains over
100.000 acres Of land. The Solomon
concern sided with the Madriz cause
in the late revolution. and since then
has been somewhat prosecuted by the
victorious opposition. down to the abo-
lition Of its concession. This new pol
icy of the government will probably
result in a great blow TO the Central
American Commercial company. and IN
its retirement from Nicaragua as soon
as it can dispose of its holidays
Perhaps the largest American inter
est in Nicaragua Is that of the Deit-
rick concession, a mining enterprise
for the development Of the mineral re-
sources Of the larger portion of Mica
ragua. This concession is nominally
owned by Pittsburg corporate but
It is said TO have the backing of for
meT senator w lllldTI1 A-Cldrk OF MOI
tana. 1t is generally believed that this
was one of the richest concessions ever
given in Central America, and the
present government intends to abolish
it completely
Prosperous Steamers.
Another large interest in Nicaragua
is that of the Bluefields Steamship
company This enterprise is engaged in
the tropical fruit trade on the east
coast of Nicara qua, and operates a fleet
Of fruit carrying steamships. 1t was
given valuable monopolies under the
Zelaya regime, one of these being the
exclusive right to navigate the Escon-
dido river. This has given II a virtual
monopoly Of the fruit business on the
east coast. II interfered seriously with
the plans of the United Fruit company,
and that company is said to have ac-
quired a controlling interest in the
Bluefields Steamship company.
Upon a showing that the master of
one of the Bluefields Steamship COM
pany's vessels had been ordered to run
his ship aground So as to make it a
total loss. a federal court in Louisiana
placed the Bluefields Steamship COM
pany under a receivership. the receiv-
er being Col. Elmer E. Wood, of New
Orleans. The receiver has been aiming