Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-06

tine important states martial law mad
been proclaimed and they were in
state of siege; that the president
was resorting to forced loans to re-
Iplenish the treasury and put down
the rebellion; that the railroad TO
Vera Cruz had been destroyed at diff
tferent points by the revolutionists
land traffic suspended for more than a
I1nohtff past; THAT mail communication
with the seaport and with the in
lteriOr WIS uncertain and difficult:
that the diligenceS were detained and
(robbed in All direction; and that
travel throughout the country was
lgreatly interrupted and dangerous.
! The revoiutionists never invested
the capital although they made incur
sions into the valley. and we were
practically shut up To the city and its
Immediate environs. The greatest
Inconvenience suffered by us was in
thaVing our rail communication with
| Vera Cruz and the outer world cut off
In those days it was the practice OF
Foreign visitors TO come to the capital
Touring the winter and early spring
months, but they were always desir-
Gus of departing before the yellow
lfever began its ravages at Vera Cruz
where it was a regular summer visi-
| tant. In 1876, however, because OF
the destruction of railroad bridges by
the insurgents, a large number were
| detained in the city and it began Il
| be feared that they would not be able
1 to get through Vera Cruz without ex-
| posure to the much dreaded scourge.
| also had planned TO have my family
return to the United States and visit
| the Centennial Exposition at Philadel-
phia. Besides, a larger number than
usual of the wealthy Mexican families
were DESTROYS Of going abroad because
OF the disturbed condition of the coun-
TRY.
| A Special Trains Perious Journey,
| | was quietly informed by TIE man
| ager Of the Vera Cruz Railway, an
English company. that the Government
was furnishing them a strong guard
of soldiers to put the railroad again
| in order. and that when all was in
readiness they would run through a
| special train 10 take away the plethora
! OF travellers shut mp in the capital but
Ithat Is must be dones without public
| announcement, lest the reVohltionists
| shoule arrange to capture the train
as they had done repeatedly He also
! expressed the wish that | should ac-
| company them, as he thought the
presence Of the American minister
might give greater security in case OF
| an attack ON the train This | prom
ised to do as I had expected to go
with my family as far as Vera Cruz
in any case.
| When all was in readiness the pass
| engers We're assembled at the station.
and the unusually long train started
at midnight in order TO pass over the
mountainous and dangerous part of
| the road in daylight The manager
placed American flags on the front and
re9r of the train. as he said, in honor
| of my presence, but really 70 deter
any revolutionary band that might be
| inclined to stop our progress. The
passengers Travelled with much fore
| boding and were constantly on the
lookout for danger: but we reached
Vera Cruz in safety and without any
mishap. and they We're glad to find the
steamer ready to take them out of the
distracted country. 1t was generally
believed that had communicated with
| the revolutionists and secured an as
surance of free passage of the ira in
| but there was no foundation for such
| q belief
| well remember the CONVERSE ton |
| had on the steamer with passenger
one of the wealthiest and most re-
speeted of Mexican citizens. on TAX
| ing leave OF me. he expressed Ills
thanks for my part in getting him and
| his family safely out of the capital
and he then proceeded TO say that my
Government was in large measure re-
sponsible for the present wretched con-
dition OF his country: that he. in union
with the greater part of the RESPONSE
BILE citizens and property interests of
the country. mad encouraged the COM
ing of Maximilian, and that under him
there was the prospect of a stable
Government. but that the United
states had been the means of its over
l'throw. Hence. he declared. il was the
duty of my Government to occupy the
country. restore order, and give to 1t
| the same security. stability and pros
pority which our people enjoyed; there
| was no other solution TO the existing
| conditions. lie took leave Of me sad
| ly, saying he never expected to return
| to his country. Soon after he died in
| Fur oui his tflfiuTef SUN Nv
| ing in Mexico, and have greatly beHe-
| fitted in their fathers estate by the era
of protection and prosperity Of the
Diaz regime.
| The railroad officials, having no con-
| hdence in their ability 70 keep the
road open, advised me to return as
soon as possible: and on the evening
Of the day of my arrival left Vera
| Cruz for the capital on n special train.
! The regular train which left the
| next morning was thrown from the
track by guerrilla band. claiming to
he partisans of Diaz the passengers
| were stripped of their arms and val
uables, the train burned and the road
| torn up. For weeks afterward the
! traffic was suspended. until the track
1 PAS put in order under military pro-
IL