Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-04
WAR PARA[YZ|NG
BUSINESS N MEXICO
COUNTRY HARD HIT BY THREE
YEARS OF REVOLUTION AND
ITS RESULTS.
MOST DISASTROUS YEAR
IN HISTORY WAS 1919
Districts Rich in Resources Poverty
Strcken-Mines Closed and No Mar
ket For Crops Where Grown-RaiI-
roads Suffer in National Depression
~. S. Consul Hanna Reports.
Especial Correspondence

| Washington, June 4.--How hard
parts of Mexico have been hit by the
: revolution and the operations OF armed
! forces for many months past is well set
forth in a recent report by Consul The
odore c. Hamm, from Durango. The
: Durango consular district lies in the
north central part Of Mexico, to the
/ westward OF the city of Monterey ana
south of the city of Chihuahua. 1t is a
! district rich. in resources. While the
{, figures on imports and exports ior
1 Mexico as a whole have been holding
up remarkably in spite of the civil war
from which the country suffers. there is
no doubt that parts of the republic
are most seriously affected in a bust
| ness and commercial way.
Most Disastrous Year.
Consul Hamm says that from every
viewpoint the year 1913 was "one OF
the most disastrous ever known in this
consular district. The causes are d.
rectly or indirectly traceable to the
armed strife which has been practically
continuous turnout this state and dis
! trict." All industrial enterprises have
been forced to suspend operations
either in whole or in part. Whole
salers retailers, importers and eA-
porters. and. in general. all having
anything to do with the commercial
activity of the Durango district report
most unsatisfactory year with PAL
ances on the wrong side of the ledger.
The year 1914 mas opened with no bet
ter prospects than the year before. Re-
/ trenchment, uncertainty and gloom
prevail wheels are not turning, inter-
change of commodities is Impossible
thru lack of communications, ranches
and mines are deserted. merchants are
! ha ndicapped on account OF many
kinds of fiat or paper currency. when
has compulsory circulation within the
Durango district but no purchasing
power. Consul Hamm says, in short
that conditions as this year opens are
chaotic and rapidly approaching the
! impossible.
Since early in March. the state OF
Durango has been without railroad
/ communication with the United States.
1t is also cut off from Tampico. This
has made imports from the United
/ states only small part of their or
| binary volume. while exports to the
! United States have fallen to low
/ figure.
1 Revolutionary conditions with re-
I sultant paralyzation OF industry and
! INTERRUPTION of commerce are respon-
! sible.
! Railroads Hit Hard.
( Dealing with railroad conditions,
I Consul Hamm says the National lines,
! which control all the railroads oper-
/ ating in the Durango district, report
J most disastrous year. The losses from
wanton destruction OF rolling stock,
bridges and trackage have been enor-
4 nous as a consequence of which most
lines were Idle thru last year. Rail
road construction work is at stand
| still and projected lines are indefinite
~ postponed.
With prices of metals high, the i'm
/, possibility Of marketing mine products
and Of obtaining necessary supplies
| have forced most mining companies
either to suspend all work or at best
greatly curtail operations. Mining
output is about one eighth OF ,.ormai
shelters are idle or operating on part
J time. The heavy decrease in bullion
shipments TO the United States from
1924. 400 In 1912 to $90S.400 in 1913 is
an index to the paralysis in the great
est industry of the district.
Agricultural conditio IS were gooc
from natural standpoint. Rains were
abundant and seasonable. But not
! over ~ per cent of the usual acreage
was planted and 10 per cent OF the
crops produced would be generous
estimate of the part actually accruins
to the rghtful owners of the land.
THE remainder says the report
",;ar apn-opriated for military pur-