The Washington herald., 1916-08-31
Seen and Heard by George Miner.

A ~AAN AASu u W oSVASS NAAASas
Merida, Yucatan, Aug. 3o-The longer stay
here the more evidences l and hear of the
friendly spirit toward the United States that
exists among the Yucataccans
At banquet given in his honor in the opera
house recently, DIR. Victor A. Rendon, the head
OF the commission to regulate the great hcne-
quen industry, said that the people of the United
States in general were most kindly disposed to-
ward Mexicans and did not want war with Mex
leo; that President Wilson himself did not want
war with Mexico, and that war only became
imminent through the Vaccinations of three men
from Texas who stood high in the counsels at
Washington; that as soon as the first heat of
public excitement had cooled down President
Wilson took every means in his power to avert
war without loss OF dignity. Also that the people
of the United States had no sinister intentions
against Mexico and instead of wanting to steal
the country, really only wanted to help it and
do the best thing possible for its future welfare.
There is an unmistakable tone of optimism
pervading Merida and l believe all the other
cities and towns on the peninsula. Big public
works and improvements are being planned and
actually started. One of the most notable of
these is the construction of large oil tanks at
Progreso. The engineers are here, the plans are
drawn and an agent has been sent to the United
States to buy the material
Gov. Alvarado plans to erect three tanks of a
capacity OF $1,000 barrels each to begin with and
then put up more as they needed. light
draft tank steamer, which can come in to the
shore at Progreso will be purchased to bring the
oil from Vera Cruz, only three-day run
The introduction OF oil into Yucatan as fuel
will be a great economic advantage. Fuel is a
rather scarce commodity here. There is no coal
and the big timber is all Of valuable wood, like
mahogany, too valuable to be used to FIRE an
engine with. Most Of the other timber is
jungle stuff, too small to pay to work up into
cordwood. At present all the thousands of en-
gines in the henequen mills fired with char
coal, which is pretty expensive operation These
engines will all be fixed up with oil burners, as
will also the locomotives the railroads. This
will mean an enormous saving in the fuel bill
Of the state.
The governor also has out several parties of
experts making borings in the hope Of striking
oil somewhere in the district, but not much hope
is expressed that they will be successful Similar
Investigations have been made before and no
sign of oil found.
The extension of the railway system and the
rebuilding OF the present lines is another big
undertaking that Gov. Alvarado has now in hand
The present system is sadly down, both as to
right OF way and rolling stock There is a
great shortage OF engines and box cars. So
great, indeed, that it is with considerable trouble
that the henequen bales are brought to the
coast. As the henequcn fields increase it will
be necessary to extend the railway lines so that
they will cover the whole state, branching out
from Progreso like the sticks in fan
or course the only way to develop country
is to develop it, and that is exactly what the
governor is trying to do. Many people here
call Gen. Alvarado a dreamer and visionary,
but he is certainly an energetic and practical
one, for | notice that he generally makes his
dreams come true.
in Yucatan," said he. "but do you know where
am going to get labor when we start work on
these undertakings? | am going down to
Oxaaca and Morelos and those states that arc
now ovcrrun with bandits and unemployed men
and offer them IS cents day in gold and their
food to come here and work on the railroads
and highways and docks. Will they come? OF
course they will come. That is a good deal bet
ter pay than they get by being brigands
They will jump at the chance Mexican ban
dit is really nothing but man out of work
Come back here in six months and YOU will
see those men who are spreading terror
over certain sections Of the republic working
peacefully on our improvements Things will be
hummng. 1t will rid the country Of bandits and
give US the much needed labor"