The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-08-23
WARNS AGAINST PERU.
Local Resident Recites Dangers of
Upper Amazon Region.
Editor of The Reformer: -

Editor of The Reformer:-
| think it was Fridays issue you
had an item about a lot of American
Amazon in Peru, and vast sections of land
would be taken over by them.
| just want to give you a few facts and
then if you think fit as a Christian to
acquaint those who are the proper authori-
ties. a crime may be prevented.
The River Ucayali. which was men
toned. was within three or four days
sailing from where / lived for about is
months. viz. Iquitos.
While in Iquitos | made the acquain-
tance of Il Mr.. BannisteF. One day he
took me to a cemetery. as he explained
he was the only survivor of a colony of
Lincolnshie farmers England who had
been enticed out there-''and these" he
said. pointing to the mounds, ARE their
graves Their sufferings had been ter
rible and he was left to bear witness
Poor Bannister by that strange fate was
left-an entirely uneducated man-to see
Iquitos spring into Importance when rub
Der was found to be so useful. / believe
the original cause for the colony going
out was to obtain the wonderful woods
which are found there-and to this day
exists the factory with chimney stack and
hauling apparatus for loading on to steam
efS IN river Amazon.
1Bannister was poisoned By an Indian
servant after | returned. He had quite
a lot of money. and his credit was good
in London and Paris.
There is now | believe an American
consul at IquitOs who should be cabled
to if there is any scheme afOot to lure I'M
suspecting farmers to that section.
had the Javary fever. which is known
only to medical men who have either been
FhnEn Ion 70 \ r..
Mr.. Glover, English agent of Amazon
> Il, died also of Beri-Beri, Mello Jr.
a Portuguese merchant also and a lot of
Others of my acquaintance, Peru on the
other side of the Cordillera is OK-but
your news stated a region contiguous to
Ucayali-that is in the tropics Elk
plorers run into danger. but their stay is
any length of time and their faces would
become pale as only to be seen in those
terribly enervating climates.
1t were a crime should | calmly read
that item of news and keep silent-when
unsuspecting people are going perhaps to
a terrible death-for. believe me- the
fevers, agues. smallpox. all are there, but
perhaps the worst of all is Beri- Beri be-
cause it takes the victim so suddenly
| do not know the source of your in
formation. The Peruvian consul. of
course. will say nothing to jeopardise
colonizing scheme for the good oft his
country.
At least let me warn those poor people.
If they want to go to South America in
pursuit of suitable farms let them go to
place like Argentina or even Uruguay or
Chili-but to any such zone that is ap-
preached by way of the Amazon | urge
them to take advice from the American
consul at Iquitos before doing foolish
thing.
When | was in Iquitos it was quite in
expensive to take out papers for a seringal
or rubber plantation. but the man from
either this country or England has vet to
be found who can stand it,
l wonder how the American consul gets
along, but perhaps he is a native of the
tropics and a white face immune / could
tell you much more but think | have said
enough to get YOU interested and take
action in warning the people concerned.
Yours faithfully.
RALPH II. MORETON
Brattleboro. Vt.