File No. 819.77/111.
The American Minister to
the Secretary of State.
No. 96.]
American Legation,
Panama,
March 22, 1912.
Sir: Referring to my dispatches No. 30 of
December 22 and No. 391
of December 80 last, relative to a draft contract between Señor
Arosemena, Minister of Public Works, and Messrs. J. N. Hyatt. H. G.
Prescott, and R. Wilcox for the construction of a section of the
[Page 1199]
Panamá-David railway, which
draft I stated the Panaman Government desired to execute, provided the
Department of State had no objection to offer to it, I have the honor to
inclose herewith a copy and translation of a note, dated the 21st
instant, which I have received from Señor Chiari, Minister for Foreign
Affairs. In this note Señor Chiari refers to Señor Arosemena having
furnished mo with a copy of this contract with a request that I might
transmit it to my Government for its consideration (inclosed in Dispatch
No. 30 above referred to) and requests that, as no reply has as yet been
received from my Government, I will obtain an expression of its opinion
in view of the interest of this matter to the country and of the passing
of the proper time for starting it.
There would seem to be a fairly considerable desire in the Western
provinces and in Panama City for the construction of this railway and a
“plank” advocating this has been included in the recently issued
programme of the Porrista party. One of the charges made against
President Arosemena and his party has also been their lack of real
interest in this project which it is well known President Arosemena
opposed at first. It seems very likely that President Arosemena’s desire
to expedite the signing of this contract is at least partly to offset
these charges and so assist the party’s new candidate, Don Pedro
Diaz.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
The Minister for Foreign
Affairs to the American
Minister.
No. 914.[
Department of Foreign Relations,
Panama,
March 21, 1912.
Mr. Minister: In January last, Messrs.
Hyatt, Prescott and Wilcox submitted to the Department of Fomento
for consideration a draft contract for the construction of a part of
the railroad from Panama to David, which starting from the port of
Aguadulce should end in the city of Santiago. This project had the
approval of this office, but the contract therefor was not entered
into, in consideration of the suggestions made by the Department of
State of the United States in regard to the advisabiliy for Panama
of not entering into arrangements of this sort without previous
detailed study by your excellency’s Government.
According to information furnished to me by the Secretary of Fomento,
he submitted for the consideration of your excellency the project of
Messrs. Hyatt, Prescott and Wilcox, with the request that it be
transmitted to the Department of State for consideration and that he
be advised of the result.
As no advices have thus far been received in regard to this matter,
which is of great interest for the nation, and as the proper time
for the starting of the work is passing, I will greatly appreciate
it if your excellency will be good enough to obtain from your
Government an expression of its opinion on the projected contract
referred to.
The construction of a railroad which will unite the towns mentioned
is a work of great possibilities for the future of the country and
its agricultural development, since this is made an easy outlet for
the products of the provinces of Codé, Los Santos and Veraguas. Its
cost will not be a burden for the Republic, as it is only an
experiment which is within the limits of our economic
possibilities.
In view of these circumstances, it is to be hoped that the said
undertaking will be acceptable to your excellency’s Government,
which takes such interest in our welfare.
I am [etc.]
