Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 3, 1888, Part I

No. 120.
Mr. Hall to Mr. Bayard.

[Extract.]

Legation of the United States in Central America,
Guatemala, September 4, 1888. (Received September 20.)

No. 857.]

Sir: Ever since my return from the United States, early in July last, I have given constant attention to the subjects of your instruction No. 563, which relates to the complaint of the Champerico and Northern Transportation Company, of San Francisco, in regard to an alleged violation of their contract with the Guatemalan Government. In pursuance of that instruction, Mr. Hosmer addressed two communications to the minister for foreign affairs, dated, respectively, the 26th of April and the 9th of June last. The former was answered on the 9th of May, and the minister’s note was transmitted to the Department with Mr. Hosmer’s dispatch No. 819. The communication of the 9th of June has not yet been answered.

This case has been the subject of many interviews with President Barillas, Señor Sobral, and myself. Fully a month ago it was agreed that the concession should be revoked because of its illegality, or that Messrs. J. L. Bueron & Co. should be induced to surrender and cancel it. The latter course was adopted, with the approval of Mr. Sanford Robinson, the managing director. Mr. Bueron, who lives at Quesaltenango, was sent for, and a day or two after his arrival I was informed by President Barillas and Señor Sobral that everything would be arranged to my satisfaction; that Bueron had agreed to cancel the contract and to give up his concession.

On the 31st ultimo, upon learning that Mr. Bueron was on his way back to Quezaltenango, I called upon Señor Sobral to ascertain what had been done in the premises. He could not inform me. I then called on President Barillas, and from him learned that Bueron had signed a document in the department of public works which he understood, although he had not seen it, to be the recission of the contract. He sent for it, and it proved to be nothing more than a simple memorial to the minister for public works asking for certain modifications of the original contract, in no way affecting its objectionable features, but generally leaving it in full force.

Mr. Robinson informs me that at the time the Bueron concession was granted the company were in treaty with parties in London for the sale of their property, and that in consequence negotiations were suspended and have not since been resumed.

On the 1st instant I addressed a note to Señor Sobral, of which the inclosure is a copy, in which I requested a reply to Mr. Hosmer’s note of the 9th of June last. During the evening Señor Sobral called at the legation to show me the draught of a document which he had forwarded to Quezaltenango tor Bueron’s signature; this document was in consonance with the promises made me by President Barillas.

I have, etc.,

Henry C. Hall.

[Inclosure in No. 857.]

Mr. Hall to Señor Sobral.

Legation of the United States in Central America,
Guatemala, September 1, 1888.

Mr. Minister: By special instructions of my Government a communication, dated the 9th of June last, was addressed to your excellency’s predecessor, Señor Barrutia, relative to the complaint of the Champerico Railway Company, of California, which alleges that there has been a violation on the part of your excellency’s Government of its contract with that company, by the concession of the 7th of November, 1887, to Messrs. J. L. Bueron & Co., against which the company, through their general agent in this Republic, made, and filed in this legation, due and timely protest, and the same was transmitted to the ministry now under your excellency’s worthy charge, with my communication, dated the 18th of the same month of November, 1887.

As more than four months have elapsed since this matter was first brought to the notice of your excellency’s Government by instruction of my own, and as nearly two months have elapsed since the communication first above mentioned was written, I beg leave, most respectfully, to request your excellency to inform me what resolution, if any, the Government of your excellency has been pleased to adopt, or proposes to adopt, in regard to the revocation of the concession of the 7th of November, 1887, to Messrs. J. L. Bueron & Co. Your excellency will, no doubt, concur with me that my Government is entitled to a definitive answer to the respectful communication on the subject which, by its special instruction, was addressed to that of your excellency on the 9th of June last.

This occasion affords me the opportunity to renew, etc.

Henry C. Hall.