Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 5, 1898

Mr. Powell to Mr. Day.

Legation of the United States,
Port au Prince, Haiti , July 9, 1898 .

No. 68.]

Sir: I have but little time to prepare this dispatch, as the steamer sails from here in less than an hour. The Santo Domingo mail has just reached me. I inclose copy of General Heureaux’s letter in reference to the Ozama River bridge incident. I know from personal observation that there is at this time very little money, and that it is impossible for them to pay the whole sum in cash.

I also send inclosed draft for the expenses of Mr. Noble for $1,489.02, sent by the President, draft No. 10137 on Muller, Schall & Go.

I have, etc.,

W. F. Powell.

[Inclosure 1 in No. 68.]

General Heureaux to Mr. Powell.

Santo Domingo , June 24, 1898 .

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note No. 33, June 8 last, informing me of the award made in the settlement of the case of the Ozama River Bridge. In it you advise me that the decision of Mr. Alfred Noble, the engineer appointed by your Government to examine the structure, awards to Mr. Thurston the sum of $74,411,17 with interest at 6 per cent from December 20, 1895. For professional services, your Government allows Mr. Noble $1,489.02 in conformity with inclosed vouchers. For this latter sum, you ask that I transmit a draft on any reputable firm of New York, and you also request that I close the matter of the other payment as soon as possible, suggesting that each day’s delay only adds to the amount and postpones the transaction which will give me ownership of the bridge.

In compliance with your request, I inclose a draft for $1,489.02 in your favor, at three days, against the house of _______, of New York. This I hasten to do as promptly as the means of communication between Port au Prince and this capital will permit.

As to the desirability of completing the transaction as soon as possible by the payment of the total of the award, I am entirely in accord with you. On the other hand, it is not necessary for me to point out to you, who have so intelligently and thoroughly studied this country and its resources, the great difficulty which will be experienced here in securing so large a sum of money. According to the estimate accepted by Mr. Noble, the gross annual revenue of the bridge does not exceed $5,000. So the earnings of the bridge can not be of any considerable assistance. I need not remind you that the revenues of this Goverment are mortgaged for the payment of our foreign debt and that the Santo Domingo Improvement Company, of New York, which directs the business, pays to this Government the sum of $60,00 monthly. With this sum of $60,000 monthly we must pay all the expenses of the Government. It must, therefore, require no argument on my part to demonstrate to you our utter inability to pay the sum of $74,000, with interest, in cash. You are so familiar with our condition that I trust you will make clear to your Government that some arrangement for partial payments will not only be an act of consideration toward a friendly Government of so very limited resources, but also one which is made necessary by our limitations.

I therefore beg you to submit to your Government this plan of partial payments:

Cash	$22,000
January 1, 1899	22,000
July 1, 1899	22,000
January 1, 1900, balance with interest from December 20, 1895.

It will be with great sacrifice that I will be able to fulfill these terms of payment. I submit the proposition to you with confidence that, with your intimate knowledge of our limitations and your cordial attitude toward my Government, you will recommend it to the honorable Secretary for his acceptance.

Accept, sir, etc.,

Ulysses Heureaux.