File No. 812.00/15739.
Special Agent Carothers to the Secretary of State.
In conference between General Scott and myself, accompanied by a committee representing the mining men of Chihuahua, and General Villa, we convinced Villa of the impracticability of enforcing his proposed decrees as against the mining men and he definitely agreed with us to let the mining men alone and to discuss with them the problem of keeping the railroads open, the mining men requesting him to protect their stock of goods which it is necessary for them to import, and Villa offered absolute protection and an escort of all goods ordered to the mines and to force his military commanders to abstain from confiscating their stocks of merchandise. At this meeting the mining men voluntarily presented General Villa with one thousand tons of coal to assist in the operation of the railroad.