File No. 312.51/116.
Vice Consul Blocker to the Secretary of State.
Piedras Negras, February 18, 1915.
Sir: I have the honor to advise the Department that the Consulate has been requested by Mr. L. L. Schofield, General Manager of the Cía. Carbonífera de Río Escondido, to certify invoices of coal consigned by the Constitutionalist Government to his company in Eagle Pass, Texas.
Mr. Schofield advises the Consulate that his company has entered into an agreement with the Constitutionalist Government whereby the Constitutionalists will deliver a limited amount of coal from the [Page 1061] Río Esconclido Mines to the Cía. Carbonífera de Río Escondido in Eagle Pass, Texas, in lieu of payment to the Constitutionalists a normal sum for same.
I have agreed to certify the invoices in question provided Mr. L. L. Schofield, in his character as general manager of the said company, signs the invoices. I feel that I will be justified in taking this stand as it will enable the foreign company to get as much coal out of Mexico as possible, which would undoubtedly be burned by the Carrancistas upon the approach of the Villa troops who now are in possession of Monclova.
I have [etc.]