817.48 Earthquake of 1931/178
The Minister in Nicaragua (Hanna) to the Secretary of
State
Managua, June 18, 1931.
[Received June
25.]
No. 404
Sir: It has been my policy, in directing the
relief work of the American Red Cross in Managua, to keep President
Moncada closely informed concerning the activities of the Central Relief
Committee of the American Red Cross of which he is the Honorary
President. In carrying out that policy, I addressed a communication to
him on June 11, 1931, copy enclosed, in which I brought him up to date
in this connection and outlined the plans of the Committee for the
immediate future. I closed my communication with the customary statement
that the Committee would be pleased to modify the program in an endeavor
to be in full accord with the President’s wishes should he care to make
any suggestions. President Moncada replied in a communication dated June
18, 1931, a copy and translation of which are also transmitted
herewith.
I have the honor to invite the Department’s special attention to
President Moncada’s reply in view of his having warmly set forth therein
his appreciation and gratitude for the relief work being done in Managua
by the American Red Cross, as well as a message of appreciation to the
Government of the United States, both of which he has requested me to
transmit.
I have transmitted the documents in this matter to Mr. Ernest J. Swift of
the American Red Cross, and I enclose herewith a copy of my letter of
transmittal to him.11
Respectfully yours,
[Enclosure 1]
The American Minister (Hanna) to the President of Nicaragua (Moncada)
My Dear Mr. President: I desire to give you
up-to-date information concerning the activities of the Central
Relief Committee of the American Red Cross and its plans for the
immediate future.
[Page 803]
The distribution of food was stopped on May 15, excepting small
donations which are still being made to the general hospital and
occasional donations to exceptionally needy cases. The distribution
of milk for infants was terminated on June 10.
The relief through furnishing labor to unemployed continues but on a
somewhat reduced scale. Approximately 1,500 laborers were being
employed when this work was at its maximum but the number has now
been reduced to approximately 1,000. The number will be further
reduced to meet changing conditions. It is the hope of the Central
Relief Committee that increasing industrial activity in and about
the city, and especially the project for the construction of the
proposed railway along the lake, will absorb a portion if not all
the labor as rapidly as it is set free by the Central Committee.
The projects on which labor is now being employed by the Central
Committee are the following:
- 1.
- Completing the removal of debris from the city. There
remain to be cleaned of debris only a few streets in the
southeast section of the city and this work should be
terminated in another two weeks.
- 2.
- The completion of the prolongation of Second Street to the
Pan American Airways station. This will be completed within
about ten days.
- 3.
- The repair of Central Street from the eastern limits of
the city to the paved portion of the city to relieve the
serious congestion on Second Street. It is planned to
construct concrete crossings where the north and south
streets intersect Central Street. This is deemed necessary
for protection against large quantities of water flowing
through these streets during the rainy season. The surface
of the street will be finished with volcanic ash heavily
oiled. All material, of course, for this construction will
be furnished by funds of the American Red Cross. This street
probably will be finished in a month or six weeks.
- 4.
- The prolongation of Second Avenue west to the south of
Calle Colon. This street will be built with debris from the
city and will be surfaced with volcanic ash heavily oiled.
It is now being graded and should be finished in about three
or four weeks.
- 5.
- The repair of streets within the city limits where most
needed.
- 6.
- The repair of the highway from the city to Villa Stimson.
This repair work will consist of reshaping the highway and
giving it a surface finish of heavily oiled volcanic ash.
The railway administration is hauling the volcanic ash from
the Asososca pit to the neighborhood of the highway, and it
is being paid for this service from Red Cross funds. The
repair of this highway may be continued until the relief
funds of the American Red Cross are exhausted.
- 7.
- The restoration of the northern portion of the general
hospital. This work is being supervised by the hospital
authorities. The Central Relief Committee made an allotment
of $3,500 for this purpose, that being the estimate of
probable cost presented to the Committee by the hospital
authorities.
- 8.
- The repair and renovation of the hospital for the Guardia
Nacional. The Central Committee allotted $1,000 for this
purpose.
- 9.
- The Central Committee has turned over to the Executive
Committee of the National District the labor and material
for daily cleaning
[Page 804]
the streets, daily removal of garbage and the administration
of the two market places. The Central Committee will pay for
these services temporarily.
The funds still available are sufficient to continue work on the
foregoing projects until the end of July and possibly until the
middle of August. The number of laborers and the cost of
transportation will be decreased gradually throughout that period,
partly to insure economical operation and partly to avoid the sudden
turning loose of large numbers of laborers. This latter point is one
to which the Central Relief Committee is giving much careful
consideration.
I hope the foregoing meets with the complete approval of Your
Excellency but if not, the Central Relief Committee will be pleased
to modify the program in an endeavor to be in full accord with your
wishes.
I am [etc.]
Matthew E.
Hanna
Chairman, Central
Relief Committee,
The American Red Cross
[Enclosure
2—Translation]
The President of Nicaragua (Moncada) to the American Minister (Hanna)
Dear Mr. Hanna: With satisfaction I have
read your courteous letter of June 11 relative to the important
works initiated and carried to conclusion by the Central Relief
Committee of the American Red Cross.
The noble labor of the American Red Cross—its devotion to the relief
of the sufferers and to the health and sanitation of the Capital—has
been of great importance for Managua, recognized by the Nicaraguan
people. As the representative of the Nation, I am pleased to extend
my homage and the best impressions of gratitude, and through you I
wish to make them known to the Institution in the United States as a
weak manifestation of the gratitude of the Nicaraguan people.
It gives me satisfaction also to extend to you in the most cordial
manner and in the same form the homage of my appreciation for your
sincere and beneficial devotion to the work of saving Managua, as
well as to the worthy Government which you represent.
All you have told me in your appreciated letter mentioned above
merits my approbation and applause.
With distinguished consideration, I am, etc.
