56 - Revista de Temas Nicaragüenses

LIVE STOCK: We just received last week 106 heads of steers that were brought here by Mr. Rafael
Rivera. He has 40 more heads that he will bring within the next two or three weeks that were left
some place up in the interior close by. This terminates Mr. Rivera's contract with us, and he is very
anxious to see if he cannot make another contract. However, he stated that these cattle will come a
little dearer, as he has to go further up into the interior to get them. Since the beginning of last
month the Farms Department is killing their own cattle. We sent from this lot 20 heads to the farms
and 14 of the small native mules that we had to buy from Rivera, but these 20 heads will not last
them very long and the eighty some odd heads that we have here will barely run us sixty days, as the
demand for meat among the employees is getting larger every day; Therefore, I think it would be
well to look into this cattle proposition as soon as possible with a view of making necessary ar-
rangements to keep us supplied. This matter, however, you can take up upon your return here.
NEW WHARF CONSTRUCTION: Mr. Tupper tells me that he believes that by the return of the
next boat the wharf will be completed. Here's hoping that he is right. We wired last Saturday that the
wharf was 55 per cent complete to bent No. 179; they are through driving the last bent, No. 180,
and are coming back now to finish up the 40 per cent and put the fender piles; so if we have any
kind of good weather and nothing happens, on August 8th the wharf will be practically completed;
and after this is done, Mr. John, I think that we ought to devote every bit of energy towards the
building of our railroad and getting into the banana land.
NEW SAWMILL CONSTRUCTION: There seems to be quite a bit of dissatisfaction among some
of the employees at the new saw mill. Every boat that comes and leaves brings from one to three or
four away. I don't seem to be able to find out just exactly what is the trouble, only I think that a
good many of these men that come down here represent themselves to be first-class millwrights or
such, but when actually put to work they do not seem to be able to do that work; consequently they
get dissatisfied and leave. However, from the looks of things, it is nearing completion rapidly, and I
notice that the boiler shed and boilers and foundations are under construction. A good part of the
machinery has already been installed in the mill, and as for the woodwork, this is practically all com-
pleted, with the exception of the green chain which runs out of the mill from the trimmer.
LOGGING CAMP OPERATIONS: I understand that they have begun cutting additional trees for
material needed for the wharf and Wawa bridge. It seems that the trees that were on hand when you
left were not any good and they could not get the necessary material from these. This information I
got from Don Pedro when I asked him about the additional logging that was being done. This little
mill No. 1 did better last month than any time before in its history. It averaged about 28,000 feet a
day every day that it ran, cutting something like 563,000 feet in twenty days during the month of
June. We are also hewing some ties by contract and are still cutting out the necessary piling for the
bridge and the wharf. The piling crew is being handled by Guido and the ties are gotten out by con-
tract at twenty cents a tie.
BUILDINGS AND GENERAL CONSTRUCTION: The new M. & S. building is progressing very
nicely. However, the severe rains and winds that we have had have interfered a great deal with all
outside work. Still I do not think that we could expect much more, considering the bad weather we
have been having. We have also under construction the roundhouse or engine shed. This should be
finished within the next ten or fifteen days. Aside from that, there is very little construction being
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