Mr. Olney to Mr.
Dupuy de Lôme.
Department of State,
Washington, December 28,
1895.
Sir: I have the honor to inclose for your
information copy of a letter just received from Messrs. E. Atkins &
Co.
Accept, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Messrs. E. Atkins &
Co. to Mr. Uhl.
Boston, Mass., December 26, 1895.
Dear Sir: A cable this moment received from
our Soledad property at Cienfuegos advises the further burning of
eight caballerias of cane (266 acres) on the tenancy of Beal &
Co.
As the scene of active operations is now far removed from our
vicinity, and as this particular tenancy is without any protection
by armed men, the sole object would seem to be that of wanton
destruction of property.
Letters received yesterday from this same tenancy report the
destruction by fire on the 16th, which was advised by cable, as
amounting to some 1,500 tons of cane. A letter from our general
manager at Soledad, also at hand yesterday, referring to his cable
of destruction upon the 16th, reports losses of cane on other
tenancies belonging to Soledad, at that date, as amounting to 4,400
tons in addition to the amount mentioned above.
We estimate the total amount of cane destroyed on our Soledad
property up to the present date at about 40,000 tons.
Yours, etc.,
E. Atkins & Co.