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NOTE: Published by: Eddy Kühl, grandchild of one of those pioneers. |
 Matagalpa, Nicaragua, the 23th of June 1901 Mrs. Britta Viggh To my unforgetable lady and friend, May god care for your health and of your son. Things are well and we are here doing well. Considering the country we're in, the business is going well. It gives me great pleasure in knowing again that you are all fine. I hope things get better. It seems to me that at least you have learned much philosophy with respect to the time you lived here. There are many things that I could tell you here, but I am very occupied so I will tell you little by little. Today I began so that I will finish tomorrow, at which time I will joyfully continue. A few weeks ago I sent you a packet of "things", but I did not have time to write you. I still do not have time, but considering the amount of time that has passed without knowing anything, I put everything aside for you, to tell of how well we are doing as of now. The "things" are on their way with Don Pedro, and he can tell you something of the country. I will tell you the other things here. All of this time I thought that he had been writing you, but I now remember that he told me one time that he had received a letter from his wife and that she had been waiting for news about how things were going. I wish I could write you in English to tell you many more things and more clearly because I will never learn this Spanish language very well. It is now clear that you are not aware or informed about what this Don Pedro of ours has been doing. So it is through this letter that you are informed that this prodigy son is on his way to his original home, I mean to your country to see all of you again, and of coarse to do some business of his. It has been more than two months that he left Matagalpa, but he stayed here in the country a few more weeks. On the 26 of May he embarked in San Juan del Norte on a ship directly to New York. With the arrival of this letter maybe you will find that he is already there talking to you and Eric (Viggh) in Lucskta. I think Don Pedro (Viggh) will be in New York all of June, and then he will go to Sweden, or at least he told me he would be in Sweden while some fruit matures and some other things happen. Therefore, I think you can count on him coming soon to see you. I am here in Matagalpa still. I have not gone to Managua as I had planned because a man died, a first cousin of mine, whom I had planned to do some business with there. He died in the most strange manner: His son fell on top of a live electrical wire with his two hands. We could not free him. His father, seeing him, grabbed him, and the electricity passed through the boy's body and ended up in his own body. That way, they released his hands leaving half of them on the wire. His father was a doctor, and he cut off his own flesh or skin to cure the hands of his son. Soon after that, the father's flesh began to dry and he later died of a contagious disease. Anyway, because he died, I had to make other arrangement with the business plans, and I now find myself here still. I am here while Don Pedro returns, and I am responsible for him. Like now things in modern life are understood better than before, and everything can be done better. Because of all of the things that I have to think about I can't find anything to say. Everything troubles me and the things don't allow me to write. Your letter arrived only yesterday with date 16 of May, and it was so appreciated. My brother (Mc Laughing) is in La Paz Centro, and has been there since the 1st, (of the century). His family was also there for a few months until winter started and the rain began. Their second daughter got sick and they brought them all back here, including his wife. Only he stayed there for the winter. In December they will bring them all back there, when Don Pedro returns here. I am also thinking of going there because I think hard working people like us can make more money in our business there. We are thinking of growing a kind of rubber there that grows well and faster there. In La Paz Centro we also have an opportunity to make roofing shingles and bricks with a machine they sell now in Masaya and Granada for 140 thousand cordobas. You can never find shingles and bricks here. I was thinking of also bricking my room now, but I can't for the lack of bricks here. We now have the house above finished, or at least I can now rent it so that my brother's family can live there for now. The house is very nice inside, like the kind of beauty you now you find in these countries of ours. Here Don Pedro has as his dependent again, Narciso Armijo and Cornelia Gutierrez. I think you know Cornelia. She is very nice, I think the best in the town. She has been here since the time Benito Prado left. Since Narciso owes to different people in town, he is not thinking now of opening another business. The last one was of shingles here in Matagalpa. Cornelia and Narciso both send their greetings and wish you well. Benito Prado was in Colombia during the last war and was shot in the mouth. I mean the bullet entered his throat and went out his mouth, taking his teeth. He lost his cause since the government won and he was against. Now he has no livelihood and cannot chew food. Poor guy. Rafael still lives in Matagalpa, and still does not approve the steps of Benito. Pio's wife will not let him come here now. If he comes, she will make it difficult. Victoriano stopped growing potatos. He now knows they are not profitable. Today, the same boss from the Hacienda Suecia was here, and was asking for $6 for the Hacienda, $2 for Jesus Gomez and his wife, and begged me for 1 week's worth for Mercedes Gomez and another for Ines Gomez. She looks like the same women: ugly, old, skinny, dirty, and still embarrassed to laugh without covering her mouth. The same reliable boss, Onofre, is still there, using his strong influence in the sugar canes. Don Pedro's table looks the same as always, like when he left here. However, I now cleaned it, and you can now find the books on it at least. Nina Chon is still alive with Jeremias. Very alert, but he will never do anything. We also still have the same political boss. Paula is still here with her little girl. She only has one other, here little sister, Maria. Now that she is big she is in the mountain with Don Alberto Vogl. She is learning from them. Don Alberto is still living in his farm, just like the others who will have a good harvest year that's coming. It now seems to me that no wonder all of May and a few days in June were so dry. It is now raining a lot. Everyone is scared of a draught, thinking it will ruin them, but since the rain has begun, everything has gone well. Nevertheless, we did not do so well in Jinotega with the crop. There were even a few more deaths. In yesterday's mail, along with your letter came some good offers for Don Pedro for his house in Bremen. So good that I think they will end his frustrating needs to keep entering new businesses to do better than coffee. He's never received better offers and like the last harvest was very tight, he had less flexibility. However, he had more flexibility than ever, I mean his harvest was 2,500 quintales. At least the way in which it was done was favorable to him because the house in Bremen doesn't want to receive coffee any other way, only through him directly. This makes me very happy because they offer him more than what he was thinking of asking. Like Potter and Friedlander have gone to their farms to prepare, Don Pedro's house has expressed its full satisfaction and have made an offer for the winter harvest without even talking to him. Today, I was interrupted many
times while writing this letter. So after dinner, I continued
writing and its now late. Since I have stopped writing at night
a long time ago, I am tired now and very sleepy, but I have not
told anyone. However, I will go say good night to everyone, wishing
them good dreams, and going to sleep myself to try to finish
this letter tomorrow when I am fresh. Good night. Concho Matus is very drunk. Until today, it had been raining a lot here. The San Ramon mines are doing well. Mr. Herbert has invested a lot of money in them to improve them. He was partners with Carlos Manning two years ago. They have replaced all of the old machinery the Manning put in, and this summer will upgrade everything. They have made some arrangements so that Manning does not have come to the mine anymore, under the condition that the mine pay him one thousand Cordobas gold every year for his expenses and that he may spend his time doing other things. However, he will always own 25% of the stock. It's a good deal for him. Good for him and his wife. The little girl Rosa is here in the town again in a big and new house built by Mr. Rosario Leyton behind his other house on the crossing street. I mean in front of Richardson's new house where you and Erick had your picture taken the last time. For that one, they pay $45 Cordobas monthly. William Richardson has built a strange house of wood, painted blue, with a high floor in the corner of the street. Its late in the afternoon. I have been interrupted many times throughout the day so I have not been able to finish this letter. There is much sickness and cough going around in the town. The Manning ladies are not well healthwise right now. Only the little girl Rosa gets better sometimes, but Alice never does. Don Isaac Manburg is always the same dope. William DeSavigny is becoming rich they say. His nose is very "colorful" now. His lady is doing well and has a daughter of three years of age. Her son went to Canada (Blair) two months ago with Oscar Friedlander, and passed by Buffalo to see the World Exposition. Don Alejandro Potter and his family and maid went to Liverpool the 22nd of last month. Potter only got about half of the amount of coffee harvest this last time that he had gotten the previous year. They still live in the same place, but they have begun building a new house on top of the store. A new person here in town, Kuy Ycers was left in charge of the business. Don Enrique Nicol is their bookeeper. Don Juan is in Managua. I already have things worked out with them. The government closed the bank this month. The London Bank of Nicaragua in Managua did not open again, but another bank will open soon I believe. The store "Casa del Comercio", also closed and was fined by the government recently. It opened again, but it now closed for a second time. Don Alfonso Vivas is publishing a newspaper called "Democracy", and its better. Don Chico Somarriba still has his business and is living with his wife in Don Alfredo Scott's house in front of Don Manuel Bustamante's boutique. Manuel Bustamante is around here always the same, very doctor like. They are a good family. Him and Don Rosario Leyton are the Senators (or deputies) in Managua since last year, taking the place of Felix Pedro Arauz. There was a robery in the city headquarters of $2,000 Cordobas Don Francisco Leyton still has his business in San Ramon and still owes a lot of money. A daughter (Lucia Bermudez) of Don Ignacio Bermudez, whose light skinned and thin, got married without saying anything, to a person of the same family. For two weeks now they have been living in La Paz Centro, but is ill now. Don Carlos Leclaire is still mixed up with his many families. The new wife is better though. They live on the corner of the street, where Chico Somarriba used to live. Mr. Perez and his wife are thinking of going to the U.S. next year to shop. He still has not had a good harvest. Don Pedro will have much more business than ever in the winter harvest. Miss Elba was very sick for a few months. She later got a little better, and the 1st of the year went to California to her mother's. she left since her husband, Don Carlos left to go study to be a doctor. I think he returns this year. Don Otto Kuhl, always a good man, is married with a Baldizon daughter and they have a little girl. They are making her a little bed now. The Baldizon house is his also. He has a good house, carpentry workroom with many workers. We are waiting for the arrival of Don Carlos Travers with his new wife in August. He went to the U.S. a few months ago to get married. Now for Mrs Thornton. Don Carlos sold his house to the Foreigners Club and bought the one in front. Don Fraco. Davis esta en California doing business with Kerosene Wells. Until now, I only hope that some time, who knows when, the canal will be here in Nicaragua. I am getting ready to start a business only to sell it then, and go to Baja California. This part now belongs to Mexico. Dr. William Graham has gone to California. Sandro Lupone of Managua will also go there with his family to live. Mr. Herbert Emery has a concession to build a railroad from Matagalpa, to his business in the Rio Grande, all the way to the beginning of the sea. We have much hope for this, since we will be able to go directly to the Atlantic Ocean from here. Don Fernando Vivenot is completely broke financially, and is now working in Rama. His wife left here with a contribution from the foreigners. This saddens me more than anything that has happened here. Their son is morally lost now. In the horse races we had today in the town, two horses were injured, one man was hurt, and one has killed. (Sabas Castro). My nieces have topa (an illness). Last night they did not go to my bed. They are not in danger for now, but they cry all of the time because of the pain. Don Juan Connelly's wife and 9 year old daughter finally came. They live in Vandusen's house on the mountain. Mr. Hoiz and his wife, who came on behalf of Vandusen, returned to the U.S. Mr. Edwin Rice and his family has also gone to the U.S.. His wife went first with the little girls, and two months later, she died in surgery. Later, a brother of her's came and took him. A German, Walter Bartsch is in jail for a previous crime. Don Luis Sheridan and his wife live here now and in peace. Hugo is very tall and thin. Enrito is in Bluefields. Mr. Charles Haslam and Lily still have the hotel. The two old palms are still alive. Horacio Bermudez's wife died, and last September left her kids in school in the town of Mobile in Alabama. Giusepe Vita is married, or did you know that? Don Alfredo Mayr runs business next door to us at the Molina's house. With regards and wishing to know more of you, I close this letter and I promise to write more. I hope Don Pedro arrives and returns well and that you are well and happy. As always, your real friend and sending you my love. C. Howe McLaughlin. P.D. Don Luis Sheridan and his wife send their regards, remembering you and wishing you well. |
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 Matagalpa, Nicaragua, 5 de Julio, 1915 Britta Viggh Dear Mrs. Britta: You will be surprised to receive
a letter from me in where I am writing specifically to ask you
for something. Well, since my country is surrounded by enemies,
and even our friends the Italians have betrayed us, we have no
way of communicating with our families in Germany. I asked your
husband Don Pedro Viggh to give me his address, since I found
out he is no longer in Sundsvall. With this same mail, I am sending
you a heavy envelope with letters for my friends and family and
I would really appreciate if you could send them to their destination
in Germany. My wife and I, every time we see Don Pedro, we ask him about you and Erick, who should be grown up by now. Don Pedro is always to same. He has barely changed in so many years, but he travels a great deal doing business throughout the country. We have always remained friends. My little boy, Alberto, whose 15 now, has been studying for 3 years now in Kempten, Germany, and we don't want to be separated from him for so long, without communicating with him through mail. These damn English won't allow anything to go to Germany, even through neutral countries. I also ask that you forward to us the letters that my friends and family send to you for us. Of coarse, they will send you enough money so that you don't have to pay for anything. They will appreciate your kindness, as we do. I hope you and Erick stay in good health. We are doing O.K. I have been sick for one year and I almost died once. My wife Rosenda is healthy and always the same good companion in all of life's circumstances. My oldest daughter, Metita, who is 18 now, is engaged with a young German boy, who now fights as an officer in France. The younger one, Elsa, who is 9 years old, is still here with us. If you would like, and you write me telling me so, I would write you telling you how much Matagalpa has changed. I'm sure Don Pedro knows. Giving you great thanks in anticipation, and in memory of Rosenda, I wish you well, Afmo.. |
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