The Founding of Chetumal

Compiled from official records of its founder, Othón P. Blanco.

In June 1895, as a lieutenant in the Navy, I disembarked from the General Zaragoza warship school in Guaymas, Son., on the instructions of the presidential staff, to present myself in Mexico City.

Upon my arrival, the head of the Department of the Navy, C. Captain Jose Ma. De la Vega, told me I was to go by to receive orders from the presidential staff.

The C. Colonel Fernando Gonzalez, Deputy Head of the Presidency of the Republic office, told me that it had been proposed by Commodore Angel Ortiz Monasterio, chief of the Presidency of the Republic office, that I be commissioned to study and view a project to be in front of Punta Calentura in the Bay of Chetumal. It was for a fort to be erected in that bay to prevent the illicit trade that for many years has engaged in the expliotation of precious woods, gums and resins of tour territory, all fraudulent trafficking.

After receiving the information about the project, I studied it carefully and gave my opinion in the following terms: “The plans are to build the fort in the deepest Mexican waters of the bay. The stone for the construction would be taken from our coast which is occupied by the rebel Mayan tribe. This means the imposition to use the government forces for the following: provide adequate means of tranportation for the establishment of of camps and supplies in general, which would be lengthy and costly. Instead of the fort, I propose the purchase or construction of a small draft boat to outflank the channels and accommodate the staff assigned to it, who could be fitted with two small boats. This project offers the advantage of mobilizing the boat to places where the circumstances require.

The above proposal was accepted by the staff, and months later the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit empowered our Consul in New Orleans, Fla. (?) to assign the Zuvich house the contract for the construction of the facility, and designated them to substitute as inspector of the work.

The project was receieved by our government in the first ten days of April, 1897, having gotten the amount of $10,000 (dollars).

In the second half of the month and year above, the boat named Pontoon Chetumal arrived at the port of Campeche, towed by the steamboat of the Mexican company. Barreteaga Romano, part of the Secretariat, was onboard awaiting his instructions. More …