The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-02-28
Report Of Gov. Harris, Gen. Prico
and Judge Perkins.

Report Of Gov. Harris, Gen. Prico
r';:1 ~ and Judge Perkins.
To the Hon. III. F. Mamy, Imperial
Commissioner Of Colonization.
SIR: The undersigned hare the
honor to submit the following report:
Immediately after our appointmen ent,
we proceeded to the District OF Cor
dova, in the State of Vera Cruz for
the purpose Of examining the lands
in that district owned by the Go, ern-
ment. We have visited and exam ned
the haciendas and lands in said lis
trict mentioned i'm the decree of 5th
September, 1865.
They are situated upon the nine-
teenth parallel of North latitude, pom
a plain which descends from the re-
gion of perpetual SHOWS and within
twenty-five or, thirty niles of the
snow-capped peak of Orizaba. The
altitude of this plain is about 1850
feet above the level Of the sea, giving
climate which is positively delight
ful, where it is never too warm to wear
cloth clothes and to sleep under q
blanket with comfort, and rarely cold
enough to wear an overcoat. We are
informed by intelligent persons who
have lived in the country for many
years, that the extreme variations of
the thermometer will not exceed
twenty degrees.
The soil is extremely fertile and
highly productive, Astounding in every
variety of tropical fruit, and of the
finest quality. Yielding under the
present imperfect system of cultiva-
tion large crops Of corn, barley, rice,
tobacco, sugar cane and coffee, with
almost every variety of vegetable,
while that portion Of the lands near
est the coast produces heavy crops of
cotton of an excellent quality. Under
proper system of cultivation, we are
satisfied that these lands may be made
to produce equal TO any that we have
ever seen. We find mahogany, cedar,
oak and other valuable timber in the
forest, while the orange, lemon, lime,
fig, guayava and vanilla grow luxu-
riantly in the woods. These lands
are, in our opinion, admirably adapt
ed to the purposes of colonization.
Considering soil, climate, location
and variety of crops, we know of no
better, if, indeed, we have ever seen
so desirable country for agricul-
tural pursuits.
Some of them lie upon and all in
reach of the railroad from Vera Cruz
to the city of Mexico, the most dis
tant being within twelve miles of the
road and about seventy from the city
of Vera Cruz, and from fifteen to
twenty miles from Passo del Machio,
to which, point the road is now in
operation.
We are assured by the people of
the country that two crops of corn
can be raised upon the same lands
each year, and from what we have
seen we are satisfied that the custom
of the country is to raise crop of
corn and a crop of tobacco on the
same land, the corn ripening before
the usual time for tobacco planting.
Coffee is extensively and proftably
cultivated in the immediate vicinity
of these lands. The excellent quality
of the coffee grown here in times past
gives it high rank in the coffee mar
kets of the world. The cultivation Of
the coffee crop is simple, easy and
cheap, producing annually from q
thousand to fifteen hundred pounds,
per acre.
The absence of any local cause Of
disease, and the health and robust
appearance of the people living upon
this plain, give ample assurances as
to the health Of the country. The
surveyors are now engaged in survey
ing the lands referee! to. It is be-
lieved they will complete the survey
within week or ten days, when their
settlement will commence by about
thirty American immigrants, who are
now here awaiting the completion of
the survey.
Immediately upon seeing these i'm
migrants furnished with lands, we
will proceed to the examination of
Zougolica and Jalappa lands, upon
which we hope to be able to report
very soon. Respectfully submitted,
I. G.. HARRIS,
a. STERLING PRICE,
JOHN PERKINS.
'CoRDovA, November IA, 1866.
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Within the past fortnight about
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