Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-03-22
From the New lork Tribune.
Information for san Domingo Emf
grants.

S.Nro DowlNGo CITY, Feb. l7.-Whilc tic
excitement on the subject of SantO Domingo
lasts. there are many, have no doubt, who
viii want to know how TO get here, and what
chances there are for going into business and
making money. In the first place, this ls
no country for adyenturcrs. The people
have been cursed bv advcnturcrs for nearly
800 years, and they are getting a little sick
1t it, They have had Spanish adventures,
French Adventures, then more Spanish ad-
venturers, then English adyonturers, then
more French and more Spanish, and so on.
until they have grown suspicious And it
r. no place for thieves and rascals, because
there's nothing TO steal, and people are too
watchlul It's true, there are not many laIls
and prisons but there are law officers, and it
is worth a mans life to 20 before them, either
as plaintiff OF defendant. There are places,
however, for sober, Industrious, honest farm
crs and farmers boys, and for enteTprising
tradesmen and mechanics, but | DO not ad-
wise any Of these to come here unless annex
atiun takes place. Indeed, ! do not advise
them 10 come then My purpose is only to
give the facts to those who may desire to
come / believe farmers, who Will work,
can make money rapidly here, especially II
American capital and enterprise shall put
life into these old towns and plantations. \
small capital Is necessary for independence
anywhere am not prepared to say a
smaller sum is necessary here than on our
Western prairies along the lines Of railroad. l..
but | think larger profits may be real
lied bY lees expenditure in labor than in
tie agricultural regions of the West.
It costs 70 get here from New York, COM
M fret class by steamer, from so to $50
Ing old. accordlug to the port Jon desire to
reach. The steamer Tybec (SpoifOrd x Co,
y. w. Is at present the only regular con-
veyance, and that makes monthly trips.
Upon arrival, your hotel bill "a most out
rageous swindle) Is So a day, in gold, with
sharp profits on extras. There is only one
hotel, TO my knowledge. Considering the
disadvantages, 1t is very good one, but the
price is mOustrous, because everything here
is very cheap, and ! % a day ought to be
enough. The most honest and best informed
of the people, both natives and American,
with whom l have couversed, do not think
II advisable for farmers and others to come
here intending TO 90 into business with less
than $500 or ( 600 of course, the larger
the capital the better. The price of land is
from 81 10 S3 per acre, according to iertil-
itv and location Land convenient to the
river, and near enough TO the city for farm
ing purposes, can be bought for from ; to
S2-such land, IN point OF richness and Ia
cIlity of cultivation, as Is not in the United
states Inc country l. uiNlueu IhlO NOou-
lands and grass lands, or savannas. The
best crops are raised from the former The
farmers home Will cost from $500 to $500.
IL will be simple, but very comfortable, and
compare we'll with others. 1t viii be but
one story, round thatched roof two or three
rooms, and floor Of boards imported from
the States The cost Of furniture Is merely
nominal. The beds are mostly cross-legged
cots, covered with canvas pair OF sheets,
a blanket, and pillow complete the outfit.
Tic chairs used here are IN silly cane bottom
cd or plain, rude wooden ones cheap and
duraaie. A table or two, a hammock, a few
shelves for hooks, a stove and a few dishes
these would iurDI-h house better than half
ot them are furnished on the farms and plan
tatlons There are no stoves in the country
but think the cooking would be much
better II there were. There are no carpets
or oil cloths 10 the whole cOnutry, for none
are needed in this climate An occasional
rug is seen before bed or a settee. There
are no covered chairs or stuffed furniture.
Everything is Of the simplest character. The