Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-08-02
LETTER FROM SAN DOMINGO.

! SANTANA, SANTo DOMINGO, June Is, 1873.
10 The Editor Of the Journal;
I comply with my promise to tell you some
thing of this beautiful part of the island.
The territory of the SANTANA Bay Co., en-
braces the entire pennsular of SANTANA, COM
| prising some 250,00 acres. This is now
being surveyed, and will, in a very short time,
be Put in the market for occupation; first in
small tracts, to actual settlers, on very favor.
able terms. The Republic of Santo Domingo
! contains $4,000 square miles-about three
times the area of Massachusetts. The popu-
! lation is estimated at about 1864 There
IS valley, mountan and plain, dense forests
and undulating prairie. Here are produced
nroliilc crops OF all the tropical staples of
commerce, coffee, tobacco, cocoa and cotton,
and fruits OF every kind, tamarinds, pneap-
pies, cocoa nuts, plantans and delicious ban
ahas' hgs' dates, &c. The soil is undoubtedly
the best IN the world, yielding in quick profu-
SION. The cacao, for instance, raised here
IN Samaha, is superior to any. There are
two varieties of this known in the l.. S. mark
cts; that grown here is much the best, and is
considered worth about S2J to $50 per one
hundred pounds, while the other will not sell
Tor more than SIT per one hundred pounds
and | am told by these who have cultivated
it, that the former is the most prolific, giving
on an average pound and half to the square
root 1hcre are two harvests or crops per
year The space between the cacao trees is
most always occupied with coffee trees
p!antaIn and banana, which in a measure pro-
tcct both cacao and coffee from the scorching
sun, while the leaves of the other make a sort
of mat. keeping the ground moist. am told
that five, expert hands can cultivate from
tMrty-hy1 10 forty acres, aAd that consider
aoie skill Is required in handling the pod.
But ali this skin would soon be acquired by
any Of our New England farm hands. The
civil war that has wrecked Cuba, has rather
been God-send to SANTANA and other parts
OF Santo Domingo. | do not think, however,
the Cuban exile is exactly the class of emf
grants that we Americans, or the Company,
either, would desire. Carrying out the pro-
posed plans Of this company, SANTANA will, in
very short time, eclipse all the other Anti
les, and make this the queen. In n geograph-
zeal point, she is absolutely unsurpassed, IN
riYaled, and is the key of all the vast Antilles.
Our government should at once make it a
naval station. "Delays are dangerous :"
Other nations are fully aware of the value of
this precious Jewel. The Company speak of
their mines Of gold, iron and silver; these
may exist, or not. The rich soil is a sufficient
mine without the digging so deep to reach
gold or silver. The cultivation of the cacoa
and coffee are in themselves mine, without
looking for and wasting time in the search for
something that in ninety.nine cases in humid
red would prove an illusion. And then,
besides these two great articles of commerce,
known all over the world comes the hills and
mountains covered with valuable woods satin
wood campeachy, fustic, mahogany, tobacco,
and the sugar cane. a cane was measured
in my presence, on the Yuma river, only three
days since, that was nineteen feet long with
out the top, and eight and half inches in
circumference, and large field was found of
just such.
Among its other resources, are first, free
port, where there is distribution of all class
es of merchandise, brought by our own and
foreign steamers, not only over this, but to
other of the adjacent islands. Next comes
its fruits, preserved if you WILL for there
is company now about to go in operation
extensively in that business. The juice of
the cane is made into very good rum, (for
that in New England you don't care, "won't
take any,. In none of all these, is there
possibility of failure, with judicous care and
the exercise of ordinary judgment a word
or two about the health of SANTANA. l am
told by those who have lived here for years
that they have known no sickness whatever,
and by casting your eye around, you will see
only the healthiest looking children, and it is
indeed rare to see any one sick, or recovering
from illness. That languid sensation over
| coming one in almost all the tropical parts Of
| the world, does not seem to be felt here. The
strong sea breeze, or trade winds, coming in
| fresh over the broad waters of the magnifi-
cent bay of SANTANA is the physician, healing
everything. | have ascended the Yuma river
some twenty miles, and there is no more
hNn sf,l, -