Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-05-16
THE GREAT FIRES IN CUBA.
Sixty-eight Estates Reduced to Ashes
The Loss Estimated at 800. 900. 900


Mr.. Charles 4. Meigs, whose success
tul career Of half century in banks
has made him very widely known
throughout the whole of North Amer
lea, and who now fills the position Of
National Bank Examiner in this city,
has just returned from Il visit 10 the
Island OF Cuba. He went there on the
advice of his physician to recover his
health, which had been shattered by 4
lifetime Of uninterrupted activity. He
was in Cuba two months. just preyl-
Gus to his return to this country Mr.
Meies went through an experience with
fire which he says he will never forget
A Times reporter visited Mr.. Meigs in
his pleasant Staten Island home yes
terday, and learned from him the par
ticularS of one of the tiercest conhagra-
tons which has ever visited the Gem
of the Antilles" which destroyed pro-
perty Of almost fabulous value, and
of which Mr.. Meigs was an interested
eyewitness. While in Cuba Mr.. MeigS
spent his time upon the sugar planta
ton of San Ricardo, about thirty-tive
miles southeast of Cardenae, and near
Ytabo 1t belongs to the estate of the
late Mr.. Richard ID. Smith, OF Bristol
r. l., and is now conducted by the
latter's son, Don Juan III. Smith. - O.
Mr. John Smith. The San Ricardo
plantation is situated in the beaut-
full valley Of Ytabo On the
north is 2 belt of timber land,
and on the south is range OF
hills running east and west, and from
POO to 250 feet IN hight The center of
the valley is level prairie land, from
two to four miles wide, and depressed
about 100 feet below the average eleya-
ton of the rolling prairie land south Of
the range OF hills mentioned. From
this range of hills, looking north said
Mr.. Meigs, this valley OF prairie land,
densely covered with sugar estates, and
carefully cultivated, presents to the eye
Of the northern man one of the grand
est illustrations of the Garden Of Para
disc which to me seems possible for the
imagination of man to contriye. In the
center Of this earthly paradise we had
experienced very warm and dry wealth
er for several weeks. At noon the Their
mometer stood at So to % degrees i'll
the shade, and from 81 to - degrees
after shutdown, and during the night
During three days-April 10. 16 and IL
very strong gales of wind prevailed,
varying from southeast to south, and
then to the southwest. Everything
about us was literally as dry rs finder.
Early on the morning of the l7th, to
our utter horror and CONSERVATION, vast
masses of smoke appeared from the
south side of the hills.I have spoken Of,
rushing at the rate of from twenty to
forty miles an hour over the tops of the
hills, and directly over our heads. San
Ricardo is considered a small
plantation N that region. 1t has only
1906 acres, ani only about 220 persons,
-Anglo-Saxons, SpaniardS, Cubans.
Creoles, Cinnamon and negroes are
employed upon it. To say that these
were frightened is but feeble language.
Very soon the Cry rose of another fire
in due south OF us; then another IL the
southwest; then one due west; soon
another fire was visible to the north
west; then one to the north, and finally
one to the northeast of us. Thus by
noon we were in the very center of n
sea Of fire, or rather of the smoke from
an enormous circle of fire thirty miles
in diameter. Tue flames seemed to
shoot up from the hills to the height Of
from 1000 to 1000 feet. 1t was most
magnificent spectacle. The black vol
umes Of smoke shot over our heads
with such frightful velocity-we We're
100 feet below-that not q spark fell
until four miles beyond the San Ricar.
do. | watched the measures taken by
our host, Senior Smith, with interest. for
knew that on his sagacity and prompt.
ness in action depended very largely
our safety. The plantation hands pre-
pared for instant flight in case the fire
should appear on the north side OF the
hills south of us, for we knew that If it
once appeared there the intervening
half.mile of highly infammable sugar
cane would be licked up in five or ten
minutes, and the fiery torrent would
then pounce upon the thatched. rooted
negro quarters IN outbuildings. These
were all covered in with mass of dry
palm-leaves, straw, ETC., and were with
in 100 yards to the windward Of Senior
Smiths dwelling, sugar-mills, barns,
shops, storehouses, etc.
Mr.. Meigs described in full the meas
ures taken to fight the fire, should it en-
croach upon the San Ricardo plantation,
in which he naturally took an active
part. 81 was member OF the old New
York Volunteer Fire Department forty
five years ago. said he, "and | felt
quite at home Every possible pre-
caution having been taken, everybody
was ordered to be on guard and extin-
gush any stray spark the moment it
fell. All hands remained on the alert
until about 10 o'clock at night. Then
vivid stroke of lightning cut the sky
to the northwest, and was followed by
heavy crash Of thunder. Mr.. Meigs
cried out for the comfort of the fright
ened ladies Of San Ricardo, who had
gone into the house for shelter, that
the blessed rain Is coming! Three
cheers for the rain." IL yelled it out
until might havc been heard half
mile" said Mr.. Meigs. Half an hour
later rain poured down in torrents, and
San Ricardo was safe.
80 much for San Ricardo said Mr..