, 1879-05-15
GREAT FIRES IN CUBA.
Mr.. ChRrlos A. Mn1Rs 0fves nu Account Of
Tcrrlblo Destruction Of sugar Eatatos,


Tcrrlble Destruction Of Sugar Eatutos.
Nf.u Ynrk 7fnes.
Tho publication In tho 1ii,les OF Monday Of
Mr.. Charles a. Mesgs graphic occount Ut tho re-
cent great fires in Cuba has attracted d great
deal ot attention ia commercial circles In this
city, notably among merchants engaged In tho
Cuban trade. A number OF tho ]attcr seem it-
cl[ned, according to published accounts, to
throw doubt upon Alr. Melgs' account, mud nj
tempt to deny tllnt any such terrible fires have
Waited the island Of Cuba. But Mr.. Mcigs re-
mains firm In his statements, and corroborntcs
them in d nuDner which seems to show that
his estimates Of tho enormous losses nre not
aboyo tho actl,al aEnount. 70 Times rcpurtcr
Mr.. Mcigs sud yesterday t1,ut t1fty-scyen
OF the. burned plantations which lo lsail
heard OF were wlttln the district OF Carlenns
and Colon onlv,-a very insignificant portion
OF the lsinnd. The IIuvana merchant who
estimated tho loss to 10 At lcast slO0, 1000 0c0
was welt posted, Ar. Molgs said, ind was Just
returning from tbs vicinity Of Cardcnas whom
Mr. Metgs met him. The section Of tho isand
In which the fires occurred is very sparngly SUP
piled viii! telcgraphic facilities, ard commuut~
cation IL had by tnuchacs or horsoback, aud, Of
course, very slowly. Willis in4ltayuna Mr.. MeiEs
made thu acquaintance Of Col. Dickinson, Of
Vtrgtna, who ID tlla 0GeHt ol t1le New York Life
1Hsurpnss Wu, 1.' oomsp9ny Of 'hs e for a ~
cnttre day Of April 25 IN Col. DIckilAon's office,
md while there was introduced to numbet Of
sugar-p'nt'tcrs rcaid!hg Ia various parts ot ths
islant from Havana to saIua 10 Gran1e, near
from lavana, including the north s!du OF the
island only. Illcsc planters were asked ns to
their knowledge OF tho lres 1y Mr. Mclgs. utd
their reports were we're to tho c1ert t!at thu entire
sugar district Within the rango OF tho suu&lIerly
gn!e OF wind and the lrought-up to and cast
Of Sagua la Gfande-had suffered terribly. Tile
Eentlcnan from tho latter place said to Mr..
section Of country,'' or words to t TINT effect.
"ll!c Havana newspaper, * IrtomlMo" cou-
tinucd Mr. Me!gs, reported eleven fires only
In its issue Of April 20, an.i this WIS the only
paper saw that reported any TRY. ut all. Tho
reported my fires nt all, so for rs saw 1t or
hcatd from Il. My expression OF tsho centre Of
sea Of fire thirty tailca iu dtametcr,' was, Of
colrse, O. figure Of specrh, as In that dense
smoke, nllsns thc a!r Il every direction, tfIu eye
could not reac!, fifteen miles IN every dicc-
tion." On tac stcatlIer coming from Havana to
this city, Mr. Metss was told by a resident Of
Havana that np 70 the time u sailing, April 70.
!l.c country" s'!'he sr.ecraph olllces," said
Mr., Meies, "aro all IN tic hands Of (;oycrn-
mcnt cetsoEs, who would not allow a,lv reports
To- r. ab.oal tst a mentioned 10 sGrio1s res ouy
a. for the origin Of tho fires, AIR. Mcigs IT.
tributes them 10 three cs-great droupLt,
violent gaca Of Wind, and tho universal habit of
e!satettst-smo'IlE t on ths spsar estates. Within
tue san Bins estate, Including the great fire. OF
the 11th which Atr. MeIes Witnessed at tic sau
Ricardo cssate. The first two were small fires,
md were accidental. The third, Which swcut
over the Sun BIAS, as already told 'n tl.e 7Ymes,
pounccd upon the plantation from the south,
ulla from a distance Of 1nauy ,Hiles. Concrr5l.
luz the statements mado thar such fire would
leave the stalks still III gao1 condition Tor sugar
lnnk!ng, alF. MclEs snys that for .nt!cs south OF
tlu Sun Bins estate hn rode uycr the level prnire
Hh!cli Aal been swept by the torrGnt OF lire,
a@!t @ that nos one aton, Of ii!o ripe cuno WHICH
There was nuthlnE visible but q beautiful carpet
Of coal-black asnrs. Tho heat Of lle terrible
Gre was such ,lsat of the 3G0 or 100 hogs de-
stsssa ss q a ' s.ta's ssea sSah' a ' s H. hsPs st t
could not tluu lilo smallest bone atuosg
them. Ilv thinks that II tic bones wero
THIS rcdured to aahrs thu heat would
outer covering Of Tic s.sEar-eaiie Stalks. During
the ttay on which thesu fearful fires ocr.rrrd,
the furious gales of wind varied frDm uic south
Gust around to !l'e southwest. 'tsu san Ricardo
estate, where Nr. Mggs WIS, IL near tho upftL
si1o VI TIC lslant. 1low RAuy miles Tho fire au
been carried from tho snlslh~ard before it wis
seen ut Sun Ricardo Is not yet known, nor has It
brcn nseerta!ncd luW iar east of sagua lu Gra,ldo
the tiru attacked, 10 Mr. Msiga' knowladgc, are
all on tlls north siac, alh east Of sugna Ia
Nralllo. " From the isulatcd location OF t,tsu
sugar ostatcs, sail Mr.. Aicics, "an4 tho ulcaa~
uFes lakcn by the Cuban Government tu Fupress
Trustworthy Intelligence, 1t is my belief thut
| !aaIy weska will elapse before the world will
lcath OF the extent OF tese disasters uEu nf Tic
probable loss. From the fact TINT we have good
reaanu to believe that t.,u Rals n,ll ll.u Lry
Wsatler prevailed MI uyer tho fslalui- -tugether
vita The evidences took great palms to gather
| up,-l predict tl.at tine will ere long tclt tho
highest possible RESPECT for the authorities re-
lerrea to ny tlic newspapers, who do not credit
tue enormous loss [bcllcye ,Hs 1ecu experienced
W thcsc fires, but llust belieVs tho EVIDENCE
| ot my scuses. u