Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-15
A SUGAR ESTATE.
HOW THE SUGAR-MAKING BUSINESS
IS CONDUCTED IN MEXICO.
Animated Scene at the Crushing Mills
Laborers at Work-A Favorite Drink
Profits of the Business
Big Plantation.


[Atantic Monthly.l
We found ourselves surrounded by an ami.
mated scene. The great yard was swarming
with laborers. Some were turning and
gathering the crushed cane which covered
the ground, where it reflected the sun with
a whitish glare. Others were handling the
fresh cane. which was coming in in cart
loads, stripping off the green succuient leaves
as food for the cattle, weighing the stalks,
and carrying them to the crushing mills.
We ascended broad stone steps to a large
vaulted hall forming the main entrance.
This was open to the air on one side. Mas
sive piers supported the heavy, castle-like
masonry of the building. Tho place was
gratefully cool, and commanded a charm
ing view over the valley. Accountants were
at work at desks in the corner.
Leaning over a parapet at one end of the
hall, We overlooked the great interior, where
the cane-crushing was going on. The mills,
as throughout the valley, were moved by
the water-power. When we entered the gate
We had seen the water gushing out from
low arch in the wall in powerful cascade
The mill building was lofty, massive stone
structure with walls composed of Roman
like arches in two tiers. 1t was new, but
parts of the main building were over
century old. The laborers came and went
below, like two streams of busy ants. Their
brown forms, in the dim light of the high,
shadowy interior, looked like dusky
demons, as they staggered beneath
their loads Of great bundles Of
cane. They wore the minimum of clothing,
and many, for some mysterious reason, had
but one leg to their pantaloons of white
cotton, while others wore no pantaloons at
all The machinery made low, rumbling
noise, and the mills seemed like Unsuitable
monsters, devouring the cane necessarily,
and dsgorging the crushed masses In we'll
chewed fragments. Beer glasses full of fresh
sap we're brought to US. 1t was black and
foamy, looking like English stout, and had
a sweet and not disagreeable taste. The
natives are fond of drink made from this
sap by letting it ferment in a gourd for two
or three days.
In the upper stories we saw the huge watts
of molasses which was slowly crystallizing
into sugar, the surface covered with a crust
resembling wind-roughened ice turned
dark brown. In one vat stood a naked
dian breaking up the crude sugar with
pick, and shoveling it out to two other Ia
borers, who were carrying it away. The
sugar was refined on the premises into two
grades, the superior of which was equal to
the best American loaf The machinery In
Find and cost somstbina ,iss s5oo ooo
After tie syrup had been worked over into
sugar three times the residue was distilled
into aguardiente. or this, 5000 barrels
were produced annually on the place
After inspecting the works We returned to
Tor a conrtlv Snanisb oentleman Ha in
yited Ms to stav to breakfast and as noon.
tide annroacbed IVA were sbovn tbron,h
yaulted pas,a. es. across AN irregular con,s
like thar of an ancient castla mn an easv
stone stairway into a pleasant corr;dor
Iaadino into a larga dining-room Hsr. !.
lone table was snread beneath the broad
stone arch which snranp from one side ~
the room to the other Our host was at the
head of the table and below tbe onests sat
the various officials of the estate ranyed ac-
cord,ng 10 their rank
aIsn,t this ouits baron;aIr, wbisnerad INV
vouthfuI peiahbor aSes the retain,rs eat.
inc with us at the same table. sitting below
the saltln And he ouoted soma lines from
Walter Scott, adding that the knights. in
stead of returning from crusade or tourna.
ment. had come in from the sugar-felds.
hanging their broad sombreros on the wall i'm
place of shields. There is in fact something
yery feudal- seeming in the character Of
Mexican country life
1t was an excellent meal. of the true Mexi-
can country-house tyDe EVERYTHING Was
perfectly cooked. Never had tasted mora
tender and delicate mutton than that in the
pucbera. or Mexican stew served ON a great
platter with the yarious yeretables
including carrots. white and sweet M.
tatoes. turnips beans green naas
and bananas[not ali mixed toOstber
but each kind occupvino il, own place on
the dish The fine flavor of the mutton was
due IN its beino raisa1 ON the placa mon
particularlv choice feed. There were 2OOO
sheen kent for the exclusive use of the
estate. At each course the dish was firxt
,lacsd before the host who served in order
the ladies. the consul general the artist. and
himself The dish was then brought to ma
minor ouests for ms To helm ourselves after
which the retainers were belned nv a s,rv.
ant At the Mate of each puest stood a hot
fla of Snan,sh wine. rod hut or;ta d;fferant
from claret II had an individual flavor.
mucn pooy ano shsn' reseinoiancs 70
s.ey, S.-I
s.a.os - 49, - ~ D. 60.
.,.ros+ =, ~ No., NJ .hat ~ C.,;ro-n;s
-: - a.. NS;..;o, tn. .--.-t
.n"se . 49,. ~ - -. e.. ~. 80 Sa.;.I.
PouIeu glasses "a "iAo Az eAo Snieh oAAASAsAs