Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-17
IN NEIGHBORING ISLES.
Pen Sketches 81 the Fertile valley 81
G0ineN.

THE MAMMOTH rLiSrArroSs-sorL rurRrY-sx FEET
DEEP-sUsAR AND COFFEE NpusrKIKs-ouR CON-
hERcIAL OWNERSHIP OF cUBA-MuIs OF SUGAR
CASE-suGAR MAKING AND SUGAR MAKERS.
tCopyrghted.)
Special Correspondence Of THE EVENING STAR
GUNEs. CUBA, March Is, 1888.
Wen might the great Humboldt, prosa1c as he
was, for once become enthusiastic over the valley
OF Guines, the richest and beautiful OF all the
worlds valleys Here are the mountains that lay
like an impenetrable wall between this wonderful
garden and the north, forever barring out all chill
ing winds, and giving o thousand lazy Monteros
vfne-clad homes adown their blooming sides, fairer
than the peasants home nests in dreamland An
daiusia- To the south sweeps another bold range
bathed in blue mists lying there like an eternal
dream, half hiding another thousand Monteros
homes cascades, villas, and mountain chapels,
white as the face Of saint against the cowling OF
perennial yerdure. Far to the west another range,
down 20 the shining valley. Far to the east stiil
other mountains, which the sun rises In royal
splendor, and winding with stately grace comes
great bed Of silver, and pushing the grooming
wheels OF an hundred diininutive ancient mills.
caed sam n Ta caurcn 81 thus MSosn sn ~
tne heeds-Guines being named from gd1nes, the
reeds, which grew along the banks OF Santa Cata-
una ID the days OF Columbus and VelasqueZ.
Yet 1t has the fair, bright ways Of perennial
youth 1t is the only place in Cuba where have
not found shriveled old age, woful lazzaroni, ana
lmp0rtunats, though c0ntented, squalor large
part OF the colorfng and effect. The OutreacMng
yet to suck substance, and leave run here. 1t Is
the only spot in this island paradise where the
not ache for the curse Of Spain and the door Of the
cuban people. But think OF the marvellous pro-
ductiveness OF this wonderful valley OF Guines as
81 nffptaf fn0h a,dan f
VINO nave wrung from the, comparatively, unwlll-
ing soil OF our own Mohawk and Cumberland
entire valley has an area peaayaent to 40 miles
square; Is susceptible of easy irrigation; yields
ceaseessly to constant cultivation; produces three
the average depth OF this, the richest soil on the
earth, Is upward OF 36 feet!
MAMMOTH PLANTATIONS.
The tourist who "vists" cuba, sits under the
great porches Of Gran Hotel Pasaje, quarreling
with beggars and coachmen, during the three lay
days OF steamer, and, maybe, sees Colon ceme-
terry, the vernOr-general's quinta, bull fight,
ana possibly tw0-penny plantation just beyond
the dreary Havana hills feels sure ne has seen
Cuoa- But he knows nothing OF the Island and
It's marvellous possibilities I'm the hands OF good
government and earnest citizens until the heart
comprehended. The great plantations In this
valley alone, like FL Bilboa, Alexandria and Ami
stad, are simply astounding in their areas, equip
OF them would cover three or four American town.
ships In area indeed half OF many OF our counties;
and the populations Of each would frequently
sumce Tor incorporating an American "ctty."
SPANISH TAXATION.
Though natural conditions should make this
island, with Louisiana, the sugar-house of the
whole world. there is no profit in Cuban sugar.
raising to-day. scuba eS la vaca de Espafia. PerO
haee tempo que la vaca no la leche'-"Cuba is
SPANS COW. But she was long time ago MIXED
dry-is a cuban saying, grown out OF a govern
mental piliage so long, so comprehensive and
mad beneath it. Half OF the vast estates have
been robbed by Spanish taxation here, until
worthless then confiscated, then sold for a pit
lance TO plundering Spaniards In league with the
taxing powers, and these SpaniardS, in turn, are
now in common with Cubans who have so far sur
vved, being ruined by the fnal fercest pillagings
by the very power which made their own villainy
possible.
The great combinations and trusts in our own
country are gradually forcing down the price to
the producer while constantly Increasing It to the
American consumers by downward and upward
movements OF fractions OF one cent per pound,
every one OF which means trust profit OF millions
or dollars. The government planters taxes are
enormous. Merchants are chary OF making ad-
vances under liability OF government seizure for
those taxes. Labor Is constantly higher, though
gold Is constantly dearer. 1t costs more for an
arroba OF tassao or Jerked beef with which feed
produced by that labor And only because The
planter has from half million to million dollars
already sunk in land and machinery, can he
struggle on and squeeze out another and another
crop-praying, as hardly another human can,
that. by some providence of God the next year
the Cross OF st. George. or the Stars and Stripes
may hoat above him. over 90 per cent OF ali Cuban
sugar is consumed by the United States Cuba is
no,0 ours, commercially speaking. We are nation
OF towards that she Is not ours wholly.
VISIT TO SUGAR PLANTATION.
Two leagues over private road built by the
planters to connect with the Guines calzada
brought me to the great sugar plantation, Fl Bill
boa, the estate OF Don Manuel Calvo cOnsignee of
the Spanish rIyal mail Steamship line, which ad-
joins the equally noted coffee plantation OF Sonora
Mercedite, and named FL Mercedite In the fair
owners name. ] shall not attempt a description
sugar raising and manufacture. These things are
all set down In the books. only hope to give
briefly the gimpses and impressions of things that
come TO any traveller IN Cuba with eyes and ears
about him. Though sugar planting was be-
gun in cuba just 292 years ago, it is
Which have mae Ssi 1ns great
sble on so gigantic scale have been introduced
The old "bull MILL ," turned by oxen, as in the
southern states before the war; Is by no means
forgotten, and the Jamaica train" method OF
grinding, boiling and graduating are still more
recent on some OF the smaller estates these are
still In use. But on all the great plantations
tremendous engines and machinery are now in
operation, and on many, like that Of FL Bilboa,
where by the DeronSe system the complete manu-
facture OF all grades OF sug II from the raw cane
Is effected the plant has cost $3.50 OOO the annual
outlay being also fully that sum for labor and
where farmer kings" as in DAKOTA, use 100
reapers In the harvest field, and mu ster 500 hands
Here 1,0OO 10 2,OUO ndnQS are required In the labor
upon the large sugar plantations. As with sugar.
the greatest
IMPETUS TO CoPPEE-RAIsING
has been comparatively recent, and while coffee
bears no important part In the export showing of
the island 1t is still considerable OF an industry
owing its origin here to the revolution In San
Domingo, which forced thousands OF refugees ex-
pert coffee growers, TO the eastern and southern
parts OF Cuba. The cultivation OF the cofIee-plant
was thus begun on a large scale, but the ravages
OF war during the late Cuban Instructions nearly
extermlnated the industry.
A sugar plantation comprising thousands upon
thousands OF acres OF cane cleaning under tropc
sun is an Interesting but still wearying and eve
aching sight 1t has untold thousands OF dollars
In It's congratulated oceans of saccharine but 1t Is
devoid or beauty. A stretch Of American valley,
with score OF nesting homes and waving corn,
fields, Is Infinitely more suggestive OF plenty and
wealth, while the real beauty OF the latter Is a
feast 10 the heart and eye.
ALL PLANTATIONS ALIKE.
All large Cuban sugar plantations are alike
Having seen one you have seen all, so far as ex-
ternal affairs are concerned. 1t is often the case
that their owners lessees, are people of culture
and refinement, and with a host OF friends and
visitors about them live here in style OF af1uent
elegance for which we can now IND no comparison
in our country. There was q time when We could
But the dreary reaches OF cane; the long, snake
ike tramways and roads for hauling the emerald
loads OF treasure TO the mill; the white tree
iringed avenue leading from the highway to the
Datey or square upon which all the structures are
laced with startling regularity; the live hedges OF
Spanish bayonet or savage pricky pear and dirk
pointed heniQuen that mark the confines, or diyi-
slons, OF the estate; the tall and lonesome Chin