Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-01-05
A RICH COUNTRY.
Something About the Resources OF the Re
public OF Honduras
Auzsukea C-pftnaI
Milwaukee Sentinel.

1nOnhS u. hurley, OF IEuAllloi hoH-
luras, Who is in the city on business, is
Vice President and General Manager of
the Aguan Navigation and Banking Com
pany, corporation com posed of citizens
of the United States which is largely in
terested in Improvements in Honduras.
The company has its headquarters at
| Truxillo, a city on the Atlantic coast.
| Mr.. Hurley also has charge of the con
struction of a canal which the same Gem
| pany is excayating, to run from Truxillo
/ into the interior of the country. This
canal, in connection with navigable rivers
which it will enter, will give means of
communication with a territory ex-
I tending 200 miles into the interior. At
present all commerce Herewith is carried
on by means OF mules. Already two
/ years have been spent in work on the canal,
and its completion is near at band, only
few months work remaining. Before
embarking for the United States Mr..
/ Hurley had just returned from a 1900
milea' horseback ride through the Re-
/ public of Honduras, extending from
ocean to ocean. Speaking of the coun-
try anG its people, Mr.. Hurley said yester-
day:
"As you know, Honduras is the first
country in the Central American group
south of Guatemala, and is about four
ffths the size of Wisconsin. II has q
population of about 100000 people,
though in the time of Columbus it had a
population of 5000 900. Wars and revolu-
tions are the main causes of the decrease.
In 1921 the country became a republic by
throwing of the Spanish yoke. but it is
only within the past four years that 1T
has had what the Yankees would call a
stable government. President Bogran, a
very gallant officer in the army, has just
been reelected almost unanimously to
the Presidency, for term of four years.
This fact in itself not onlY guarantees
peace to the country, but assures greater
freedom Tor citizens of the United States,
and closer comercial relations between
that country and this. Honduras has but
a very light indebtedness of its own, that
is legitimate indebtedness"
''Many years ago, however, a number of
Englishmen induced the government to
indorse and guarantee $20,000000 of
bonds, from the proceeds of the sale of
which a railway was to have been built
across the country from the Atlantic to
the Pacific Ocean. The bonds were float
ed in Europe. Only about thirty miles
of the road were constructed and it is
now In operation. The bonds, however
we're sold for almost anything that could
be realized on them. Inasmuch as the
project was abandoned after the bonds
had been guaranteed the Honduras Gov
eminent refused to recognize the bonds
and repudiated them. But the Govern
ment is now becoming more Jealous of
SIC bas rpnIa a
ton to the bondholders with view to
funding the debt, and / would not be
surprised to see the plan carried out in
side of year. The plan provides that
those who become interested in the fund
ing of the debt shall agree to complete
the railroad to the Pacific Ocean. Should
this be done it will give the railroad
across the Panama Isthmus competitor.
This road is great monopoly. II runs
frem Puerto Cortez to San Pedro, dis
lance of thirty miles, and charges a
passenger $25 for carrying him that dis
lance. 1t is probably the highest pass
enger tariff in existence. Honduras last
year reduced her proper debt about $780,
600; erected forty five new buildings, OF
the nature of court houses in this country
built 16S miles of good wagon road, and
constructed 175 miles of telegraph. The
country has J85 free schools for popular
education five high schools or colleges
and one university.
'Basnana, cocoanut, orange, lemon and
fibre culture are chiefly pursued. Banana
farming pays at the lowest price 500
per acre. 1t takes cocOanut tree seven
years to bear, but it will bear for fifty
years afterwards with a profit of $50 to
the acre. Orange and lemon trees bear
in about four years and will produce
about 500 to the tree, which sells there at
cent apiece. Sugar cane will grow for
fifteen OF twenty years without replant-
ing. Cotton grows for a term of years
without replanting and finally attains the
proportions of tree. The great trouble
with the cotton business is that the ma
tives don't know how to pick and pack
the product. Logwood, from which tho
best wine is made here, sells from $l5 to
$25 ton, and at present the demand is
greater than the supply. Bananas rose
from 37l2c 10 $125 bunch ON the docks
in that country this year. The supply
was not up to the demand there.
There are 100000 cattle in the coun-
try, and as it is perpetual summer,
there is little expense in raising item.
A irst class year old steer weighing
700 wounds can be bought for SO in Hon
duras money and for 1925 in the money
| of this country. The United States will
not allow cattle sent TO this county with
out paying 20 per cent duties, yet even
with that tax these cattle can DE landed
in New Orleans at from 81 TO 10, and for
less than cattle can be landed there that
have been raised in the Panhandle region
of Texas. The country has an elegant
growth of mahogany, rosewood and other
valuable woods. 1t Is estimated by the
Government that its growth of mahogany
alone is worth $4O0,00O,O00.
"The only bank owned and operated in
! Honduras Is the Aguan, at Trux.llo. 1t
Issues paper money on the same basis
! that silver certificates are issued in this
/ country, and it Is redeemable in the
same manner. It's money is receivable
/ for customs. 1t also issues fractional
currency, When the bank was opened
/ it was received with enthusiasm, and the
/ officers were given a banquet, attended
| by Government officials. When the first
dredge appeared to begin work ON the