Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-01-05
A RICH COUNTRY.
Something About the Resources of the Re-
public of Honduras.
Milwaukee Sentinel

the Aguan Navigation and Banking Com
! pany, corporation composed of citizens
| of the United States which is largely in
| terested IN Improvements in Honduras
The company has It's headquarters al
Truxillo, city on the Atlantic coast
Mr.. Hurley also has charge of the con
struetion of canal which the same cam
pany is excavating, to rua from Truxillo
into the interior of the country. This
canal, in connection with navigabIe rivers
which IL will enter, will give means of
communication with a territory ex-
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 lis completion is near at hand, only
few months work remaining. Before
embarkipg for the United States Mr..
Hurley had just returned from 1900
miles horseback ride through the Re
public of Honduras. extending from
ocean to ocean. Speaking of the coun-
try enG its people, Mr.. Hurley said yester-
day:
"As you know, Honduras is the first
country in the Central American group
south of GuatemaIa, and is about four
ffths the size of Wisconsin. It has q
population of about 100000 people,
though in the time of Columbus it had a
population of 100000. Wars and revolu-
tions are the main causes of the decrease.
IN 1921 the country became republic by
throwing of the Spanish yoke. but it is
only within the past four years that it
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 for citizens of the United States,
and closer commercial relations between
that country and this. Honduras has but
a very light Indebtedness of its own, that
is a Legitimate Indebtedness"
MANY years ago, however, number of
Englishmen induced the government to
indorse and guarantee $20,0O0,000 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
were 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
its reputation, and has made a PROPOSE
ton to the bondholders with a view to
funding the debt, and l 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 a competitor.
This road is a great monopoly. Il runs
from Puerto COrteZ to San Pedro, dis
lance of thirty seven 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 169 miles of good wagon road, and
constructed 175 miles of telegraph. The
country has 585 free schools for popular
education five high schools or colleges
and one university.
"Bannana, cocoanut, orange, lemon a2d
fibre culture are chiefly pursued. Banana
farming pays at the lowest price 500
per acre. 1t takes d cocoanut tree seven
years to bear, but it will bear for fifty
years afterwards with profit OF $3.50 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 or twenty years without replant-
ing. Cotton grows for 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 the
best wine is made here, sells from SIS to
$25 ton, and at present the demand is
greater than the supply. Bananas rose
from 3712 TO $1.25 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-cl 3 year old steer weighing
700 wounds can be bought for So IN Hon
duras money and for 1926 in the money
of this country. The United States will
not allow cattle sent 20 this country with
out paying 20 per cent duties, yet even
with that tax these cattle can be landed
in Nav Orleans at from 81 TO 10, and for
less than cattle can be landed there that
have been raised III the Panhandle region
of Texas. The country has an elegant
growth OF mahogany, rosewood and other
valuable woods. 1t is estimated by the
Cove rnment that its growth of mahogany
alone is worth $400,O0O,OOO.
"The only bank owned and operated in
Honduras Is the Aguan, at TrBxilio. 1t
issues paper money on the same basis
that silver certificates are issued in this
country, and it is redeemable in the
same manner. Its money is receivable
for customs. It 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
canal, natiodal salute of five guns was
fred from the fort which was built by
Columbus and Cortez, and the United
States flag was displayed at the mas
head. On July 4, the United States flag
is saluted with five guns and other dem
onstratione, but the Queens jubilee came
and passed. and the people made no dem
onstration; in fact forgot all about it.
This simply SHOWS that the United
States is in favor there, and the people
there want to do business with the peo-
pie of this country, but under existing
relations this country gets one-ffth of
the trade, while England and Germany
get 5he balance. Why, the people of this
country have no appreciation of the
magnitude of the great countries south
Of them.