Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-03-21


vessels that loads might as we'll be car.
ried, and the steamers began to take coal
to the West Indies. And thus it came
about that the shipment of iron ore to
the United States facilitated the expor-
tation of Pennsylvania coal to the West
Indies.
The development Of this industry was
one of many enterprises that have been
successfully pursued in this wonderful
land, despite the singularly unfavorable
conditions that have existed. Cuba's
greatest wealth must always come from
the vegetable products of the earth. Der
soil is wonderful. It is not only fertile.
but inexhaustible. Three crops of cane
grow from one planting. No fertilizers
are used. The soil in places has tho great
depth CT 81 feet. Tobacco needs no qua
no TO mako crop and not nearly SO
much labor as is required in cultivation
elsewhere. Anything that grows I'M
der the tropical sun can be grown in Gu
ba, although during recent years the
soil has been given up to the production
of sugar and tobacco.
Before the devastating torch of war
had laid waste the canefields and de.
stroyed factories and mills the busy
hum Of fruitful labor stirred all tho air.
The cost of making sugar was gradual
ly reduced by the introduction of labor
saving machinery, and the business set
tied down to paying basis, and by the
increased power of production the de-
mand for cane grew, planters were en-
couraged. and the fruitful island began
to wear prosperous air. The tobacco
planters and manufacturers also i'm
proved their methods. and this rival
product kept even pace with its saccna-
rine competitor. The annual sugar crop
was worth SIS, coo. 600. the tobacco crop
SG,ooO,O00. Then came the revolution.
somehow, when ono writes Of Cuba.
everything comes back to that point and
strikes it as against n dead wall after
clearing the cruel hurdles of SPANISH
tyranny.
But let Us revert to the first t.anch
of the SUBJECTIVE island proper in its
entirety. The coast contour of Cuba is
broken with hundreds of inlets, all of
:hem harbors i'll greater or less degree,
each having its small Notifications, its
villages and its special industries. The
profile ut tho island. to quote the Ian
guage Of the railroad engineer, is varied
and picturesque. here high peak,
there valley. there plain. Beginning
at Santiago de Cuba, the most easterly
OF the SIX provinces, and proceeding
westward through Puerto Principe,
Santa Clara, Matanzas Habana and to
the lands end Of Pinar del Rio, the
tourist tiaverses magnificent stretches
OF plateau and crosses innumerable val
leys, skirts high mountains and follows
deep and picturesque gerges, but the
mountains become hills, and these are
gradually shaded down until in the ex-
treme west a surface. generally Gvs.!,, is
reached. although in the vicinity Of the
Queen City. Havana, small Ia. rugged
peaks, with PERCEPTIONS sides, may be
seeD IN many directions along the shore.
The Wrecks n war.
But il is not with the beauties tina: ma
sure has shed broadcast that the travel
er's thoughts are occupied while lie
threads his way among the wrecks that
war has made. His mind is charged
with melancholy as he views the burn
ed out canefelds, the neglected tobacco
plantations. the ruins Of stately resi-
dences that lift up their blackened arms
in mute but penetrating outcry against
the barbarities Of conflict and the curse
Of tyranny. There is no need, however,
to dwell upon this somber picture. for
we trcw what time can Dc Il this .a.i
O. endless ari ir1cs:rac.i.ls re-orce.