The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-01-29
GEM OF THE ANTILLES.

Interesting Report Prom committeeman
Hyatt al santiago de Cuba Possibilities
of tn. IsIand-Ihere IL "a Great Future
Before a. Under Proper Conditions ."
Develop Its Vast Agricultural and MIN
ernl Resources
WASHINGTON, Jan. 90. In obedience
to what he deems popular demand To
know more of Cuba and its productive
powers, Consul Hyatt, at santiago de
Cuba. has sent the state department
/ an interesting report on that island.
"Within an area about equal To that
of Pennsylvania he writes, "a length
OF rs miles and a width vary
ing from 80 to 100 miles, Cuba
stands in geographical position
which, together with her productive
soil, mineral wealth and climatic con-
ditions should entitle her to rank
among the foremost communities OF
the world, a distinction TO which be-
lieve she will soon attain whenever "A
stable government and cheerful ooedi-
ence TO the powers that be, present TO
the housekeeper and investor condi-
tions that will make home secure and
capital secure.
although founded and settled more
than fifty years before the United
States, Cuba has still 100000 acres
of primeval forests where the wood
mans AK has never been heard. These
forests are timbered, besides other
woods. with mahogany, cedar, log
wood ebony, lignum vitae and caigua-
ran, the latter being more dura bic IN
the ground than iron or steel. The
soil is a marvel of richness and
fertilizers of any kind are sell
dom used unless in the ease of
tobacco, even though the same crop be
grown in the same field for a hundred
years, as has already happened in some
of the sugar cane fields. The noun
tains are of coral formation, while the
lowlands OF eastern Cuba. at least
seem to te composed largely of fossils
. of sea matter from prehistoric times
and are extremely rich in lime and
/, phosphate, which accounts for theii
apparent observation-disclosures"
After describing the almost incredi
BILE sugar and tobacco crops, Consn
HYATT takes up the mineral wealth
= lie says copper was mined at Cobre by
: the natives before Columbus discov
I cred the island, and there j
+ strong proof that native cope
Q was carried across to Florida an'
4 used by the Indians there hun
L dreds OF years ago. IT having beer
= demonstrated that copper utensii
found in the mounds Of that state wer
of the Cuban metal and unlike that oh
= tanned from Mexico and Michigan. TIL
- books Of the consulate show that iron
"a ls2s to 1910 annual shipments Of cope
=. ore to the United states average
"a from s.. 600, 900 to $1,000 600. lro
r. overshadows all other ndustrie
d of eastern Cuba and const
n. tutes 'the only industry tina
a has made any pretense of standing u
,e against the shock of the present insui
"a reetion." These mines continue I
g. ship from 10000 TO $4,000 tons of ore
"a the United States every month, tn
80 largest portion of which is used 1
20 Bethlehem, Steelton and Pittsburgl
and at Sparrow's Point, Nj
American capital recently opened
manganese mine about twenty mile
In from Santiago, and built railroa
to carry the ore, but after shippin
,rt one cargo the business was closed
err by the insurgents. As nearly all u
ON manganese used in the United STATE
il comes from the Black sea. with sma
ge amount from South America, the cons
In believes that the product of the min
ye will be in great demand when the co
90 ditions are such that they can
operated with safety.
is. Railways and other highways, il
he proved machinery and more mode
ar. methods of doing business are amor
-. the wants of Cuba. and with the @
ia ward march Of civilization these W
~ be doubtless hers in the near futu
Oh Cuba, like other tropical and sci
the tropical countries, is not given to ms
'ir. ufacturing; her people would ratf
ion sell the products of the soil and mil
and buy manufactured goods.
possibilities of the island are gre
IN. while its probabilities remain an
solved problem"
IVORY is FREE.