The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-02-22
CUBANRESOURCES
Consul Hyatt Reports on the
Subject to the State De-
partment.
Natural Conditions Entitle Her
to First Rank Among the
Nations.
Could Supply the Whole Western
Hemisphere With Sugar.
Other Resources.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.-In a report to
the state department regarding the
resources of the island Of Cuba. Consul
Hyatt gives some interesting figures.
He says i'll part:
with an area about equal to that Of
the State Of Pennsylvania, q length Of
775 miles, and width varying from
30 to 100 miles, Cuba stands in a geo.
graphical position which. together
with her productive soil, mineral
wealth and climatic conditions, should
entitle her to rank among the foremost
communities Of the world, distinction
to which believe she will soon attain
whenever a stable government and
cheerful obedience to the powers that
be, present to the homeseeker and IN
vestor conditions that will make home
pleasant and capital secure.
although founded and settled more
than so years before the United States,
Cuba has still $1,000, 900 acres of prim-
eval forests where the woodsman's axe
has never been heard. These forests
are timbered, besides other woods, with
mahogany, cedar, logwood, ebony,
lignumvitae, and caiguaran, the latter
being more durable i'll the ground than
iron or steel.
Soil Marvel of Richness.
"The soil is marvel of richness, and
fertilizers of any kind are seldom used
unless in the case of tobacco, even
though the same crops be grown on the
same field for 100 years, as has already
happened in some of the old sugar cane
fields. The mountains are of coral
formation, while the lowlands of East.
ern Cuba, at least, seem to be composed
largely of fossils of sea matter from
prehistoric times, and are extremely
rich in lime and phosphate, which ac-
ness
IF all the land suitable to the growth
of sugar cane were devoted to that in
dustry, it is estimated Cuba might
supply the entire Western hemisphere
with sugar. The island has already
produced III a single year for export
IL 900, 600 tons, while its capabilities
have only been i'll the experimental
stage.
bacco culture have long been the envy
of the world, until a cigar that has not
some pretension of having at least a
little Cuban tobacco stands condemned
without hearing.
Tropical fruits, such as oranges,
lemons, pineapples, mangoes, guava.
tamarinds, and many fruits with q
local value, but too short lived for ex.
port, are here entirely at home, and
never catch the unlocked for frosts, as
so frequently happen in Florida. These
fruits are indigenous to the soil and re-
quire but little labor to make them
grow successfully.
The mineral wealth Of the island is
considerable, though the mines, except
as to iron, are practically undevel.
oped.
Railroads and Machinery Needed.
Railroads and other highways, i'm.
proved machinery, and more modern
methods of doing business are among
| the wants of Cuba and with the on
| ward march of civilization these will
be doubtless here in the near future.
Cuba, like other tropical and semi.
tropical countries, is not given to man.
ufacturing; her people would rather
sell the products of the soil and mines
and buy manufactured goods. The
| possibilities of the island are great
while its probabilities remain an un.
solved problem"