The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-08
BANANAS AND THE CUBAN WAR.
How the Fruit Is Now Gathered and
Sent to This int
Washingtnn Star.

How the Fruit Is Now Gathered and
Sent to This Country.
Washington Star.
one curious result of the Cuban war is
the complete revolution of the banana in
dustry. Three years ago one could feel rea-
sonably certain that d banana seen in the
United States was grown in Cuba Now
we do not get a single bunch from the
island. Cuba formerly sent us over 2.o000U0
punches of the rich tropical fruit every
season. The principal firms engaged in the
Importation of bananas had great planta-
tons of thousands of acres in extent. and
eastern Cuba was rapidly becoming one
huge banana farm. In fact, the raising Of
bananas had grown to be one of Cuba 5
most important industries. Twenty vessels
We're continually occupied in carrying the
fruit to the United States. During 1895 the
crop was not seriously affected, but last
year banana traders found it impossible to
load their vessels In Cuba During the sea-
son a large part of the plantations was de-
stroyed, and now nothing grows where once
was the most fertile and highly productive
spot in Cuba.
The destruction of the banana plantations
has incidentally involved the loss of con-
siderable American capital, but the trade
itself has not been allowed to languish. al
though it is almost true that not a banana
comes out of Cuba to-day. The amount Of
this fruit used in America this season viii
be more than double what it was in the
year before the Cuban war. Cuba, the great
banana raiser has disappeared from this line
of work, but her place has been taken bv
Jamaica, Porto Rico and the surrounding
Islands, Mexico and Central America. Ma
tiVes, blacks and American planters have
gone into the business in all these places.
and the result is that bananas are now
cheaper than ever, and the supply is larga
enough to meet the rapid increase in de-
mand. This increase has been very re-
markable during the past few seasons. II
Is probable that this year between 100000
and 2O,000,00 punches will be brought into
this country. OF this amount, nearly one
nalI comes by way of New Orleans. one
third by New York and the remainder
through other ports.
1t is only within the past few years that
the handling of bananas has been worthy
the name of a distinct trade. Previously II
MAS only a part Of the fruit trade. ana,
like most kinds of fruit, the banana WIS
counted on as good for its season. The
banana season was "on" when apples. ber-
rIes and other native fruits were of" AS
tIie went on, however, and greater famlI-
iarity with the banana taught people thar
1t was one of the most excellent and adApl-
aple OF fruits, a steady demand grew up
which persists the year around. Phvsi-
clans took up the banana and mn
it for It's healthful and nourishine quail
ties, ana altogether the banana has come
into high favor. That is briefly why Inc
people Of the United States will eat this
year some 2O,OOO,0O0 punches of bananas, or
roughly one punch averaging 200 bananas
to every family in the country. Aside from
its commercial importance, the banana
trade is interesting for its picturesque fea-
ture. From the dark-hued Jamaican or
Mexican who cuts the stalks where they
grow, through the colored roustabouts and
white handlers who load and unload the
vessels, the wholesale and retail dealers. to
the Greek and Italian push-cart merchants
" Nv ~ NAAC 0PO4t IA AlAG SllGtt~,
there is a range OF thrift and shiftlessness,
and a variety of humankind that il would
be hard to match in any other industry.
The boats engaged in the banana trade
are properly c~oastlng vessels, light of draft
to accommodate the shallow harbors of the
tropics. built for fair speed and great car
rying capacity. Most of them belong to
the different firms that import the fruit, q
and carry from 20. 600 to $1,000 punches Ak
each trip. This means from 1900, 0O0 10
1900, 900 bananas in every cargo. The per
ishaole nature of their load requires quick
work in loading and unloading these boats,
and there is no more lively or interesting
scene than a banana vessel taking on or dis
charging cargo.
At the little West Indian ports where
the bananas are loaded there is apt 10 he
the greatest excitement during the day or
two while the vessel is taking on it's cargo.
Carts of the most wonderful construction
come pouring in from the plantations, piled
high with the green fruit, fresh cut. These
carts are hauled by bony cattle or sullen
mules, and are driven by lazy blacks, who
loll upon their loads and swear Justify at
their teams and at each other in the mus
zeal tones of these Southern islands. The
air is full of the cracking of whips, rich
Spanish Oaths and an occasional inylgorat-
ing Anglo-SaXon injunction to look lively
there"
AS the heavy punches of fruit go over
the ship's side they are counted and packed
away in the hold in lots of sevens or mines,
according to the number that hangs that
is, the number of rows of fruit, on, each
stalk. When the season is at it's height, as
it is just noW, there Is a grand rush 10 gSt
the fruit on board, and the work never sub
sides until the vessel Is flled TO the ndtcA-
es. Sometimes, however, the boats have TO
coast along the shallow shores TO make up
their loads, and then the fruit IS RATED
out to them in small lots on, log ratts
bound together with vines and poled by
~strapping blacks, whose ideas in regard to
clothing are about as primitive as those OF
the natives of Central Africa.
When the hold is hlled the banana boat
wastes not a moment IN getting away WIN
her cargo. and makes the best time she Is
capable of to her port of destination. Most
of these boats are very fair travellers, ana
can unload the fruit in New York. Wltnlh
six days of its cutting, making the tIp
from Jamaica or Porto Rico TO New Aork
in three or four days.
When the boat arrives in port gangs OF
Workmen are awaiting to unload her. AS
soon as she has tied up TO her dock she IS
surrounded by trucks and lighters, tue
matches are thrown open and the men far
ly swarm over the ships sides and into her
hold. II the boat is a large one, four OF
five gangs" from 100 to 125 men, work on
her at once. There is sometimes conslderd-
BILE rivalry between these gangs, and they
often make the bananas fairly fly out OF me
ships hold in the effort to handle more
punches within d certain length of time
than any of their rivals. All the work IS
done by hand. A double line OF men e.
tends from the hold up through each halch-
way and out to the side of the boat, where
the big, cool-loOking green punches are
passed into trucks or lighters or cars.
AS each string of fruit comes on deck
swung by the END OF the stalks between e me
ed and diverted to the particular lot 10
which it belongs, all while it is in motion.
DtSiQb lllt ran Sll inc counters, III OtNN
ate little automatic machines, registering
the number of punches put into each hold.
In each gang there is one crier, who shouts
out the number Of each lot as it goes over
the side. and a boss" whose principal
duty seems to be to keep things moving.
A member Of the firm sits on the slippery
deck and superintends the general WORK,
While the different buyers stand beside him,
watching the fruit as it comes up, and OIL
fering suggestions as to its quality or the
particular kind they want About them IS
a perfect babel of noises, the constant ting
ling of the registering machines. the mon
otonOus "One, two. three. four OF the
counters, the sharp-spoken directions OF me
superintendent as he says '100 greens.
seven, out, the encouraging shouts Of the
bosses as they urge the men TO let them
come; send up lively now" the cries OF
the truckmen, quarreling for places, is al
merged in a sort of composite clamOr. from
which the bystander can make out nothing
at all.
The great bulk of bananas brought into
this country are the yellow kind. but a good
many of the red variety from Lower can
fornia and Central America are also useH.
There Is no other kind of fruit that can De
served in so many different ways or on so
many occasions as the banana, and this IN
great measure accounts for its growth IN
popularity and the great increase IN its use
A Few Picnic Requisites.
Boston Advertiser.
People who go a-picrdcking should take