Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-30

ordinary times. 1000 was the usual
number Of retulncrs, all employed upon
the estate in one capacity Or another.
Since the war, the planter has been
compelled TO maintain 1900 Spanish
soldiers, In IL forts, erected - his own
expense along the edge of the estate.
al taf W ~ legs concentration ogusl.
z'oOO reconcentradUs We're quartered
upon him. The poor people were driven
from their homes and forced to go to
the cities. or to the fortified planto-
lions. There is no city In this section,
ana no other plantation in operations
80 they nocked in here and could not
be LEFT to starve. The humane planter
bullt them houses and protected them
as best he could, and for more than
two years has furnished them
with food, clothes and medicine.
or course they have more than ab-
sorbcd the profits of his business,
though some Of them have been able
TO work little on the place. The
greatest trouble Is with their alleged
protectors. the soldier guard. If the
latter want beef they kill the first
cow they see, though It be the finest
Jersey II fresh horses are needed they
help themselves to the best the planta-
tlon affords When the spirit moves
them to recreation, they troop over to
the manor house and demand Its Use
for dance. On such occasions "a
high old time" but tamely expresses It.
They pick up female partners wher-
ever they can-the daughters of plan
tatlon hands, looking reconcen-
trado girls, and camp followers, Cham
payne (the proprietary flows like
water or rather. as water never flowed
for the external use of these sons of
Mars; and II they do not end the ort,ic
by smashing things generally and
making n Bonfire of the buildings, the
planter considers himself lucky. There
has never been any danger from the
Insurgents. to make this so-called
protection" necessary, because the
proprietor and his family are known
to be In sympathy with the Cuban
cause: but there is everything to fear
from tn Spanish soldiers. And when
the crisis comes. II Spain is forced TO
withdraw her forces, they will prob
ably celebrate their departure by burn
Ing the place. If not numbering the peo-
pie upon whose bounty they have so
long suhsisted.
The magnitude of things on this
small estate amaZes the stranger.
There are 20 miles of broad-guage rail-
road within its limits, besides the g.
mile tramway. Its equipment includes
8 locomotives. 300 freight cars of larg-
est size and 100 box-cars for narrow
gauge track. There are thousands OF
mules and horses and carts; dry
goods and general supply store, phar-
macy, school house church. ce-maklng
plant, machine shop, carpenters and
blacksmth's shops; in short, ALI the
requirements of an Isolated communi-
ty, The enormous grinding house con-
tains several great engines aud a will
derness Of wheels, bands and machin>
cry 1t Is lighted by electricity. ana
has 120 tanks, each of which holds a
ton of crude sugar. In prosperous
times this plantation turns out 100 900
bags OF sugar every year; but this
year, when more than ever ought to be
made TO keep MP extraordinary ex-
penses. 1t VIII hardly make half the
amount. The sugar is sent TO New
York to be refined. and much of this
seasons yield Will bring low prices be-
cause Of scorched cane. Passing bands
Of soldiers often burn few acres. The
stalks are generally ground with the
rest. hut the nrst squeezing turns out
juice black ds ink. It lightens con-
siderably in the process of refining, but
is yet too dark for frst-class sugar.
| We occupied long day going over the
plantation but several days would be
required to see all its points of in
terest." Besides the extensive flower
gardens, with its fountain and shrub
berry and shaded walks. there is a park
of many acres, containing the
choicest trees of the tropics-cinna-
mon. spice, Peruvian pepper, thlckets
of bamboo. fruits of every variety an
aviary with countless birds. artificial