The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-06-23

the maximum is SO degrees Faren-
heit, the minimum Sc degrees Faren-
heit, and the mean II degrees Faren-
heit The annual rainfall at Havana
is AZ inches of which % inches fall in
the wet season, May to October. The
average number of rainy days in the
year is 1O2. coming mainly within
the rainy season. The average rain
fall for North Carolina is A inches.
Among the agricultural products.
sugar and tobacco are by far the most
important. The central plain of
Cuba, except where broken by hills,
and until the present insurrection
began was one vast continuous field
of cane. The yield of this crop in
1928 was something more than
100000 tons and was valued at $780,
100000. The sugar plantations vary
in extent from 100 to 1000 acres and
employ an average of one man to two
acres. The cane requires to be
planted only once in seven years.
Tobacco, while secondary to sugar,
,, is said to be far more profitable in
proportion to the acreage. 1t grows
well in all parts of the island but the
finest tobacco is said to be raised
along the southern slopes of the
mountains in the western province of
Pinar del Rio. Coffee was once ex-
tensively cultivated, but the coffee
plantations have largely given place
to sugar, which is considered a more
profitable business. Doubtless, how =
ever. in the future coffee Will become
one of the principal crops grown for
expectation. In a number of prov
inces the cattle industry was at one
time a large and flourishing one. but
this, like the other industries of Cuba
was largely destroyed during the
past few years. In 1895 there was
said to be in Cuba over 10000 farms
valued at $2O,O0O,OOO.
In mineral products Cuba has not
been found to be very rich. But lit
tie gold and silver has been discover
ed. Iron mines few miles east OF
Santiago, were worked on large
scale until the present insurrection
began. In 1890 the output from the
Santiago mines was 100000 tons
which constituted about one-fourth
of the total importation of iron ore to
the United States during that year.
Some deposits of asphaltum, copper
and manganese have been found and
worked to a limited extent.
There are about 1000 miles of rail
ways in Cuba, located mainly in the
western portion connecting Havana
with the neighboring towns. There
are nearly $1,000 miles of telegraph
lines and nearly 1000 miles of cable
which, until recently cut, connected
the cities of South Cuba with the ad-
jacent islands. In 1894 the tonnage
of Havana and the eight other prin-
cipal ports amounted to about $780,.
900 tons, carried by $1,000 vessels.
Cuba is rich in good harbors,
among the best being those at Ha.
vana and Matanzas on the north,
Cienfugoes and Santiago on the
south. In addition to these there are
many small harbors on both north
and south coast. Nearly all of these
harbors have comparatively small
entrance, and widen inland, pouch.
like, 80 as to make safe shipping in
the case of storms, and are easily
defended by Notifications. There
are only few short wagon roads in
Cuba deserving of the name, and this
fact illustrates as we'll as any other
the utter Indifference of the Span.
iards to such public Improvements as
| do ho 70 Of ho
common people. On the neighboring
island of Jamaica, which is under
the control of the English, and which
is only one-tenth the size of Cuba
there are over two thousand miles o.
superb roads which makes easy over
land communication between all parts
of the island.
Much interest is manifested at the
present time in the population o
Cuba, but unfortunately accurate
data are not obtainable. The mos
reliable statistics accessible, arr
those published in the census of 1887
These give the total population of th'
island at 1881 ,687, of which I'LL,
3O3 are white and 52O,384 colored
the percentage of the colored popula
tion being 80. This includes boil
the pure black and the mulatto popu
lation. In North Carolina the per
centage of colored population is near
ly 35; in South Carolina there ar
j. 227 200 more colored people thai
. white people, hence it will be seel
that there has been lately a grea
deal Of meaningless and erroneou
. talk in the United States about Ameri
, can intervention to set free lot G
Cuban negroes. OF this total popu
lation in Cuba there are about 5000
Chinese laborers; and not includin
: the present army of invasion ther
t are not 80, 900 Spanish born resident:
and not exceeding $4,000 other Ca'
! casian foreigners.
\ Excepting the Chinese, this fo1
eign population is engaged prime
l pally in office-holding, in trade an
r shipping, and is largely confined
4 the cities which contain about on
: third the total population of the i
e land. 1t is this foreign populatio
n which nowadays is doing all the tall
: ing and which falsely claims to
S the true representative Of all that
e worth having in Cuba. 1t is tn
if element which represents autonom
l. or Spanish rule, and wealth for
d self, even il this means death Al
o destruction to everything else on q
l. island. 1t is this element that. ii
). to be devoutly hoped. when Z
l. American flag floats over the Cub
l. soil. will leave the island in the Pe
l. session Of its real owners the nat