The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-08-05
THE CEDED DISTRICT
FEATURES OF THE PROVINCE OF SAN
TACO SURRENDERED TO US.

Region CONTAINS Four Good Harbors-soil
is Extremely Fertile and There are Many
Partially Developed Mineral Resources
Gold, Copper, Coal and Oil.
The territory surrendered by General
Toral to the United States forces en-
braces not far from one-third of the
area of the province Of Santiago de
Cuba, the largest of the six provinces
into which the island is divided. Be
ginning at Aeerraderoe on the south
coast, which is about twenty-five miles
west of Santiago City, the boundary
line of the surrendered territory runs
northeast over the Sierra del Cobre
mountains to Palma Soriano, at which
place it yeers to the east and runs in
almost a straight line across some of
the widest mountain country in Cuba.
terminating on the north coast at the
port of Sagua de Tanamo.
Not the least important fact about
this surrender is that it gives the Uni
ted States forces control of four good
harbors, TWO on the south coast and
two on the north, these being Santiago,
Guantanamo, Barracoa and Tanamo.
The harbor of Santiago is spacious and
capable of being strongly defended, in
fact it may be made impregnable. Tt
is accessible to the largest vessels.
Those drawing not over fourteen feet
of water may lie alongside the wharves.
Guantanamo, which is about forty
miles east of Santiago, also has a fine
harbor. and a roadstead in Which all
the ships of our Atlantic feet may lie
at anchor safe from the severe storms
which often prevail on the coast of
southern Cuba. The two northern har-
bors are not as important as those OBJ
tanned on the south, but they will be
found useful and well worth having.
Some of the highest mountains i'm
Cuba are in this territory over which
Uncle Sam is to rule at least tempo
rarily. and within sight of Acerraderos
on a clear day is the highest point OF
land in Cuba, the peak of Tarquino
5000 feet above sea level
The soil of Santiago province is
largely of limestone formation with
secondary formations of syenitic and
serpentine strata, from the latter of
which petroleum oozes in many places
and in the extreme eastern end of the
province gathers in pools in the rocky
districts. There are many streams and
small rivers in this part of Cuba, but
no important ones included in the sur
rendered territory
There are some very picturesque
streams, however, notably the river
Moa, northeast of Guantanamo. In a
huge cavern in the hill of the same
name the river forms a magnificent
cascade, with fall of three hundred
feet. The valleys are fertile and be-
tween the higher hills are drained by
a network of tiny streams which spread
into swamps and marshes along the
coast.
The climate of this mountainous re-
gion is. in general, agreeable Situat-
ed just under the northern tropics the
four seasons of the temperate zone are
merged into the two which characterize
a tropical climate, the wet and the
dry. The former lasts from April to
October, while the cooler dry season
takes the place of the autumn, winter
and early spring of more northern lati-
tudes. The average temperature of the
year at Santiago is so IL degrees. The
July and August average is S5.4 de-
grees; the December and January av-
erage 74.2 degrees. But there is a god
send all along this south Cuban coast
in the sea breeze, which makes itself
felt from noon until evening, by which
time the sun has disappeared and the
earth and air have been cooled percep-
tibly.
The yellow fever affects the seaboard
during the hot season, but more be-
cause of neglect of sanitation than for
any other reason.
There are gold deposits in some of the
rivers which are to be under General
Skaters provisional jurisdiction, and
in the Sierra del Cobre mountains are
silver and extensive lodes of copper. A
smelter at Santiago city has long done
q well paying business. Bituminous
coal of excellent quality, asphaltum
beds and petroleum are found between
the base of the mountains and the east
ern coast Gypsum. slate, jasper and
marble are other products of Santiago
province.
In the> valleys, except in some cases
where the rocky foundations of the
mountains break out, the soil is Of a
splendid tropical fertility and every
kind of vegetable and tropical fruit
grows ranAly. Tobacco is also a good
crop in some places. Coffee, cocoa and
chocolate thrive; rice is easily Guilt
waited and Indian corn is native. Sugar
of course is a great product.
OF woods there are cedar. mahogany,
ebony, granadilla and sabieci. Vast
stretches of land are covered with
trackless forests.
The principal cities and towns in the
district surrendered are Santiago, Ell
Cobre, Tanamo. Baracoa, Santa Cata-
lima and Caimanera. Santiago has a
population of some $1,000. It is a seat
of education. an ecclesiastical center.
a government and military headquar-
tiers and an important commercial and
manufacturing place. It is one of the
oldest and most picturesque cities N
America It's Incorporation dates from
1922. 1t was in Santiago that the Vir-
ganius affair took place in 1873 and
which came near involving Spain in
~ TY~s+