The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-23
OUR new YORK LETTER
INCREASING INTEREST TAKEN IN THE
BEAUTIFUL ISLAND OF CUBA.
Control by the United States Will Probably
Lead Many Americana to Settle There.
Points Regarding the Soil. Climate and

Physical Features Of Santiago Province. |
NEW YORK, July 90. Especial. THE
people Of this town have long taken much |
interest I'm Cuba but until quite recently
their interest has for the most part been
general and not specific and prompted
mainly by natural curiosity regarding a
land so near our own.
Since the beginning Of the present war,
however, and particularly since the fall OF
Santiago, there has been much more Of
the practical than before in the inquiries
made regarding the island, and soldiers
and others returning from tho front are
eagerly questioned concerning the climate,
soil, products, physical peculiarities and
general possibilities of the territory evil
IDENTIFY soon to be taken under an Ameri-
can protectorate II not actually made a
part of the Union. All this can mean only
one thing, which Is that Americans are
now thinking seriously of trying their
fortunes in Cuba, providing the general
conditions are right and the new gov
eminent Is sufficiently under American
control to insure permanence and stability.
Southeastern Cuba.
Just now more attention Is given to
southeastern Cuba than to any other part
of the island, and the landing here OF the
Olivette' wounded passengers has made 1t
easy for any one with tongue In his
head to satisfy his curiosity.
The questions most often asked concern
ing Santiago and vicinity have chiefly to
do with the climate and the probability of
that region being made safe and fit for the
habitation of persons Of northern birth
In a general way the responses to these
questions are favorable.
"While the wet season is on" said a re-
turned soldier this morning, lit Is pretty
certain to rain once or twice every day all
| through the province of Santiago. 1t
| doesn't rain all day any day nor the great
err part of any day, but when the water
| does come down the precipitation is some
| thing to make you stare. 1t literally pours.
/ At the same time the rainfall Is not moro
| regular nor vast deal heavier than 1T Is
| in southern Florida at least unless my
| memory of q rainy season passed on the
peninsula is at fault.
''As to the healthfulness of the climate
| I'm afraid cannot speak with authority
| / was never in better health than while in
the vicinity of Santiago, but l was not
there long enough to tell how l would
stand an extended residence before was
| winged by Mauser bullet But it Is my
impression that northerners who take
proper care of themselves need not fear the
climate in southeastern Cuba, especially
after certain sanitary reforms have been
introduced The high ground certainly
appears to be delightfully."- salubrious. II
is extremely we'll watered there being
many springs which yield water as clear
as crystal and as pure as can be found IN
the springs that gush out of the rocks OF
old Vermont or the hillsides of New York
Unhealthful Lowlands.
1.-THE most unhealthful parts of the
provinceof Santiago, as of every other par
of the world, are the lowlands, and 1t Il
only right to state that Santiago lowland
are worse than similar territory farther
north.
1.-The extreme exuberence of the vegeta
ton intensifies the situation, as deca.
comes rapidly and produces Ill smelling
and very noxious vapors. These, however
would undoubtedly disappear to greA
extent were the lowlands, whence they rise
, cleared of underground and planted T.
, such crops as they are best fitted to pro
, duce. Just what crops would thrive bes
| there am unable to state. / am not al
: | expert at such matters, my stay was short
as L have before explained, and, besides
L Il
question, had other things than making
an agricultural investigation to attend {
3 | while / was there. If the war doesn't las
, too long and don't happen to get kille
, | when / return south-oh, yes, I'm goin
back, all right--I shall look into all thes
matters more thoroughly yet, and it woul
not be strange if l finally located ther
l when peace is established. My lay, though
I will be some sort of mines, for the hills
: the province of Santiago are full OF var
: | Gus ores, and big fortunes are there to
: made by men who know how to dig thei
4 out.
The Santiago Uplands.
/, "The highlands near the shore arc pro-
!, erly termed foothills, since they are TT
outposts of greater heights not very IL
inland. These foothills are from $50
, 400 feet high, and the farther back frol
IS the shore they are the higher they ris
n | Eight or twelve miles back they reach
height of from 5000 to 1000 feet and al
= rugged to O degree, though this Is som
= what masked by their covering OF greer
the forest growth reaching to the very to-
. Some of the landscapes in the vicinity
. the city of Santiago arc surprisingly beat
Il tiful, and I understand that farther II
70 land the greater heights introduce an ell
l. ment akin to grandeur.
h "Insect pestsp There are plenty OF Il
!. sects, and there may be some that arc vel
! annoying, but I wasn't troubled muc
4 The mosquitoes were the worst, but thu
~ were not nearly so bad, so far as my e
: perience went, as the birds of that bre'
'. in New Jersey or Connecticut or ON Lon
s. Island
d. "You have heard of the land crabs,
s, course They are much like their cousi
m in Florida, though somewhat larger al
ar moro brilliantly tinted They divide {
"a scavengcring of the region with the VI
~ lures, net disagreeablo looking but real
III very useful creatures in present cont
tions.
"Snakesp Lots of them, but not maj
poisonous ones. In fact, saw none who
Tito xras hcliexed To he danQcrOus. Mo