The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1898-08-22
A RICH COUNTRY
ABOUT SANTIAGO
Cultivation Of Cane and the Manu-
facture of Sugar Result in Some
Great Fortunes.
ABOUT TOBACCO AND COFFEE.
Both Are Cuban Products OF Rare
Quality and Aroma and Bring
Good Prices.

Santiago de Cuba, July 31.-The province
Of Santiago de Cuba and especially thaC
part of it east Of a line drawn between
Sagua de Tanamo, San Luis and Santiago
Is TODAY of vital interest to thousands IN
the United States.
The natural resources of the country ana
its fertility, its products and its industries
are of paramount Importance Richness OIL
the soil here. as elsewhere in the island
entities It to consideration from an aSrlcul-
tural standpoint. The raising of cane and
the manufacture of sugar are the chlet
sources of wealth in the province.
Guantanamo Santiago and Manzanillo
are the three important sugar shipping
ports of eastern Cuba.
Next in Importance, agricuturally, come
the coffee and tobacco plantations, win
which Santiago province is thickly covered
Large quantities of cocoa have been
shipped annually to Spain and France, at
prices varying between $l5 and $lI per nun
dredWeight but for years no coffee has
been exported from the island of Cuba.
THE reason for this lies in the fact that
Cuban coffee, like Cuban tobacco, is OF
rare quality and aroma, raised and selected
by experts, and of necessity bringing a
price which would not easily find u market
for the product abroad. On the fields
Cuban coffee sells for from $21 to $25 per
hundred pounds.
Vegetables Require Little Attention.
Maize, vans, sweet potatoes and other
vegetables grow everywhere with little
care or supervision. Coffee shrubs need the
shade. and these plants offer IT. The result
is that on most coffee plantations these
vegetables are grown, which amply feed
and sustain the planter and is after SIX
months on self-sUsta!ning basis with a
q q profit.
Tobacco is grown extensively at Palma,
Sorranino, San Luis, Bare. JuGuiuey and
Guica. most of which has hitherto been
shipped to Germany.
Baracoa, on the north coast, is the home
of the cocoanut and pantialn in it's wild
luXuriant state. The shipments of these
fruits to the north has for many years
warranted two steamship lines exclusively
engaged in tine fruit trade to run between
Baracoa and New York. The pantains and
bananas are extensively used in the man
ufacture of vinegar
The woods and forests of eastern Cuba
abound in every variety of hardWoOds, the
principal being mahogany, cedar, rosewood
and 'maiaguea," wood known the WCrlI
over as uhe strongest and most durable OF
Most of them, in fact, nine-tenths of the
woodlands, are virgin forests. which it
would take years and years to decimatc
ana which have SO far escaped the deSlruc-
tive hand of man, owing to the lack OF
transportation facilities to the seacoast.
Iron and Manganese.
Next in Importance to it's agricultural
products, Santiago de CuDa's iron and man
ganese mines are very important. Tho
great iron mountains and mines of Santiago
are owned and operated by three companies
tho Juragua Iron Company. the Spanish
American company. and the Sigua Iron
Company. The Juragua is the Oldest and
largest company operated here. This com
pany, branch Of the Pennsylvania Iron
Company. was formed and the property
acquired in 1881. It's shipments of Bessemer
ore so far exceed three million tons. The
total output Of the Juragua mines is con-
trolled by the Bethlehem iron works. the
Pennsylvania Steel Company and the Mary
land Steel Company. It's maximum month
~ output Is 10000 tons. SlbOney is the ship
ping port OF Juragua Iron Company's mines.
The Spanish-American Iron Company OF
which Charles f. RAND. of New York IS
president. acquired its property In 1889
It's shipments SO far have been 100 GOO
tons-to Philadelphia, Baltimore England,
Scotland, Wales Belgium and Germany,
where 1t has been sold in the open mar
kct. It's maximum monthly output is 90
coo tons. Baiquiri is the shipping port of
the Spanish-AmerlCan Iron Company.
Both these mining companies shut down
owing TO the war on April y, 1895 They
viii resume work at once. The Sigua iron
Company. which started with big boom
In $780, built a broad gauge railroad nine
miles long and extensive buildings and
sheds and have not been heard from since
abandoning their property and closing
down their mines. Sigua, about seven
miles east of BaiquirI, their port OF
shipment. All their buildings, sheds and
Wharves valued at $2000000, We're burned
down by the insurgents and their railroad
beds and tre6tleS. evidently very badly
built, have Leen washed away in the last
three years by the heavy rains. Their ma
chine shops have all been destroyed and
at one time were used as salt works by
the Cubans.
one thing must be said In favor of the
Spanish government in this respect. Their
mining laws have been exceedingly liberal,
encouraging and Offering every FACILITY to
the opening up Of this new field. AS is
well known. the Santiago ore, with its
low percentage or phosphorus, ranks to-
gether with the Swedish and the Spanish
demerera mineral as the "craclE ore" of the
world.
AS it name indicates, Tel Cobre,' about
fifteen miles from Santiago, is the heart
Of the copper fields Of Cuba. These cop
per mines are extremely valuable and have
been worked since early in the century
This rich and fertile soil, with it's wealth
of agricultural and mineral resources,
where droughts, floods and frosts are I'M
known, is practically undeVeIoped. owing
to the total absence OF transportation ia
cilitGs by rail or by loads In the whole
province of Santiago de Cuba there are
eighty miles of railroad, and not Il mile of
road deserving the name between any two
towns or villages excepting narrow paths,
scarce allowing horse or u mule to pass
through the woods across streams and
over mountains.
Industriaily. Santiago is woefuny behind
the times. With a wealth of mineral Ie
sources, rich In agricultural and mineral
soil, Santiago de Cuna only awaits Amer
lean brains, enterprise and capital to make
ii one OF the richest, as well as one OF he
most beautiful spots in the world.