The Mena star. (Mena, Ark.) 1898-1904, 1898-09-07
CUBA FULL OF MINERALS.
There Are Great Riches Locked UD
An the Interior Of the
Island.


los Fox, who has recently returned to
his home in Baltimore from the OPP
pressed queen OF the Antilles, has,
locked up in it's interior, enormous
wealth, which Is awaiting those who
Rave the courage and enterprise to
take possession Of II. The land is occu-
pied by primitive. industrious and hos
pitable people, who are, however, de-
prived of the opportunity of develop
Ing it's resources When the war shall
have at length ceased and the sword
again shall have been sheathed and
the islands opened again to cultivation
Baltimoreans will have the same
chance to take hand In the develop
ment of the land as any other people
in the country.
Mr. Fox during his advent on the is
land took up his abode at Santiago de
Cuba. in the eastern section. Iron ore
and manganese are to be found here
in abundance, he says; also copper.
The iron ore mines are yet undevel-
oped; the best mines have not yet been
worked. These are stretched along
the coast. Reports" says Mr.. Fox.
'come from other sections ON the
north coast, near raracoa. to the ef-
fect that iron ore abounds there, but
this has as yet never been inquired
into. American possession of these
mines would be Of great advantage to
the furnaces along the American
coast, especially to the furnaces at
Sparrows Point. The tax on Cuban ore
now Is 40 cents per ton. 1t is superior
to the ore gotten at the lakes. In
other sections ochre and other min
erals have been found on the surface,
but no one can tell what riches are
hidden further down until the mines
are developed. Around Santiago is the
best coffee country in Cuba. Sugar
cane is also raised. TIL fine country
for raising cattle. Here there is graz
ing the year round, because there Is
no winter. The business could be car
ried on to great extent under favor
able conditions, but heretofore and at
present all the cattle is consumed on
the island. If conditions were favor
able Cuba could compete with any
country in the raising of cattle.
"The interior is practically undevel-
oped and what riches are hidden be-
meath the soil are yet unknown TO the
world. Much of the land is covered
with fine cedar and mahogany, but
lumber cannot be gotten out. because
there are no railroad facilities nor
highways. The people live in a primi-
tive way. but they are hospitable and
FL
full and is milder than the coast. The
city of Santiago, II 1t had the same
facilities that Baltimore enjoys. would
be as healthful, If not more so, than
our own city. Cuba needs railroads
more than anything else. If there is
any immigration. 1t would be to the
country in the interior, which is very
fertile, so many as two crops year,
and SOM times three, being raised.
The people in the country live on what
they produce. They could supply the
whole island and other parts of the
world, but this is impossible because
OF the absence of railroads and high
roads. All the eggs and chickens con-
sumed in Santiago come from New
York. and the people have TO pay dear-
ly for them; whereas these articles
can be supplied very cheapIy by the
people in the interior. IL they could,
N any way convey their products to
the city
"Along the coast is fibrous growth
which is used for the manufacture of
rope. The English have been cultivat-
Ing it on their own smaller islands. In
Cuba there is great field for enter
prise of all kinds. The island needs
money and business men. A railroad
from Santiago TO Havana would do
more than anything else toward devel-
oplng the country. The only way to
travel there now is by horse back The
horses are Of the finest stock, but
there are few of them left, most of
them having been taken for use in
the army. The horses there are small
they would be regarded here as
ponies, but they can stand twice as
much service as the best American
horses. Many of the people have been
so hard pressed for food that they
have to eat their own horses, and the
very poor who have no horses often
steal the stock Of travellers and others
for food. II the Americans are going
10 land troops in Cuba | think they
will make great mistake if they take
heavy American horses with them.
Small horses and ponies. such as are
TO be found in Mexico. Texas and on
the plains, should be used" Baltimore
American.