The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-04-30
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
FOR AMERICANS IN CUBd-HOW
CAPITAL MAY RE INFESTED.
Rich Tobacco Lands and Sugar Estates
May be- Bought for Song.
Especial Correspondence of the Journal and
Courler)

Especial Correspondence Of the Journal and
Courler)
washington, D. c., April o. 1898.
have received good many let
ters of late, asking about business OPP
portunities in Cuba, and the prospects
there will be for profitable investment
OF American capital when the war is
over. Spectators have already turn
ed their eyes that way, with divers
schemes in view. l have been particu-
1arly looking up the chances for the
average American who is not over
burdened with cash, and does not eX-
pect to sit idly by and get rich in a
season, but is willing to do reason
able amount of work for fair returns.
When the war ends-as of course 1t
must in the independence of Cuba
the new republic will have to begin at
the bottom, economically as we'll as
politically. The island is so largely
agricultural that it's future prosper
ity, at least for some generations to
come, depends upon the rural districts
Beyond a few tobacco factories, there
have never been any manufactures
of account in Cuba, and the wasted
tissues of industrial life can only draw
new blood from the soil. Those who
were acquainted with the Queen of
the Antilles in her golden days of
prodigal prosperity, would hardly rec
ognize her in these nefasti dies. A
trip through the country reveals I'M
exampled esolation-burned fields and
orchards. ruined houses and sugar
mills, and often hungry people. Last
month"; made a railway journey from
Havana, $50 miles toward the interior.
In all that distance I saw only two
cornfields, and not a single garden or
occupied farmhouse Said my travel
ing combe MON, What this island
most needs is tombstones," and truly
it looked so. There was plenty of corn
standing, though smoke and flames
could be seen in every direction. The
sugar estates are SO very large-often
20 miles in extent-that fires may rage
in them for a long time and yet leave
a considerable portion unframed. This
year the cane was choked with weeds
for lack of laborers and yielded much
y
juice; and that was far below the usu-
al value, being darkened by large ad-
mixture of scorched cane. Yet it was
well worth cutting and grinding, when
ever permission could be obtained from
Maxine Gomez, the insurgent chief.
The Spanish authorities readily gave
the planters permission to grind, and
guaranteed them protection while do
ing So This unwonted generosity on
the part of the mother country was
not entirely for the welfare of Cuba
Bless you no! but valescing soldiers.
A very large proportion of SPANS boy
troops succumb to yellow fever, ty-
phoid, vonlitive, ETC., during their first
season in the West Indies; and those
who survive the acclimating process
must be cared for till strength re-
turns. Soon as released from the hos
pital, they have been sent to the PLAN
tations, where at least they were sure
of getting something to eat Guard
duty does not tax them heavily, and
when fully recuperated, they can be
utilized again in the field. Meanwhile
the men amuse themselves, according to
their natural bent, which is usually
more pleasing to themselves than to
their unwilling entertainers. Every
page of this paper might be filled with
tales of their cruel pranhs, which have
been told to me on the various estates
have visited and are amply varified;
but space forbids the recital of but two
or three. On the Santa Gertrudis
plantation, about 40 miles beyond
Cardenas, where a company of soldiers
were protecting" the people-a lad of
II years, one of the poor reconcentra-
dos quartered on the place, was going
joyfully to his parents hut one morn
ing, carrying a chunk of beef in sack
which the planters steward had given
him. The soldiers overhauled him and
demanded to know what was in the
sack. The boy took to his heels in af-
fright, but was speedily captured and
brought into camp. Meat was scarce
and the soldiers almost as hungry as
the reconcentrados; so they decided
that the boy had stolen it. In vain
he protested and begged that the stew
art be sent for; he was tied to a con-
venient palm trees, and while the SOL
diers cooked and ate the meat, was
fogged at intervals during the day-to
make him confess, they said. Being
ClCetoSA cbI LIS hblulis lAiC Wy eltCo ~
crawl home, but died on the way
On another plantation, whenever a
new lot of reconcentrados were
brought in, the captain of the guard
detained all the girls and good looking
women in his tent, and afterwards
sold them to his soldiers, making q
jocular auction of it-for jack knives,
food rations, ETC., as the men had nc
money-the highest bidder being al
lowed first choice. On the Santa Tomas
plantation, in Pinar del Rio province
lived an honest old colored man, a
veritable "Uncle Tom" whose only sor
was supposed to have Joined the insur-
gents. One day when amusements ran
low it was decided to kill time" with
the old man. He was brought to camp
and ordered to disclose the where
abouts of his son. This he could not
do, had he so desired, having no idea
where the constantly moving rebe
army was situated. The soldiers tied
him to tree and fogged him awhile
without avail; he could not or would
not, tell. Then they compelled him tc
dig his own grave and kneel beside il
land into it he fell, pierced by a score
of bullets.
The planters say that in any event