New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-03
CUBi'S DEAD FRITZ TRADE.
WHY 1T HAS PASSED FROM THAT ISLAND TO THE
UNITED STATES.
Trom NC ETorIla Times -UnIon aud citIzen


Among the things Of which but pleasant memo
RES remain to tho natives OF cuba may be counted
the lrult industry that once thriving business
thnt the nauv" painters ioudly believed was theirs
forever and day. \ change came over the spitit
OF their dream when the Americans decided to try
their hands AZ raising oranges ara plheapples: ana
u" dream has been changing ever since. until to-
day the Cubans and the Spanlaids OF cuba woul
be glad 10 s'" som" chdHc, az sttllns BACK even
small remnant Of their fVfm"- prosperous fruit
cuba passed from the islanders into the hands Of
the American growers is told by "A produce mer-
chant who lived in the fruit district Tor many years
and. fact unil the loss OF the fruit trade to the
island forced him to leave.
when shall hive won Cuba" said this man.
the Cuban fruit trade viii be once more part
Of the industrial lie Of cuba. The conditions Of
fruit Ike the orange and the pineapple but the pco
pe are quite unequal to the task Of taking advan-
the no at Of Gba azy shftessncss or careess
rcss more apty Describes their state They always
choose the easiest way OF accomplishing an ehd.
and leave the rest to Providence
Now fruit Ike oranges and pineapples requires
kcd Hntii it is oner,d for sale in the markets
or rather how did they. for the market Is theirs no
To get the fruit from the trees the Cuban
fruit down with long pole 1t e1ched thr 20, gr3 r
The pole Considering that the fruit was picked FOR
Journey of thousands Of mile T HS H sec9
for competition with the carefully picked fruit OF
the American planter. .., 49,. ,,,,, 49,,
Town TO be- packed ior shipment This was done
r, ,nul"s The oranges or pineapples were bundled
a., 10 tho naniers or saddlcbags and away went the
mule over the rough country rohds lotlng the frult
in tho soddlebags and making sad havoc with the
nargo N hen the destination was reached. instead
~ carefully lifting the burden from the mules back
md d.nosting il tendcrly on the ground the mulc
driver dragged II of In the toughest way and threw
!, down lr the nearest corner or the storchouse
The next man threw his consignment OF fruit on
the Ton OF the other. and so they were piled up
without the slightest regard I'D the consequences
TO the fruit. , ill.,. ..-.. 49,.
Next we come to the packing process. | have
seen the men stand several feet away from the
barreIs or hampers IN which the fruit 10 to be
nacLod and actually throw II into the mouth OF the
receptacle hit miss. and In either event adding
when the barrel was full the lid had TO be got
an and in n didn't quite tit "A little physical force
would make II. Have you seen an obstreperous
trunk I'd forced to close by being sat upon? Well.
,bni is actually what have seen done with tho
orangcs and pineapplcs that were shipped from
cuba to this country. After the box or barrel was
nsrhed the next thing 10 roll 1t down TO tho
ss,eamer No care taken TO carry IT gingerly
- a harr.l IL was rolled down the gangplank and
,hrown into the hold OF the vessel. IL a box. II
a,as carried down. II that way OF getting II there
~as The easier and then dropped on top Of the
others. =, At. ..uA .-..
u.s that tho fruit had become rotten for the most
mart when II arrived in America. and half OF II was
Wasted II Is not to be supposed that this sort OF
,binr could continue. American planters decided
,hat they could heat the Cubans at ruit-growinB
They tried IT, and the Cubans speedily found that
,hnre was no longer n market for their bruised and
"a. said before. the market Will be Cuba's
again when Americans have taught them how TO
handle the fruit 30 that 1t Will reach the trader IN
GOOD condition" - --., g. ---.-.. . = ..,.r,