The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-05-25
BIG FORTUNES IN CUBA.
Speculators can Make Money Fast after the
War.
Washington Post.

One day, when amusements ran low, IL
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 rebel
army was situated. The soldiers tied
him to a tree and fogged him awhile,
without avail; he could not, or would
not, tell.
Then they compelled him to dig his
own grave and kneel beside it-and
into it he fell, pierced by score OF
bullets.
The planters say that in any event
there must soon be acute famine in
Cuba, because nobody within the
zones of cultivation and the garrisoned
places have planted vegetables or 9th
er food products for two years past,
but had devoted himself to crops
which would bring in most money, in
order to hurry his family out Of the
country. Most Of them took to to-
bacco planting, as promising quicker
results than sugar. The insurgents
cannot stop the production Of tobacco
as easily as they can prevent cane
grinding, and maybe they are less dis
posed to interfere with it, as any Gu
ban would rather forego his bread,
and certainly his sugar, than ciga-
rettes.
Isaw one particularly fne-looking to-
bacco farm, and was Informed that it
belonged to the captain Of the local
guerillas. His place was duly guarded
by Spanish troops, which he got de-
tailed at Government expense; and he
also paid the insurgents not to molest
his crop, by giving them one-third the
value Of it. Last winter several
Americans took advantage Of the times
and made large purchases of tobacco
lands. At present the tobacco indus
try is good for nothing, principally
owing to Weyler's decree Of two years
ago, forbidding the expectation Of Ha-
vana leaf tobacco. The insurgents
retaliated b. burning factorie. and all
the stored tobacco they could lay
hands on. But the Marquis Of Tene
rife appears to have been a thrifty
fellow as we'll as "butcher.' -
Already a millionaire, he made an
other fortune out Of his celebrated or
der, for many so-called American to-
bacco firms exported thousands of
bales in spite of the prohibitory de-
cree, pretending that it was a diplo-
matte transaction between Washing
ton and Madrid. The real secret was
that Weyler graciously permitted ship
ments to be made by those who gave
him liberal commissions. The very
best tobacco-raising region in the
world is Cuba's 'sVuelta Abajo,' but
to-day every plantation in it is aban-
doned and in ruins. After Weyler
allowed his game to be found out, the
rebels attacked this district with spe-
cial fury and destroyed upward Of four
million pounds Of tobacco in few
months. 1t will take twenty years
for this famous region to become as
fourishing as it was in January, 1896.
But the incompatible soil, climate
and natural conditions remain unim
paired by "war's wild alarums;' and
those who come in with a little money
when peace is restored may buy the
best tobacco lands very cheaply and
become Croesuses in due course of
time.
Among the refugees at Key West |
met an ex-sugar planter who was anx-
ious to sell his estate; and for Gu
ban, he seemed to have developed re-
markable adaptation to the ways of
the trading Yankees" J." His method
was to edge up to every group Of men
he saw talking together and join in
the conversation.
Presently he would be heard to say
"the soil of Cuba is too rich; that S
what the matter with the island. "
Then he would go on relating what
ruinously large crops he had himself
been raising-so remarkably large that
they had invited destruction by envi-
Gus rebels and Spaniards; and invari-
ably ended by inquiring who wanted
to buy 5000 acres of the finest land
in Cuba, worth $40 per acre, for 80
cents per acre. 10 be sure, his plan
tation, house and mills are in ruins,
but he pointed out what profit could
be made on the same in the line Of
scrap iron and old bricks.
1I L. L. .,a4 qound :. nnr.