The Republican journal., 1898-07-14
behind it. Graceful palms fringe The

behind it. Graceful palms fringe the
shores and adorn the slopes, and monn.
tains rise like islands in a sea of forest
which seems to retain all it's primav.1
freshness and majesty. And this is tha
port which few years ago was the great
est banana shipping place in the world
There is no sign Of such an industry now
and in their palmy days the banana plan.
tations were not seen from the sea- Thew
were back in the interior, beyond the
three remarkable terraces which rico
| abruptly from the coast line to a heiubt
of 2OOO feet, and then gradually ascent to
the mountains, 5000 feet higher. In the
old days of activity, the arrival of fruit
steamer in the port was announced by tel
ephone to central points beyond the noun
tains. From these points, horseback
riders conveyed the news to the banana
plantations. Then the bananas were emf
with all possible speed and transported in
paniers ON the backs of mules and COWS
to the edge Of the plateau, overlooking
the coast. Thence they were run down
by wire trolleys to the bank of the Yumiri
river, where they We're loaded upon small
lighters.
Negroes poled the lighters out of the
river and through the surf to the WAITING
fruiter, a dangerous and uncertain per
Torrance in which the lighters were
! often upset and the cargoes lost. The
mouth of the Yumiri river is IS miles
from Baraeoa After getting her load
the fruit steamer had to return to the
town for her clearance paper,-wbich
the accommodating American consul.
though not obliged 10y the duties of his
office to do so, always gave at once, at
any hour of the day or night, so that the
vessel might so on her way to New York
Philadelphia or Boston as quickly as pos
sibe. The planter received 30 cents a
bunch for his bananas, and 10 cents a
bunch was paid to the trolley concern for
bringing the merchandise to the rivers
edge. The fruit was slowed in the hold
of the vessel, two punches deep, stood on
end, upon false deck. A man stood at
the hatchway to examine every bunch, and
any that showed the slightest sign of
ripening were thrown away or given to
the darkeys. The laborers of this sec
ton, by the way, are all negroes, and ap-
parently the happiest people on earth.
They sang wild songs, bought by their
ancestors from the heart of Africa. while
passing the bananas, chain fashion from
the lighter to the deck. When the YES
sci was loaded the negroes were given a
free ride to Baracoa. Every one of them
possesses pet animal or two, which he
takes along wherever he GOES: and | am
told that the collection of dogs, goats.
pigs, parrots, chickens and monkeys
which went on this frequent trip was a
sight to behold
III spite of all expedition in getting the
cargo oft to its destination, it is said that
fully - per cent. of it was lost in transit
mostly due, however, to lack of care on
the part of planters. The least bruise on
the skin OF banana, you know, rapidly
develops into black spot, which ruins
its market value. Those that reach their
destination in good order bring in the
United States from 81 to So the bunch.
In the palmy days of Cuban fruit-trade,
from eight thousand to $1,000 punches of
bananas were shipped from Baracoa every
day from April 1st to October. Under
good American management there is no
reason why the quantity should not be
many times increased, as the possibilities
OF the region are unlimited
FANNIE BRIGHAM WARD.