The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-16

Cornish pump put up at ufelnenuo na
exnenss. INF which never quite succeeueu
| In Pumping the mines dry OF III INiiig up
| to expectations. The mines are IN no wIso
exhausted and still possess rlch 1reasuio
Of buried wealth. ~. 40
| This rich and fertile SOIL WIN iSo
wealth of agricultural and mineral Ie-
| sources, where droughts, floods and Iros,s
are unknown, is practically undeVeiopso
owing to the total absence OF transpof's-
ton facilities either by rail or by ROADS.
In tho whole province of Santiago as
Cuba there are 80 miles of railroad, anu
not mile of road deserving the name be-
tween any two towns or villages except
ing marrow paths scarce allowing horse
or mule to pass through the woods
across streams and over the mountains
The railroads are: The Sabanilla and
Moroto Road, which starts at Santiago,
hence to O place called Cristo, tan miles
distant where it branches off in a V, one
branch running to the Pompo mi mes, the
other to San Luis where it ends, total
distance covered 20 miles. This road is
owned by American capitalists.
The Guantanamo railroad starts from
Caimanera ana runs to the Soledad sugar
estate, which is its terminus, passing
through the town of Guantanamo, and
with a branch to Jamaica. Total mileage
of this road is 80 miles, which is owned
by Cuban capital and managed by Eng
lish officials.
The Gi5ara and Holguin railroad,
running between those two points covers
so miles, 1t is owned by Cuban capital.
These three roads are the only ra1lrond
lines in the whole province.
Telegraphic communication exists be-
tween the different interior towns and
principal villages over Spanish govern
ment lines put up in the rudest fashion,
many wires resting on trees without the
ve5tIge of an insulator. The dependence
that can be placed on such lines is opvl-
Gus.
1t would be natural to expect Santiago
de Cuba and Havana to be communicated
by land wires; but as fact the only tel
raphic communications between the East
ern and the Western capitals is over an
English cable between Santiago and Ci-
enfue gos, where the message is transmit.
It'd to or from Havana by land.
Industrially, Santiago is woefully behind
the times Manufacturing plants are
limited to four or five cigar and cigarette
factories, rum distiliery and an Ice
factory which turns out between two ana
three tons day while sold at the modest
price of S45 a ton. Little ice is there
fore consumed by the general public who
otherwise would fotfer an excellent mar
ket for less expensive product.
Experiments have been made at inter-
walls to establish soap, candle, soup paste,
and match factories; but on such a small
scale that they were never able to pay ex-
penses and closed out. Such are the pres
emit conditions of one of the richest dis
tricts in the island. &
With a wealth of natural resources, rich
in agricultural and mineral soil, Santiago
de Cuba awaits American brains and en-
terprise and capital to make it one of the
richest, as we'll as one of the most beauti-
full, spots in the world.
Tie last cargo of provisions landed at
Santiago de Cuba before the blockade,
was that of the German steamer Polaria,
consisting Of $4,000 bags of rice, and 100
cases of corn meal.
These practically were the only provis-
ions In Santiago during the blockade and
siege.
The rations issued to the soldiers here
were:
One half pound of rice.
One loaf of bread made of rice -four.
One horse for every four battalions,
each battalion consisting of six compan-
les each company Of 100 men.