, 1898-11-02
CUBA A LAND OF PROMISE.

sctibes the capabilities of the island OF Cuba
With q length of IT'S miles, almost the dis
tanoe from New York to Chicago, q width
varying from so to 60 miles, aud an nreu
about equal to that of Pennsylvania, Ouba.
in the words of the United States Consul
Hyatt, of Santiago lie Cuba, stands in u geo.
graphical position which, with her productive
soil, mineral wealth, and climatic conditions.
should entIle her to rank among the fore.
most countries OF the world. That she does
not occupy anything like this position is no
inherent fault.of the island itself, but rather
OF cOnditions growing out of q lack If a stabI.
9nd just government and of q contented peO-
pie. Whom the first essential is obtnined it
is the opinion Of those acquainted with the
island and its possibilit ice, Cuba will raridIv
proceed to occupy its deserved position. AL
though discovered aud settled more than fifty
years before the United States, Cuba has
. still 100000 acres of primeval forests
where the woodman's ak has never been heard.
@Tlese woods abound with mahogany, cedar,
logwOod, redwood, ebony, lignum. vitMg and
caigunrali, the latter being more durable in
the ground than non or steel.
Consul Hyatt repeats what Inns often said
before-tlIat the soil is a marvel of richness,
and fertilizers are seldom used unless in tho
acase of tobacco, even though the same crops
be grown on the same field for a hnndre1
years, as has already happened IN some of
the old sugar cane fields. Tie adaptabilities
OF the soil for tobacco culture has long been
the envy Of the worhl, while if the land
suitable 10 the growth of sugar we've devoted
to that culture, Cuba, it is estimated. might
supply the "ntire Western hrmi, phere with
sugar. Owing probably to u miSprint, Con
Rul Hyatt is made to state ihHt Cub" pro-
duoed in one year for export II ,OOO, 900 tons
of sugar. This should probably lesd 1000,
000 tons of sugar.
UHtll 1868 Eastern Cuba produced a large
quantity Of fine coffee for expert, but the
revolution in that year was resi- onsible for
the destruction of the coffee plantations, and(
the present revolt is expected to once more
destroy the industry, which ha0 again started
up. Tropical fruits, of course, flourish here.
aud are not liable to the frost damages OK
perlenced many times on the mainland.
Cereal crops are n0t raised to any extent, and
II is said that not one fOnr mill exists on, the
island. IL mineral wealth Cuba ranks high.
Copper WINS mined there before Columbus ar
rived, and from 1928 to 184C from q 100000
to $3,O0O,0Ol worth of ore was yearly ship.
ped to the United States. The iron ore in.
!lnstry irDthe eastern end OF the island, the
most mountainous part, OversIadows all Other
LIN"o % O""oSO0 UbO 0uIYoAAt lIOk
IcOmpnnieR Jamaican with u combined
capital Of 8 5, 0OO.0OO now operate mines in
this vicinity and employ from 500 to ] 400
men, shipping to the United States from
3O,00D to ST. 1000 tons Of iron ore per month.
the largest portion Of which is used at Beth
Them, SteeIton. Sparrow's Point and Pitts
burg. The ore Of these mines is among the
richest in the world, yielding from 62 10 81
per cent pure iron, aud is very free from
sulphur and phosphorus. There are numer-
Gus undeveloped mines Of y unl richness and
valne in thisSegion. IN Southern Cuba, nu-
merous deposits Of manganese ore are found,
which American capital was Engaged IN de-.
vef"ping when the present revolution
began.
Railroads and other highways, improved
machinery, and more modern methods Of
dsing business are among TIE wants Of Cuba;
and with the Upward m~rch of civilization
these will be Soubtless hers N, the Near future.
Cuba, like. other tropical md semi-tropical
countries, is not given 10 manufacturing; her
peoplY would rather sell the products IT tho
soil and mines and buy manufactured goods.
Tho possibilities OF the island are great, while
its probabilities remain an unsolved pro-