New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-15
,yoTHEk AMERICAN ISLAND.
or PINES VISITED AND De
IT. scRrBED BY CAPTAIN FoLTz.
,oprp RESOURCES THAT MIGHT BE
pSDN OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES oUARRlEs
AND AGRIcrLTURAL PRODUCTS
-MsGovERNMENT BY
-,yr epANIARnS

AND AGhi' 80
-NnsGovERNMENT BY
THE sPANIARps
., March "A (speciaD.-The War De-
Nss Rs received from Colonel Tasker A.
-ousc,or Of Customs at Havana a report
bs', o recent visit TO the Isle OF pines ny
ts', vr,d : Foltz, I'd Cavalry. collector OF
CSp a, Batahano This island mas become
Custom ,o.session 81 the United States nv the
t'' =, ,bs Treaty Of Peace with Spain Whi'h
sSuS. ,or ,he cession Of all the Spanish Islands
po'N r.. indies except Cuba. although Spain
u, considered the Isle OF Pines as part
bso That II will prove valuable possession
" -, conclusively by Captain Foltzs report
20. rttle doubt this point a long time
l" no., che minds Of naval officers who considered
EV ,.oll, Indispensable 10 the United states
Cuhe became independent as the location of
~ hsse which efectualy commands the
~ - coas, Of Cuba a. well the entrance 10
,.,.a-aeua Canal and the steamer tracks OF
~. Caribbean Sea
pe ,, Foltz reports that he spent upward ~
uaeks IN the northern part ~ the island ne
unable 70 visit the southern portion on a'-
"Ss - an ,r1passahle swamp. which is sccess-
nv sea Captain FOtz states. however.
w w. ,bs southern portion Of The island contains
ue.,ss-sble mahogany and other valuable hard
" IN resar I'd 20 the topography Of the section
80 ~ remarks that the surface is plateau.
T., an elevation % some fifty % one hunoreH
49, .ho,e sea level. broken ny ridges ~ h'is or
-. .ns, project abruptly here end there aooVe
ems -.,s-sl level surface The soil generally
..,,,q is ~ Arm sand mixed with some CLAY
a,a,el al OF which makes good roads. even
N ~. weather. hy merely cleaning away the
hush ., - q.
re- Two mountain ridges AZ the northern eno 81
-, ,sie,6 have an elevation Of some hfteen nun
.s ,aA- These ridges are composed Of limestone
IA marble The other ridges IN the centre III
~ 80 are much lower less PERCEPTIONS. and
-. formed ~ gray sandstone and red rock ana
49,. containing iron The southern part Of the
-. "a oo-rposed ~ what is locally known as
,.oo.hr coral rock The southern coast IS
= and dangerous containing only one small
,.,hor GsrapaChiray on the southwest or the
a,.,d &c a capacous anchorage. the Ciguanoa, ana
.o- this anchorage vessels drawing twenty ieet
=, Mass ro-1hward around the ISLAND as far as
y.rG4rona inside the keys. that lie some SIX
vile. N The coast The whole island. with the
.,..,,,on o.. the rocky southern coast Is sur
,,,as6 nv rnanErove swamps. with here and there
short stretch Of sandy beach. The only TWO
,,nnes on the ISLAND are New-Gerona. on the
~ rss Casas and Jucaro the latter on the RIO
,,ts Fe These are accessible by vessels draw
NJ Ave feet OF water or less the bars at the river
-mths making shallow water
n. central part hears yellow pine, mostly 100
rsn fo~ lumber. although there are considerable
-sc,s NJ fsir sawlogs As YOU approach the west
Az no-rhe-n and eastern coasts the pine disap-
,.s-s ana The country becomes r savanna COW
.rss with thin grass and dotted With scruooy
trees and palmetto. In general appearance TINS
section resembles parts Of Florida
csr-sin Foltz says that after careful investisa-
N, h. Ands that The only land belonging 10 he
contained in some sXty-three lots. OF about
f..v acres each and scattered about within three
miles ~ Nev-Ce These lots seem 70 be those
ls,, after the and had been picked over. They
are generally n the worst locations, practically
worthless and contain nothing but mangroNe
sorbs dwarf pal-ettos and thin pine grass. A
few q, TIE lots are better and used as small
.srns the resident paying II is understood. a
Nominal rsu, 70 The Hacienda at Havana. How
ever thsre are no records on this point in the
island
CONCEPTIONS" LEVIED BY THE Gov
ERNOR
n. could ind no record OF dues paid TO the Crown
ior the privilege Of exporting timber, but says II
e understood that contributions are arhitrs lily
lsy4.d from time 70 time by The military governor
o.'he island These contributions or 'gratifca-
tons" were paid 20 secure immunity from official
obstruction Fl the going and coming OF vessels
RON the inaccessible points at which the lumber
vas gathered II IL presumed. however that
portion a. 'east % these contributions" used
tor The benefit ~ the island No record appears
= have tee- kept n the amount or disposition
The Governor Of the island regulated the dues
Tor The slaugnrerinC ~ cattle. Tor The selling Of
meat and also dues from stores or shops for the
selling u goods Of all kinds As an illustration:
woodchoDper's camp would require beef and
would also probably maintain store for the sale
Of provisions In This case the proprietor Of the
camp would become liable for dues which. on ac-
count NJ me usually HacceSslr'e location OF the
camp. were dficult ~ collection. The quantity OF
nansroye md other scruhby wood available for
charcoal and soft wood. Captain Fotz states. Is
practically unlimited All the coast ~ ne island and
he KEYS 20 ne north are covered with This growth
- - --... -, .,,,. 5,,.s e,~ 49,, .r,,.,
tv. os... ~. 49, cen, -, h.,.e tee, s.,,,,l,.
-. - -. ..vns Io,.ioa or uond.
..,.... 1880 T., - ... .to,. sno,,1d NOT ,,,.
81 -. 49,. A,.-4,. -.
,,,..,ou T. .- - ,h,, ,ne ,rrnrsseior tha,
49,, 60. Co. ,A. ,,.. ~ ,,s i'm
LIZ. -. 49, ~ - r,ros bas arisen from an