The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-15

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| In this case the proprietor of the camp
would become liable for dues, but, on
| account OF the usually inaccessible To-
| cation of the camp. these dues were
| difficult of collection. The quantity of
mangrove and other scrubby wood,
| Captain Folts states, is practically un-
| limited. All the coast of the island
and the keys to the north are covered
with this growth of mansrove and 9TH
| er scrubby wood, and, as far as could
be ascertained, the crown does not APP
pear to have collected any dues for the
privilege Of cutting The dues seem to
have been simply in the nature of town
| taxes, levied on woodchoppers' camps
in order that they should not, by leav-
ing the established towns, escape the
burden of taxation. 1t is believed that
| the impression that dues were paid to
| the state for the use of its timber lands
in the Isle of Pines has arisen from an
| erroneous understanding Of the system
| explained hitherto.
Since the first of January last the
taxes named, like all others, have not
been paid. The alcade of the island
and as we'll as the military governor
ian officer Of the Cuban army either
| did not feel themselves sufficiently Sc
cure to enforce payment. or found it to
their material interest to allow things
To run themselves. As a consequence
or all this the bridges are in need of
repair the schools closed and the clerks
living from hand to mouth without any
remuneration.
NEW GERONA THE CAPITAL.
The island contains but two towns,
new Corona on the north coast and
Sante Fe in the center. The former
numbers some 300 inhabitants; the lat
ter $50 persons. The entire population
of the island IS about 1000. The cap
ital Is New Corona. In fact. it is
the only town, and Santa Fe, fifteen
miles distant, is officially a suburb,
Captain F'oltz recommends that the
towns be made officially Independent
Of each other, as Sante Fe possesses
a port at Jucaro. seven miles distant.
Such a course. he thinks. would stim-
ulatc the commercial and municipal
activity of the towns.
| New Corona is described as advan-
tageously situated on picturesque
plateau at the base of the Casas noun
tains, and is some thirty feet above the
level OF the sea, as well as of the
| swamps at the mouth Of the river
The site is well drained, exposed to
constant breezes and seems to promise
reasonable freedom from malarial in
| fluences. The water Of the town comes
from a magnesium spring, said to he
very beneficial in cases of stomach
trouble. Baths have been built into
which water from the spring is con-
! Quoted. Just outside of the town lin
its, on an open plateau. are the bar
racks They are a large stone build
ing, with interior courts, capable Of
| accommodating comfortably 200 Amer
| lean troops, and, If necessary afford
ing shelter to double that number. New
Corona also possesses a wharf, at which
the steamer Protector from Batabano
lands once a week. The articles ex-
| ported are charcoal, tobacco. poles,
roofing poles. railways ties and tobacco.
New Corona has no hotel. Invalids
do not usually stop at this point, but
proceed at once to Sante Fe, in the
center Of the island fifteen miles dis
tant, over an excellent natural road
BATHS AT SANTE FE.
Sante Fe has two hotels, the Cabal-
los and Sante Fe. The town also con-
tains thermal baths about blood tenn
perature. The medicinal springs con-
tain magnesium and iron, all Of which
are very favorably known to the people
Of Havana, many of whom visit them
in the summer. The Spnish govern
ment formerly had an official surgeon
at this point, who continues to collect
, consultation fees of s3.75 in gold from
each person who desires to take the
! baths, the patient subsequently paying
twenty cents for each bath. 1t is rec.
commended that this forced medical
consultation before taking n tepid bath
be done away with,
Jucaro. the port of Santa Fa. is on
the Santa Fe river. Steamers touch
, once week. The only wheel vehicles
are the ancient volante and the OK cart
: No schools were in operation when the
island was visited. The revenues hay-
ing ceased, all government functions
were at a standstill. The taxes former.
ly collected at these points by the Bank
or Spain went to Havana, from whence
fourth was afterward RENTED tc
the inhabitants. The only dues collect.
able directly by the authorities in the
, island were the dues for slaughter,nn
cattle and selling beef. Even these
, taxes no longer exist, as there are prac.
, ! ucallV no cattle in the island
= The civil expenses of the government
. formerly amounted to only about 81. .oO(
/, per annum. of which $4,000 came from
. the Bank Of Spain and $1,000 were col.
lected directly on beef, or, rather, in.
\ directly, by export dues OF IL cents OF
each sack Of charcoal and cents on z
!, cord OF wood.
MARBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS.
, The only mineral product Of import
: ance IN the island Is the marble. ThI
marble is found in the mountains cas-
and west Of New Corona on the nortl
| coast. some fifty years ago thes,
marble quarries We're worked eXten
, siVely, ana there are evidences thaI
, much money was put into the enter
prise. For some reason or other il /
said that thu Spanish goyernmon
} looked with disfavor upon the enter
prise, and in order to discourage it lev
led a duty on the sand used in saving
, which was hauled from the shore ;
. mile from the quarry. This tax kille
| the enterprise.
: About twelve years ago few car
goes Of marble blocks We're gotten on
: ana shipped tn Havana TO be save,
| out and worked there. Since then thi
: particular industry has been neglected
- The marble appears to be Of good qual
: ity, some of it being white statuar,
= marble while other specimens contai
|, various shades of blue grained ston,
q as well as marble OF u Dirk gray color
! There are also specimens containing
a pinSish coloring. None Of these sam