The times., 1899-09-18
AS seen BY GEN. Wilson
The Result of His Inspection Of
Santa Clara and Matanzas.
Evidences of Devastation Caused by
War in the Country Outside of
der Adverse Conditions-Some Inn
portnnt Recommendation Made.

Town Agriculture Reyiyes I'm
der Adverse Conditions-Some Inn
portunt Recommendations Made. |
The War Department has given out an
abstract of a report just received from
Brig Gen. James H. Wilson, commanding
the Department Of Matanzas and Santa
Clara, Cuba. General Wilson states that the
area of the province of Santa Clara is S,77S
square miles. Its population in 1897 was
354 eco; in 1899, from the best obtainable
data on hand, it was 10000. The number
Of souls to the square mile thirty five.
The births in 1897 and 1898 were 6.4O0. Thus
one-seventh of the population has died.
The number of horned cattle in 1896 was
SO4, coo. The number of horses $4,000. and
the number Of mules Is, 900. In 1899 the
number of horned cattle, $4,000; the mum
ber of horses, 10000; the number of mules,
5000. The number of sugar mills operating
in 1896 were 159; the number of mills not
destroyed, but idle in the present year.
thirty-one, while the sugar mills now in
operation in 1899 are forty-one. OF the
twenty-six principal sugar estates, one is
owned by Spaniard, four by Americans, and
twenty-one by Cubans The number of sacks
of sugar produced in 1898 was 729,O0O. of
the value of 50, ,206 070. The number of sacks
Of sugar produced in 1899 was 762, 600, of the
value of $6.I20.0l0. The amount of to-
bacco produced in 1899 is estimated at IS, 600
bales, of the value of $3,1S7,500. The
amount of coffee produced in 1898 and 1899
is estimated at about 500 bags.
The pay of unskilled labor is 40 cents in
silver per day. Cost of living: Rice, cents
per pound; corn meal cents per pound;
beans. cents per pound; dried meats, 70
cents per pound.
The number Of hospitals in the province,
fourteen; homes for girls, orphans, and old
people, eleven, with total capacity CT 2,l50.
The railroads in the province cover in the
aggregate 260 miles. This does not include
the numerous branches belonging 10 plan
tations.
The number of schools in the province is
16f. with total capacity of 1900 chill
dren The number Of children of school
age is $4,000. The number OF rations is
sued 10 the destitute from January l to
June 80 was 693, $50 and the number OF
destitute was 1850. The number of help
less requiring support is 4,500; number of
orphans in asylums, COG; total TO be sup
ported, 5,l0S. The number of inmates of
hospitals and asylums is 1874. The num-
Der for whom extra accommodations are
needed is 3,434-
General Wilson'S Inspection.
General Wilson states in his report that
he made d tour of inspection of his prov
ince between April 2S and May 6. 1899,
/ @eTzo oial-
and members of his staff. Later. between
May II and May "a, he made second tour
of more remote part of the province.
Among the number of his attendants was
the Rev. Sam w Small, Supervisor of Pub
! lie instruction. General Wilson says he
found the towns defended by trenches,
/ obstructions, and blockhouses, as in the
province OF Matanzas. The country outside
] OF the towns was devastated and not one
farm house or hut so far as his observa-
tion went had escaped destruction. Horses,
cattle. pigs, and COWS had been driven
off or killed, and the people herded into
the towns.
Some Of the larger sugar centrals or
mills were preserved, due to the owners
having means to pay one or both sides
! to protect their property. The mortality
T due to RECOMMENDATION and consequent
1 starvation appears TO have been in the
/ province about one-seventh of the popula-
| ton, as compared with the loss of one
/ third Of the population of MatanZas prov
/ ince. This difference, General Wilson be-
| lieyes, is to be attributed to the difference
4 in the character OF the country and the
more widely scattered population, which
1 enabled more of the inhabitants 10 eyade
! strict compliance with the orders Of re-
concentration.
The province Of Santa Clara, with the
exception of the swampy peninsula of Ia
pata General Wilson says, is generally of
a rolling surface. with here and there small
! rocky hills projecting above the general
level. Southeast of the centre and east of
/ Cienfuegos there is a group of hills or
mountains of considerable elevation, some
reaching 10 nearly 1000 feet. The plains
] OF the western portion are devoted to sugar.
| of which some is also raised in the level
part along the north coast; some also near
PIacetas and Yaguajay in the northeast,
I and in the San Luis Valley near Trinidad.
Tobacco is grown in the broken country
in the Remedies district between Cienfue-
gos and Placetas in the north and also be-
/ tween Cumamayagua and Manicaragua.
South OF the centre are the heavy and
broken countries of the east and south
which are devoted TO cattle raising Much
Nosltt edS III pui us cu1-
tivation was abandoned generally some
years ago. There are now indications of
a revival of interest in its culture for
which much of the hilly land is specially
adapted. This land is generally fertile and
If properly farmed would support a dense
population.
The province is fairly well watered by
the running streams. The population is
not so dependent upon wells as in the
province OF Matanzas. The deeper wells
when they have not been filled with
refuse, furnish good water. Grass is every
where abundant, the two varieties, parana
and guinea, are held in about equal esti-
nation for horses. Hay is not made, as
the growing herb is available all the veal
round. Fire wood is sufficiently abundant
everywhere and sells at $3.50 to Sc pei
cord. The timber comprises the palm. pal.
metto, COCO. mango, ceiba, cana, the bravo
orange lime, Nancy, pine, salvedera, oak
and occasionally mahogany. The plains a.
2 rule have little timber, having beer
cleared out for cultivation. The mountains
are usually densely covered with trees an(