Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-13

cannot be completed until the sewerage
system is ready to carry or the surplus
water that now forms pools and rivulets,
and hides deal OF dirt, and the asphalt
streets are laid down.
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE.
AL the recent talk about what Ameri-
can capitalists and others were going to
do IN Santiago is like II is in other parts
OF Cuba-still In the dark and distant
future. All the stores and business es-
adjustments, wholesale and retail are
still In the hands OF the people who were
here before the war About ali the
Americans have done in Santiago is to
eatsblish a couple Of hotels so-called.
but one Is merely a large clearinghouse.
and the other is the Casa Granda, which
was formerly the principal Spanish hotel
under the old regime. The hotel industry
seems 10 be the one that Is receiving
the most attention from the Americans
now on the ground. probably because
a hotel in Cuba can be opened and Ope-
rated on much less capital. perhaps, than
any other industry. Ordinary dwelling
houses have been converted into Ameri-
can hotels and money coined beyond all
expectation. The American houses all
confidently started out by serving meals
"a la Americana" fashion-that Is. three
full meals a day-but they have rapidly
iegenerated into the old Spanish Cubano
style OF serving only cafe and fruit In
the morning breakfast at II 30 and din
ner from to in the evening. The ma
tive cooks would rebel at cooking things
except In their own way. the native walt
ers would insist on serving things In
the native way. and prestol the Ameri-
Il -. l..-I In, ft4y "a
only.
MINERAL DEPOSITS.
In the province 81 Santiago. there are
numerous rich deposits OF Eon-ore, cop
per, and other materials. The Juragua
Iron Company. composed Of Philadelphia
capitalists. operate an extensive iron-ore
mine about fifteen miles from Santiago.
At Daiquiri Ohe landing place Of the
American army Of occupation) there is
also a large iron-mine. operated by the
Spanish-American Iron Company. en-
ploying over two thousand eX-Spanish
soldiers. Both Of these mines yield an
excellent grade OF irOn-ore. Surface in
dicatiOns point to the fact that there are
other rich ore deposits scattered through
the province. and with sufficient capital
TO work them, could be made TO pay
handsome revenue. At FL Cobre (mean-
ing copper - Il AUHi va nv NAA'NNt''--'
inhabitants. fourteen miles west OF san
tiago. there is a copper mine. some OF
the ore of which will analyze 50 per cent.
pure copper This mine, unfortunately,
has not been i'm operation for the past
thirty years. owing TO some trouble
arising with the Spanish Government, but
IL IS proposed now 10 resume operations
i'm a very short while. 1t Is claimed by
some that gold In paying quantities. eA-
lists I'm the foothills around santiago,
and I'm other parts Of the province, but
as the discovery Of any has not yet peeh
made. even by the Spanish. who were
VIGOROUSLY fond Of the yellow metal
the matter is in doubt.
FIELDS AND WOODS.
There are large and valuable tracts Oh
timber land throughout the island WINCH
however. owing to their inaccessioii'y ~
a railroad, cannot be handled 10 any
advantage. In the entire province therc
is only a little railroad, some twenty
miles in length, running from the city o.
Santiago to the small inland towns OIL
San T,uis songo. ana Cristo. The absence
of railroad facilities has been one of me
chief drawbacks to the rapid development
Of the island 1t is expected that as soon
nc the railroad across the island from
HGbau1 TO SdullOSp - SDAiifA~N@f
nroyince will experience @ decided boom.
The railroad is now built as far as Santa
Clara. 400 miles away. The American
residents here who have made small IN
vestments are pinning their hopes to TINS
new railroad. Tracts of land which are
at present lying idle will be put 10 the
production Of sugar-cane, TOBACCO, anu
coffee. where three crops a year can be
raised on the same land without the use
of fertilizers. There are now fields plant
ed I'm sugar-cane which have been useu
for the past ten years, and they are as
good and productive to-day as when ilrst
planted. OF course, as in everything else,
II requires capital and an abundance OF
il TO put any of these enterprises on
good paying basis, and any one contem-
plating an investment in Cuba. expecting
a good return, should be well provided
with cash or its equivalent.
THE FUTURE
There will no doubt be magnificent OPP
portuntties TO amass wealth in Cupa as
soon as the future disposition Of the
island is determined, especially II annex
ed 70 the United States, but in the pres
emf unsettled state Of affairs there VIII DC
little doing" and outside capital VIII
not be invested there.
EUGENE J. BELLENOT