The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-07-19
MINERAL WEALTH OF HAITI.
Gold. silver, Copper. Iron. Anthony,
Tin, Sulphur, CoaI. and Jasper.


The reason, however, that the mines have
not been developed is because of an al
! most total lack Of communication from
| one section OF the island to another. In
his report Minister Powell says:
AT present, there is no way of COM
municating with the cities located in the
north (Cape Haitien and Port de Paix),
| except by a long and rugged road which
| follows the coast nearly the entire Cis-
| lance, then crosses the northern range of
mountains. requiring at least four days Of
steady travel on horseback, though the
! distance from the capital 20 Port de PaiX
is only l59 miles. and to Cape Hattien $50
| miles By water (steamer). it requires
two days The capital, Port au Prince, is
SO miles from st. Marc and 80 miles from
| GonaiYes.
"On account of the great fatigue in
| travelling by this inland road, many are
| compelled to resort to sailing vessels of
/ about thirty or forty tons: these are en-
gagged entirely in the coasting trade, have
/ no convenience or comfort, and are also
slow Unless the wind be in their favor,
| IL takes from two to three days to reach
the cities named. The traveller has the
/ option of awaiting the arrival of the
! steamers from the United States or Europe
/ that stop at these ports.
! The communication with the south side
{ Of the Republic is equally difficult. taking
| four or five days by sailing vessel and two
4 days by the steamers. the latter stopping
only at the larger cities. BY horseback 20
Jaemel takes twentyfoar hours though
4 the distance is but thirty-nine miles.
1T is for the want Of means OF COM
I municatiOn that the interior is without
! cities, though in some Of the valleys are
/ to be found rich and fertile lands.
! The Government has recently made con-
] Al 1-FFa to hull
rosds-one in the south to the salt lakes.
distance OF fifty miles This road. when
! constructed, is to eventually connect the
/ capitals OF the two republics (Haiti and
/ the Dominican RepublicD, and Will open
/ rich agricultural and mineral section. An
other railway to the north through St.
/ Mare GOnaives, Port de PaiX. will have its
terminus at Cape Haitien. One is now in
/ course Of construction from Cape HaitieI
I TO Grand Riyiere. a place OF some cOnsid-
! cradle size near the base or the CibaO
4 range. Rails have been laid FOR a distance
/ Of eight miles.
The Government derives no advantage
1 from these concessions. II grants to the
! concessiOnaires all the benefit that will ac-
l crue from them.
/ The extent Of the mineral deposits of
( the republic must remain unknown until
: there is a better system OF communication.
In order 10 understand the location Of
] these deposits. II Is necessary 70 consider
( the topography Of the country.
The principal mountain range is the CT
bao extending through the centre OF both
republics from Cape EnganO. the eastern
limit Of Santo Domingo. northwes.erly 10
/ the Mole St Nicholas. There are several
parallel ranges. but the height Of the same
: Is considerably less than that OF the AXial
chain In the southern peninsula there is
I another range which might be termed an
90 chr 90 ha ny n ina 4G he
Hottie Mountains. The main range is igne-
Gus in character.
Prof. Gabb. a member Of the commits
. sion appointed in 1870 to report upon the
mineral wealth OF Haiti. states;
No formation older than the secondary
era has been found on the island. the old
est group being the great mass Of states
cOnglOmerates and limestone which form
its core. These are uptilted and broken
I by numerous intrusive masses OF crystal
Z line rocks, which may be for convenience
grouped under the generic term Of Syenite,
I since they almost invariably consist OF
the three necessary minerals-quartz field
I spar, and hornblende. 1t everywhere
/ shows the evidence OF active subterranean
I forces and over much of its area the met
amOrphic action has been so complete as
I to destroy the traces of stratifcation
I Wherever the states occur in he nefghbor-
hood OF eruptive rocks. there gold occurs
. in most. il not all, Of the inc uded quartz
veins, and the streams are always more or
/ less auTiferOus
-Charlevoix. a celebrated his orlan. in
describing the mineral wealth Of the isl
and states:
d" Among the metals one can find in
. abundant quantities are gold, silver. cop
per. iron. anthony. tin. sulphur. coal
white marble. jasper. and a mountain Of
. rock salt as clear as crystal
These mines were successfully worked
By slave labor tit is estimated that IS 600
! slaves were brought from Africa for the
: purpOseb. but on account Of the cruelties
practiced by the owners one Of the first
. steps tak-A by the President OF the Re
. public WI IN the independence Of Haiti was
declared was 10 close all the mines and TO
forbid future working. The reason given
! by Dessalines (anG mis- course has been fol-
! lowed by those who have succeeded hiIn)
/ was that the exploitation OF the mineral
wealth would attract to the country an IN
/ desirable class Of people,. he also desired
/ the agricultural development OF the eoun-
| try The present administration how
! ever viii welcome outside capital
! During the past few years some Of the
old mines have been found and an effort
/ is being made to work them. Copper ore
I containing from 40 to so er cent Of pure
D copper has been located in the northwest
7
! naives- This region is also rich in iron
I containing from 6S to 20 per cent OF that
metal. East Of this district. beds OF coal
/ have recently been discovered. miles in
| exter-: here can also be found marble por-
| phyry. kaolin. tin, and antimony
/ in the southern section Of the Repub-
| lie. or that part traversed by the Hottie
/ Mountains, copper and magnetic iron are
! found To the north of Jacmel gold has
/ been discovered in paying quantities
within the last year, the Government
I has given concessions to develop these
| mineral resources. several of which are
| held by Americans. The principal one-the
| opening Of tue coal belt-has been granted
| to Mr.. Anton Jaegerhuber an American
| citizen, the head of one OF the leading COM
1 mercial houses in Port au Prince This
/ gentleman also holds the concession TO
! construct two lines OF railway, one to the
north from the capital, the other east to-
/ ward the Dominican borders, both of
/ which will develop a rich section of coun-
/ try"
| The Correspondents Clothes.
| FrOm the London Clronicle)
.sF~