Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-01-11

Hitherto Porto Rico has been con-
sidered by the outside world to be a
phenOmenally fertile island whose
commercial value was wholly due to
its agricultural resources. That vege-
tation of nearly every description
grows spontaneously in every part of
the island cannot be denied; that its
rich alluvial soil between the foot
hills and the sea, nearly skirting the
entire island, is capable of producing
the largest crops of cane and tobacco
Of any soil on earth has never been
disputed, and that its mountain soil is
peculiarly adapted to the luxuriant
growth of tropical fruits, coffee, and
thousand and one other products,
natural to a semi-equatorial climate,
goes without saying.
For centuries the island has been de-
voted to agriculture, in a way, and
poor and slipshod way at that. The
crops that have been planted
have thrived simply for the reason
that the conditions of climate and soil
are such that crops are bound to grow
of their own accord, without the slim
ulating effects of cultivation.
A people that insists on adhering to
the crooked stick for a pillow, drawn
by a lazy oxen and followed by a still
lazier poem, cannot be expected to de-
velop the capabilities of Porto Rican
soil. Something must, be done to shake
off the lethargy that for generations
has weighed down and dulled the en-
ergies of the Porto Rican people, and
awaken them from their Rip Van
Wrinkle slumbers, if agriculture is to
reach it's highest development here.
But agriculture is not the only re-
source of this beautiful and historic
island by any manner of means. 1t is
rich-exceedingly rich-in mineral
wealth. and it only requires Intelligent
investment of capital to develop these
mineral resources.
The island is of volcanic origin,
although there exists nowhere any evil
dence of craters or lava beds. The
mountains are composed, according to
Professor Robert Z. Hill of the United
States Geological Survey, who has
made a careful study of the islands,
largely of black and other dark-col-
ored basic igneous rocks, occurring as
tufts. conglomerates, and sills OF horn
blende- andesite, cut by bikes of do
rite"
The volcanic rock which forms the
base or core of the whole islands is
practically coated for several miles
from it's margin with limestone, or par
TALLY metamorphosed coral rock, bear
ing sea shells and other fossil remains,
proving beyond question that in some
past age the island was partially sub
merged and subsequently upheaved
several hundred feet above the sea
level by some subterranean force. In
deed, biologists assert that the noun
tain peaks of Porto Rico are the high
est in the world, if measured from
their SUBMITS to their bases, far be-
low the surface of the ocean.
Throughout the island, at frequent
intervals, may be found genuine vol
canic bikes which have been shot VI
from the interior through rents in the
everything limestone crust that encir-
cles it. These bikes indicate the pres
ence of rich mineral deposits, copper
and silver appearing to predominant.
Several rich deposits of these metals
have been discovered recently in th'
interior of the island, the assays show
ing from so to 70 per cent of cope
and from so ounces to so ounces of sill
yer to a ton.
The presence of gold on the islam
was discovered in the days of Ponce d
Leon, and since there have been IN
numbered efforts to locate the paren
veins of this metal, but thus far with
out success. Gold is found only i
minute particles in the beds Q
streams, especially in the eastern an
northeastern parts of the island.
ProspectOrs, chiefly Americans. ar
constantly securing the island with tn
hope of discovering rich deposits c
mineral. The poems also are enthus
astic in their endeavors to discove
'ore," and when one of them finds
piece of rock containing iron pyrite
he is sanguine his fortune is made, III
til he exhibits sample of this fool
gold and gleefully exclaims: Nor
cho aro!" and is told that it is notl
ing but iron sulphide and WORTHLESS