The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-16
CUBA A COMING RIVIERA.
Sir William Van Horne on the Flu.
turc of the island,


NEW YORK, Dec. 15.-Sir William Van
Horne. President of the Canadian Pacific
Railroad returned to New York from Cuba
today after visit to the island in the in
| terest OF the Cuba Company. a New Jersey
corporation domiciled in Cuba and at
present engaged in the construction of
railroad in the eastern part of the island
Before leaving tonight for Montreal he
| talked little of what that company was
doing In Cuba and proposed doing and of
what he had seen there on his last visit,
both in the cities and on a horseback ride
| through interior districts. The Cuba
company was formed as a general devel-
opment company, with powers enabling
il among other things to build railroad.
Under the peculiar conditions obtaining
there is no power competent to grant a
railroad franchise so the Cuba company,
not to waste time. set about the scheme
OF building road on its own property.
there being no law to prevent person or
corporation from doing that. Whether the
road when built can be operated for public
purposes without a franchise granted by
competent authority is another matter. to
be taken up at the proper time.
When everybody wants a thing. from
the Government down to the last of the
people," Sir william said. there ought
to be no difficulty in establishing it. Ev
erybody wants the railroad which is pro-
jected to connect Santiago with the rail
road system of the western part of the
island, and TO extend to BaracoB, to pro-
vide for the development of the great
eastern end of Cuba.
LAS far along as the line We propose
building has been surveyed we have been
received with welcome and have had no
IN,
which to build the line. We have as yet
not been Obliged to pay. except nomi-
nal consideration. for the lands required.
The people want the road and realize its
benefits. At present we are engaged in
the construction of line to connect the
city of Santiago with Santa Clara. to place
Santiago in communication with the west
ern railroad system which begins there.
This part of our road will be completed. il
is expected within about eighteen months.
and by that time there doubtless will be
some power to grant franchise under
which the road can be operated.
at Is our purpose to encourage desir-
able immigration. and we intend to bring
over settlers from Spanish Gallcia and tha
Canary Islands to assist in the develop
ment OF these provinces. The people OF
this country do not yet know Cuba. /
have not been all around the world yet
but 1t is the richest country / have ever
seen. / have seen railroads built in I.la e.
that were deserts compared with this
land and the places have become produc-
tive and profitable.
Cuba. when its proper development
comes, will be a paradise. / prcphesy
that 1t will become the American Riviera
New Workers will have winter homes
there and people will be glad to go
there.
Il notice a great Improvement in the
cities pisited-Havana. Cienfuegos, Ma
tanzas, Santiago-even since my last trip
to Cuba in February of this year. The
people seem to like it. The poorer ones
especially appreciate the cleaning up.
Santiago would not be recognized by
those Americans who siw it after the
war"