Evening star., 1901-09-02
PROVINCE OF ALBAf
Features Of an Important Section Of
Luzon,
HAS A VOLCANO AND bot SPRINGS
High Reputation of the Hemp
Grown in Its Borders.
INDUSTRIES OF NATIVES

From official material complied In the
division Of insular affairs of the War De-
partment the following interesting abb
| stract has been prepared concerning the
province of Albay, which in part occu-
| pies the narrow neck of land connecting
| the province Of Sorsogon in the extreme
| southeast with the rest of the great island
of Luzon.
Within it's boundaries lies an area Of
| 500 square miles, exclusive of dependent
islands and representing an acreage of
| 575, ,360.
The country aside from it's agricultural
and commercial Importance, has exception
| al interest from scientific point of view.
Near it's eastern seashore, out of an expan-
| sive plain. rises the volcano Of Mayon or
| Albay to an elevation of S.JO4 feet. 1t Is
constantly crowned with plume-like halo
| Of vapor which Is visible for miles at sea.
The summit of Masaraga, another noun
tain, reaches an elevation of 5,244 feet.
The maya river traverses the province
| from southeast to northwest, emptying into
Lake Bato, a beautiful body of water four
miles in diameter on the northwestern
boundary.
| In the northeastern part Of the prov
ince are some of the most remarkable
thermal springs in the world, particularly
/ the hot springs of Igabo and the stalactite
| springs of Naglebeng. Scientists who have
visited them refer to similar examples in
Iceland and New Zealand, but the springs
| of Tibi, which is the general name for this
group, they report are more varied and
beautiful.
The bays of Tabaco and Albay on the
| east coast are capable of affording shelter
| to a large fleet of vessels engaged in the
| important trade of the region.
Towns and villages.
| The province contains % towns and 260
| villages. Among the former may be men
| toned Albay, the capital. about IA miles
| inland from the bay of the same name 1t
| is well built with church. town hall,
| parochial residence and many other we'll
| constructed houses. The population is IT,
o00. In the eruption of Mayon volcano in
| 1914 the old town was seriously damaged.
| which led to change of site protected by
| hills. LegaSpi. a port of entry, telegraph
| station. garrisoned town and the port Of
Aibay, although having but $3.50 popula-
| ton, is one of the most important hemp
| shipping ports in the Philippines. 1t shares
| this trade with Tabace, which lies about
| eleven miles north by east and has popu-
| lation Of 1S,000 inhabitants The latter
| town is also a port of entry and has
| United States garrison. CamaliS, an In
land garrisoned town on the Inaya river,
| has population of 1883 inhabitants.
| Guinobatan, on the same river, nine miles
! west by north Of Albay, has population
| of &c, A. and is surrounded by one of the
| most productive hemp districts In the Is
| lands. The town of Gas on the right bank
between Ligao and Polanqui with popua-
| ton of Il. .9S7. commands an extensive river
/ trade, particularly in the product Of the fine
hemp plantations in the vicinity. Other
! towns of equal population and activity
| might be mentioned.
Off the east coast of the province lies
chain of four islands with an aggregate
area of 9S square miles, three of which,
! RaDu,
| brated for valuable mines of coal. which
| are being worked. The quality OF coal for
| steanling purposes. as result OF expert
| ments, is reported as equal to the Austria
| liam article.
| It is expected that scientific investiga-
| tion and American enterprise Will make the
| output valuable commercial acquisition
to the important natural wealth of this
province.
Hemp of AIbay.
The chief product for which the province
| of Albay has won celebrity is hemp (abaca)
or what is known to commerce as Mania
hemp" a species of wild plantain and
special product of the Philippine Islands
| Notwithstanding experiments in India,
IndO- China, Borneo and other parts OF the
| east the outcome has been failure.
Therefore the production of Manila hemp
| in the hemp districts of the Philippine
| Islands of the United States is not likely
| to be threatened by outside competition or
| overproduction.
| The province of Albay ranks first among
what are known as the hemp districts of
Luzon. The total quantity and value of
| export of hemp from the Philippine Islands
| during the calendar year 1899 was 69,O4S
| tons, valued at 81, ,993. 574, or $116 per ton,
| and for calendar year 1900, S9,43S tons,
valued at $13,29o, 400. or $149 per ton
| Or this aggregate the province Of Albay
| in 1899 contributed to the export movement
265, ,366 piculs, or 16,5s5 tons at $116 per
ton, valued at $1,923 800 This represents
| of,J orlr,
| hemp consumption in the manufacture of
| lupis. sinamay, cordage, etc, for native
use in the arts and shipping must also
| have been considerable.
| Industries.
The people are largely engaged In weav-
| ing abaca into lupis, the fine textile used
in the wearing apparel Of the better class
of women, and sinemay, a coarser fabric
| used by the natives in general The sails
| and cordage of native craft and twine in
! baling are Of home manufacture There is
| also a large production of oil from the CO.
coanut.
| The building of native vessels used I'm
| the extensive carrying and other coastwise
| trade is an important industry of AIbay
There are several ship yards at the i'm
portant towns of Legaspi and Tabaco and
other points, where considerable native cap
| ital and enterprise are engaged In casco
| building and repairing.
The coastwise trade Of the province Is
| largely engaged In the transportation of
the enormous hemp yield from the numer-
Gus villages along the shores Of the great
bays on the coast to the seaports from
| which steamer shipments are made to Ma
nila or direct to foreign ports by the great
| carrying corporations Of the orient.
Minerals, Forests and Fruits.
The declivities of the lofty SUBMITS Of
Mayon, Masaraga and Malinao and the
eastern coast range, show indications Of
coal, gold, silver and iron in large quanti-
/ ties The mining Of coal has grown to
some dimensions. The presence Of aban-
doned mines of quicksilver indicates the
existence OF that rare and valuable metal
lie substance.
The province abounds in valuable woods
suitable for shipbuilding, dyeing and other
economic purposes. The necessity. how
ever, Of the presence Of large forest trees
| as protection to the hemp plant from
the sun renders forest preservation indis-
/ pensable to the success of the great indus
try Of the province.
| The fruits Of the islands abound and con-
stitute an important item OF food among
the natives.
4 Civil Government.