Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-08-03
COUNTRY OF THE MAYAS
How a Rich Mexican Territory
Is Being Developed.
REBUILDING OLD INDIAN CITIES.

| CoIonists and Representatives of
1 American Capitalists Following
Close Behind the Mexican Troops.
Mahogany and ChicIe Industries to
Be Pushed-Natiye Method of Cut
ting Mahogany.
Following close behind the Mexican
troops, which are rapidly subduing the
last of the Maya rebels and driving
them from their strongholds, is what
the government calls it's force of colo
| nization." Only a little behind this
comes body Of investment prospectors
1 from the United States, representatives
Of capitalists in all parts of the coun-
try, @ho are anxious TO be the first into
! the rich country which will now be
opened to development and trade,
writes the New York Posts special cor
respondent at Mexico City. The gov
ernmenfs force of colonization Is sur
| veying the country, establishing munic-
/ ipal governments, repairing or erecting
public buildings and doing everything
| In its power TO discover the resources
| OF the territory and how best to make
them available. Ths~>American adj
vance agents OF capital are taking ev-
cry advantage Of this work, and some
| OF them have already found enough OPP
portunities for investment to induce
them to return to Mexico City and has
4 tly report TO their principals. One Of
these is Il. Il. Davis, who represents
Marshall Field, John j. Mitchell, Vol
ney w. Foster and other Chicago cap
| itansts. Mr.. Davis has been inspect
| Ing the long forsaken railroad which
| runs from san Geronimo. on the Te-
| huantepec railroad, south to the city
| OF Tonala. The completed track had
been left half forgotten In the jungles
| OF Chiapas. Already, however, the
country through which it passes is be-
ginning to demand some kind of trans
portation service At present the only
means of travel is a stage line, which
almost parallels the railroad at dis
| tance of several miles.
J. M. Cardenas, representing the
American Commercial company, Is an
other person who is preparing to take
advantage of the coming development
In the Maya region. He is interested
| In the mahogany forests and hopes to
| get valuable concession. If he does,
new methods of cutting will be adopt
ed. AT present all mahogany Is cut by
the natives. On account of the thorn
like spurs which project from the lower
| part of the trunk of the tree the natives
erect scaffolds 10 or 10 feet high and
cut off the tree at this distance from
the ground. They thus waste what
could be made the most productive
part of the log. As the price of ma
hogany runs from $40 to 5000 per 1000
feet, the introduction of a new method
of cutting by which the waste of the
stump could be avoided would result
In greatly increased returns from the
forests.
Some of the pioneers are preparing
TO push the chicle industry. Chicle is
mainly used as an adulteratlon of rub
Der and for that purpose is now ship
ped in large amounts to the United
States and Europe. 1t is obtained from
the chico zapote tree. which much re-
sembles the American ash. The tree
is tapped, and the sap is allowed to
coagulate before ii is gathered. AS the
work is easy no difficulty is found in
inducing the natives to undertake 1t.
Besides its use with rubber, chicle is
one of the chief cOmponents of most of
the chewing gum Of the present day.
The opening Of the entire Maya coun-
time. The Indians have given up all
organized resistance and have compar-
atively little ammunition or arms left.
They at first fed before the troops. but
they have been treated so humanely
that most of them now remain In their
towns when the latter are captured.
They also show a desire to go to work,
and employment Of all kinds is being
found for them. Many OF them are set
at work at the government expense
improving and beautlfying the cities in
which they live.
The old capital of the Mayas. Chan
Santa Cruz. is to be practically rebuilt
and viii he called after its conqueror,
General Bravo. Bacalar. the other chief
Maya stronghold, will be named after
General Cetna. Much commercial ac.
tivity is reported from all encamp-
ments in the Maya region, such as Ich-
null, Saban. Santa Maria, Tabi and
Chankk. Old houses are being made
habitable, and people are coming TO
the places from the surrounding coun-
tyy.
WE NAV Or IhlNIhMC COOM