Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-09-12
DANISH WEST INDIES.
Something About the Three Islands
Coming to Us.


Washington, Sept. 7.-When the
money for the Danish West Indies is
paid by the United States the gov
erment will begin to establish naval
base on the newly acquired territory.
This will be maintained for the pro-
lection of interests in the isthmus.
The real value of the islands lies IN
the fact that they are the key from
military and naval standpoint to the
Caribbean. sea and the gulf Of Mexico.
In the event of the building of canal
through the isthmus, either at
Panama or Nicaragua, by the United
States, naval base at this point
would be almost necessity.
st. Thomas, st. Croix and st. Johns
are the names of three islands which
are known as the Danish West Indies,
but which will shortly be put on the
map as the United States West Indies.
Few Americans are living there.
Outside of the Danish officials and
several English merchants the in
habitants are negroes.
the islands is not under cultivation.
Tropical products and vegetation can
be raised there in abundance, as the
soil is good, but the industry first
started there by Europeans has died
out; that was the raising of sugar
cane. With the liberation of the
slaves, destructive hurricanes visited
the territory, and by the cultivation
OF sugar beets in America and Europe
the industry was crowded out, The
result is that there are many planta-
lions once thrifty and prosperous.
which have been allowed to decay.
The climatic conditions where vegeta-
ton grows rapidly aided in the gen.
eral blotting out of the fields, until
today many of them have taken on
primeval appearance. Following the
abandonment Of the sugar industry
came poverty. which now prevails
among the average natives.
The total area of the property to be
acquired is $4,000 acres. Of this all
but ,O00acres can be cultivated as the
soil in favorable. Only a small Dor
ton of it is now being used for the
raising of sugar cane and for pastur-
age. OF the three islands st. Johns
is the smallest, lying close to st.
Thomas. ST. Croix is the largest of
the group, although not the most i'm
portant. 1t is about forty miles
southeast of st. Thomas. with an area
of 51,16S acres, or more than twice
the size of st. Thomas. st. Croix
is twenty-three miles long, with a
maximum width Of six miles. The
western half of the island is billy,
its highest elevation being Blue
mountain, 1,100 feet above the sea.
The center of the island is undulating
and to the south the coast Inc is
broken by numerous lagoons. A
great part of it is covered with under
brush and scantily timbered. OF
game a small species of deer is the
most abundant. Christiansted, on the
north coast, with a small harbor hay-
ing a depth of thirteen feet, and
on the west, from the
two principal towns, and are gar
risoned. Besides these are numerous
negro hamlets. The island of ST.
Thomas, thirteen miles long and three
wide, with West mountain towering
l,5OO feet, has fallen into decay.
substantial houses and plantations
once lent an air of activity to the ter
rltory. When slavery was Suppressed
N 1S4S the natives were for tba rn,.-t
part prosperous. Now a few veg
fruit and guinea grass are its
main products. The principal food
Stuffs are imported canned goods,
coming from the United States and
neighboring islard. The island of
81. Croix has something Of reputa-
ton as health resort.