Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-05
THE ISLAND OF NEGRoS
MATERIAL COMPLIED BY THE WAR
DEPARTMENT.
Description of Topography and Pro-
ducts-The New Local Civil
Government.

From official material compiled in the
division Of insular affairs of the war De-
partnent the following abstract has been
prepared concerning the Island of Negroes
and the local civil governments established
within it's borders
Negroes occupies the southwestern angle
of the Visayan group, between Panay on
the northwest and Cebu the southeast,
being separated from the former by the
straits of Guimaras and Iloilo at distances
from seven to twenty-seven miles, and
from the latter almost it's entire length
by Tanon strait from three to twenty-six
miles. The Visayan sea washes its shores
on the north. and the Sulu, on the south
and southwest
A central range extending from north to
south divides the islandei two almost
equal divisions, and practically precludes
intercourse between them by land. Near
the MalaSpina volcano, S,1y2 feet high,
about forty-one miles south of the northern
coast a lateral spur trends eastward to the
coast. This, with the main range con-
tinuing south, constitutes the boundary
between the two Negroes provinces. The
spurs from these mountains form large val
leys, inhabited only on the western side
from SajotaS to SHAY, and on the north
and northeast, where the extensive plains
are intersected by rivers of good size. AL
though the country is rugged, 1t Is very
the numerous streams.
In area Occidental Negroes is 500 square
miles larger than Delaware, and Oriental
go square miles larger than Rhode Island.
The combined area of the two provinces
lacks but 155 square miles of the size of
Connecticut. In population the Occidental
province has the numbers of Montana, and
the Oriental nearly that of Delaware. Ag-
gregately the population is but $4,000 less
than the state of Vermont. The people are
ViSayans along the coast and Panayanos
In the mountains, and speak languages
known by the same names.
The straits either side of the island
form protection from the winds of the
ocean. The coasts afford numerous road
steads and but few bays, the anchorages
being generally under shelter of the ad-
jacent islands.
Little Communication With Interior
The coast of the island is paralleled by
wagon road or trail, there being very few
communicating with the interior as all the
towns of any consequence are on the sea-
shore. The only defles through the noun
tain chain are at Tipan, where the Hog
river, rising on the eastern side, flaws
westward into the opening of Guimaras
strait and at Hfbayo, where mountain
path crosses to the headquarters Of the
Hilabano, and thence by way of Isabella to
the Guimaras strait on the west side of
Mammalian.
and upward Of 100 villages. The capital,
Bacolod, port open for coasting trade, a
telegraph and military station, lies at the
mouth of the river Lupit, opposite the
junction of GuimaraS and Iloilo strait 1t
has some fine public and private buildings
and population of IL .624. The remaining
towns range from 4, 900 to 8, 100 inhabitants
Oriental Negros has twenty-four towns, all
but one on the coast and sixty-three viii
lagos, also on the coast, except four, In the
vicinity of Bats and five in the neighbor-
hood of Dumaguete.
THE capital, Dumaguete, is a port open
to coasting trade, and a telegraph and
military station Immediately south of the
connected by road trail with all parts
of the coast. and has a population of Ii, 352,
being the largest town in the province.
The coasts are exceptionally free from
islands, but six lying off Occidental and
three off Oriental Negroes, the aggregate
area being but fifteen square miles.
Vegetable Products.
The vegetable products Of the island are
abundant. The chocolate is Of the best
quality grown in the Visayas. Among the
other crops are sugar cane, coffee, rice to-
bacco, wax, wheat, cotton, hemp, bago, 81
bucao, corn, etc. Large numbers Of cattle,
horses, caraboa and hogs are also raised.
The interior having been little explored,
nothing Is known of the mineral wealth
which may lie hidden in the mountain
masses.
The forests contain many valuable woods,
the chief of which Is teak, one of the best
timbers used in ship building among the
western nations. Next to the agricultural
industries are the fisheries. The products
of the waters of the island consist of fish,
tortoise shell, sea cucumbers, sea shells,
etc.
This island was occupied among the first
during the Visayan campaign Of the spring
and summer of 1899 After the depart
actively engaged In the suppression of bril-
gandage, and particularly of the Tulisanes
organized bands of outlaws and rob-
bers
The civil government established by the
Philippine commission Is the same as that
provided for other provinces under the pro-
vincial organization act Of February g.
1901.