The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-13
ON THE ISLE OF PINES
AMERICANS MAKING INVESTMENTS
THERE WITH A VIEW TO PROFIT.
Not Included in Porto Rfcnn Treaty,
but Annexation Il Desired-The
Natural Resources.


way into every out-of-the-way corner OF
the world. Here in this long-abandoned
haunt or the West Indian buccaneer he is
taking up his abode and applying his rest
less energies to the pursuit Of trade.
Under the shadow OF the gloomy old
quartet that for a century held within
its dark confines the hapless victims OF
Spanish displeasure there is a new sixty
fve-room hotel owned by Americans. A
dentist from Tennessee has put out his
single; a blacksmith from Alabama says
/ he is doing well; a man from Iowa Is sell
ing groceries; a Pennsylvania capitalist is
/ building an ice plant; a Georgia man has
/ made 4 start in the turpentine business
| there are several orange-growers from
/ Florida and California who have COM
menced the culture of that fruit; one
J Pennsylvania has cleared a large tract
/ OF land and will raise winter vegetables
/ for sale i'm the States, while another man
| from the same State is preparing to quar-
/ ~ granite. In addition there are several
! syndicates which have purchased immense
! tracts of land, and will cultivate large
scale oranges, tobacco and other products.
The Isle of Pines is located just south
of the western part of Cuba. II has about
| LOO square miles OF territory. being thirty
miles wide and forty miles long. a lagoon.
/ shallow and narrow in some places and a
\ quarter OF a mile wide at others, practically
/ divides the island into two parts. The ele-
walton Of its highest mountain is LOO feet
/ Ii has about $500 inhabitants.
WEALTH OF THE ISLE.
Its wealth consists. principally. Of forma-
tons Of rock, some of which is fine enough
for statuary purposes. The best quality Of
this stone is either pure white or dark gray.
1t is free. of cracks or flaws and is situated
! in such a favorable manner that slabs OF
/ any desired size can be taken out. The beds
vary from five TO twenty-five feet in thick
ness. There are also large forests of valu-
/ able hard woods. such as mahogany. cedar
and ebony, that heretofore have served no
/ other purpose than TO make nrewood Tor
1 the natives.
/ The soil i'm the more favored parts is A
| rich loan mixed with sand. and the climate
/ * very desira bic. SO that almost everything
/ that grows IN tropical countries, such as
! fruits tobacco. coffee, rubber, sugar cane,
etc. can be produced. A fine quality of ma
tive grass that grows all the year makes
cattle growing an industry OF much
The capital and principal point on the
| island is NueNa Corona, about a mile and a
! half from the mouth Of the Las Casses
river II has about 800 Inhabitants and ia
! growing rapidly. Santa Fe. thirteen miles
| distant from the capital Is the next place
in Importance. The first government road
built on the island connects these two
/ towns. These two places are distinguishes
| ny being the only postoffices on the island.
| Santa Fe has some mineral springs that are
| quite noted. A man from Arizona and sew
! lal English people were very willing 10
testify TO benefits received during their So
| Journ there. Many people from Havana
! frequent the place
The ownership of the Isle Of Pines has
! given rise to considerable discussion. When
! the Paris treaty was signed there was A
para graph in il which read: spain cedeS
/ TO the United States the Island of Porto
/ Rico and all other islands now under Span
/ icb N he Indies.
I it would seem. certainly included the Isle
OF Pines. which-~ located about s.vJy mica
But il soon developed that There was a
doubt about the matter, the claim being
advanced that il was part OF cuba, ana
| therefore not contained within the mean
| ing or scope OF the paragraph quoted above
/ from the Paris treaty. The matter was
| taken UP i'm the Platt amendment. which
| contains the following paragraph concern
/ ing it, THAT the Isle OF Pines shall be
omitted from the proposed constitutional
! boundaries of Cuba, the title thereto being
! left to future judgment by treaty.
ANNEXATION is CERTAIN.
While this provided means of settling
the dispute the real point at issue is still
undetermined. 1t is quite likely. however.
that the island will be formally annexed
to the United States during the present
session of Congress.
More than half the land on the island il
owned by Americans. and nearly all owners
of other nationalities prefer annexation
! to any other form Of government A petit
/ ton has just been sent TO Congress asking
! TO be taken In. and there is every nkeli-
hood of its speedy passage. the Cubans 40
| not seem 10 care much about retaining
/ the island. Ii was for many years a Span
/ ish penal colony. used for continuing cuban
patriots and others, and is regarded mucn
| The same by the Cubans as the Roers look
! upon St Helena as the friends or Drey-
| fus think of Devils island.
ri L. nra CrRfn
I their investments in The Pines as though
/ they were certain of its future. One con-
Germ has bought UP the land OF several
/ large estates. and now controls 1000 acres
/ nearly One-third Of the inhabitable part or
/ the entire island. This concern operates its
own steamer and owns the hotel referred TO
| in Nueva Corona, besides a large amount OF
| other property in and around the capital
called upon the promoter D IL Pearcy:
formerly of Nashville, Tenn ana asked
| him for statement OF the plans VI MS
company. He said;
New York capital Is invested IN the ven
ture. and the stock Is all taken Instead
| of Offering our land for sale we propose TO
develop IT, We have 20.ooo acres fenced with
seven strands OF galvanized barbed wires
over 2.coo acres of which nave oeen cie ,es.
and are ready for the pillow. We have about
\ 10 tobacco barns erected and ready for use.
and we will enter extensively into the cul-
ture Of tobacco and oranges. On account
of the frequent cold spells I'm Florida many
/ of the orange growers from there are seek
/ ing other fields. and we have made ar
1 rangenentS Win many VI Aitot - 80
| our land on shares The soil OF the island
| will produce a quality of tobacco equal 20
the best produced in Cuba, and we expect
/ 10 produce large quantities OF this valuable
staple as soon as we can complete our plans
and get them into effect.
TITLES ARE GOOD
1--WE own the entire northwestern corner
Of The Pines and expect 10 make port
AT the mouth of the Rio Nucvo river, which
Is the largest stream Of the island. There
are about 5000 acres IN this tract. which
includes the entire peninsula"
When asked about annexation Mr. Pearcy
replied: I'VE. of course, desire TO be an
nexed. and think there Is not the slightest
doubt but that we shall be. but in any
event we have spent large sums i'm perfect
ing our titles and we are sure Of them. no,
matter what the result of this ownership
question may be. If we get annexation IL
will mean a great saving 20 Us I'm duties as
the United States is the natural market for
all our products
The capitalists who are investing such
large sums here claim 10 have every assur-
ance that their expenditures will bring
them a return. One concern viii raise lem
ons At present the United States gets the
bulk of its supply OF this fruit from Cali
fornia and Sicily. The duty on the product
of the latter country is ] cent each. or %
cents per box. which would be quite "A
item OF profit in itself Ia the course OF a
year In the matter OF tobacco IL Is said
there is very little risk. for the reason that