The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-25
OUTLOOK FOR CUBA
Lieut.. VIM. Folwell Regards It as
Promising.
BACK FROM FOUR YEARS STAY
Big Railroad Project Nearing Com
pletion-Need of Better Trade
Relations.

| Lieutenant William B. Folwel1 turned
over his Office as collector of customs fol
| the Cuban provisional government at the
| time OF the withdrawal Of the American
| troops and now is enjoying a wei
earned rest at home after more than foul
years of active and faithful service. frs
with his regiment and afterwards on de-
| tail duty in the Cuban customs service
department, his last assignment being tt
| the, ports Of Trinidad and Sanctl Splrlter
! It was fortunate thing for the customs
service in Cuba, and for the efficiency o.
the provisional government in general
| that it was able to command the services
of such reliable and efficient and prac-
tically educated young men as Mr.. Fol
| we'll.
During his stay in the island he made
study of conditions there. The popular
impression, he says, that Cuba is hot
breezes sweep across the island from one
side to the other. The temperature is
rarely above 80 degrees, and the night
temperature requires the use OF blankets
for comfort in sleeping, even in the warm
est season. The sanitary operations and
regula tions of the provisional government
have wiped out the scourge Of yellow
fever and made Cuba healthful country
for Americans as we'll as for natives, so
that Cuba is a desirable place for Ameri-
cans to live. Lieutenant Folwell re-
CARDS the climate as less enervating than
that Of some sections Of the south.
Obstacles to Development.
The only things that stand in the way
Of great development in Cuba are, first,
the removal of prejudice against it as a
place of residence, which is gradually
giving away before correct information;
the adjustment of favorable trade rela-
tons with the United States, and the
demonstration by the Cuban people that
they are capable of maintaining stable
and efficient government.
American capitalists have already COM
menced operations there on large scale
in the way of railroad building. The
Cuba company, under the presidency of
VIM. Van Horne, has under construction
line running practically from one end
of the island to the other. The principal
eastern terminus will be on the bay of
Nipe, on the north shore of the island.
Here, Lieutenant Folwell says, is to be
found the finest harbor on the north
coast, II miles long, from east to west,
and 10 or IL miles wide from north to
south, and so deep that the largest ocean
vessels can come within 100 feet Of the
natural shore line in various places. 1t
is perfectly land-locked harbor and is
destined, in Mr.. Folwell's judgment, to
become the great export center of i'm
port ance. on the island. There is no city
of Importance on the harbor at present,
the Spaniards and Cubans for some singu-
lar reason having failed to appreciate the
advantages which 1t offered. Here is
likely to grow up dangerous rival for
Havana in a commercial sense, although,
of course, Havana may be expected to
continue the political and social center
Of the island indefinitely. The Van Horne
system will run through the middle Of the
island, from east to west, will have
branches reaching various points on
either side in the interior and on the
coast, draining the whole island for trans
portation purposes into Nipe harbor. The
main line Of this system will be opened
within q few months, and 1t will be fur
nished with hrst-class American equip
ment.
This road will open the whole interior
of the island to development. 1t passes
through large areas especially adapted to
the culture OF Tobacco and sugar cane, to
the raising of livestock and to diversified
fruit culture, which is destined before
long to become the most important indus
try, having for its outlet the Atlantic
coast markets of the United States. This
harbor Of Nipe possesses the advantage
also of being nearer to New York or
Baltimore than Havana, being, in fact,
by the fast steamers only two days sail
from New York, into which 1t will thus
be easy to transport the tropical fruits
Of Cuba almost as quickly as they can be
carried thither from the gulf states.
The Sugar Industry.
At present, of course, the chief indus
try Of Cuba. and one most affected by