Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-09
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence.
uVR RoPIcAL Mexico Is said to De
one OF the richest sections OF
the earth, and one cannot con-
oeiye Of soil more deep ana
fertile or vegetatlonmore lux
uriant than Is found In the
states OF Vera Cruz and IA
basco, or in the lowlands Oh
Oaxaca.
II is region fun Of interest 70 'he
bus,ness man as well as to the traVei-
xr. because OF It's boundless resources
md the excellent opportunities II pre-
sents for investment. Railways are De-
On, extended and development follows
in their wake Eastern capitalists nave
invested In vast tracts, while men Oh
modest means are banding together ana
cuitlvatIng large plantations as stock
holders unite to work mine But the
element OF uncertainty which always
attends a mining venture is not u Tea
ture Of agriculture. With the requisite
soil and climate what one man mas
done another may do and what o,e
acre has produced another may ne
made 10 produce.
TROPICAL VEGETATION
There Is something fascinating in the
endless tange and variety OF tropiehl
vetgetation, and 1t sens that every sort
Of tree Is found In the TERRA caliente OF
Mexico. Those valuable for timber ana
those famous for fruit plants OF every
description: palms innumerable, tern
trees. flowers, vines, and grasses hlsh
as a mans head, cover the hills ana
valleys with wealth Of bloom and YER
2ure.
Leaving Mexico City for Tabasco we
passed between two snowy peaks INTO
the gardens OF Orlzaba and through
the coffee groves of Cordoba down to
the palms that shade the beach at vera
Cruz Here we took a Spanish steamer
for Frontera. the port Of Tabasco Inc
less said Of this voyage the better. All
who take IL would like to forget II as
soon as possible. Foul-smelling, ill-kept
and overloaded. the ship, though safe
and strong, never reaches port too soon
for It's passengers
SOME BEAUTIFUL sPoTs.
Frontera, 20 hours from Vera Cruz,
IL q beautiful port with green lawns,
laurel shaded streets and tile rooted
houses. Here we were initiated into the
mysteries OF the favorite Tabsacan bev-
erage, water drunk from the green CO.
coanut II Is certainly delicious.
From Frontera we went by steamer
up the Usamacinta and Grijalya rivers
TO San Juan Bautista, the capital OF
the state. II Is no doubt the prettiest
city IN the republic not even excepting
orizaba. Here we formed the acqualn-
tance Of Tabsaco and some OF her most
distinguished citizens. II IL n place OF
opulence, four-fifths OF the people be-
ing well-to-do, and a multl-mllllonaire
Is pointed out for each thousand OF the
10 900 inhibitants. Being the center OF
trade as well az the capital OF a rich
agricultural state San Juan has long
ranked as one Of the most prosperous
cities In the republic.
TABAscos Low DEATH RATE.
Moreover, Tabasco, In spite Of It's lati-
tude, and proximity to the coast, Is said
10 have the lowest death rate OF any
section Of tropical America, Its health
fulness IL attested. not only by statis-
tics, but by the number OF very old peo-
pie who have lived there all their lives.
The temperature. while hot as rule,
rarely sends the mercury over the %
mark. II so happened, owing TO a re-
cent "norther." that we suffered from
the cold almost every night we spent In
the state.
RICH SUGAR DISTRICT.
From San Juan we took steamer on
the Mescalapa river TO Cardenas near
the head Of the Rio Seco. or Dry River.
which Is the highest and most produc-
tive section OF the state. Here we were
entertained by the "Jefe Politica," or
head man OF the canton, a very pleas
ant gentleman, who furnished US
guides and horses for such tours Of in
yestlgation as we cared 10 make TO sur
rounding plantations We visited sew
erai sugar factories, including one
owned and operated by the Sastre Bros.
who have turned sugar cane into sew
eral millions OF dollars. They were ed
roated In the states. speak excellent
English, and live like princes.
They raise an average Of 50 tons OF
cane 70 the acre at cost OF about one
silver dollar per ton, manufacture II In
10 sugar at the rate Of $50 pounds 20 the
ton AT an expense Of ~ cents, silver
rer pound. They sold this seasons run
while we were there. for u cents a
pound. With 400 acres In cane II can
be seen that they are making money.
CULTIVATED RUBBER TREES.
on another plantation belonging to a
member OF the family we found 10000
cultivated rubber trees Ave and six
years old as large as trees In the Tux
tepec rubber belt II OF u years old. The
owner has no immediate intention Of |
tapping this grove, but has invested