Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-11-20
PORTO RIcAN PUBLIC LANDS
1t Is Probable That They VIII SOot
BE Thrown Open and Leased
ON Long Time.

The recent proclamation OF President
Roosevelt designating between $4,000
and loo, 900 acres of land in Porto Rico
10 be set apart as public lands has led
to many inquiries, especially in the
United States, as to what these lands are
worth and how they may be obtained by
individuals. They are worth from five
dollars an acre up to much higher
value. and when cultivated some of
the tracts viii doubtless increase in
worth twentyfold or more, says re-
port in the Washington Star. 1t is not
probable that they will be sold. The
legislative assembly, which will meet
tn January next, will doubtless arrange
10 lease them for long terms, and al
4 low price. the proceeds. under the in
su1ar laws, going to the new University
Of Porto Rico. These leases will be
practically equivalent to the best titles
and will contain provisions for the full
indemnity of lessees who have improves
the property, if ever it becomes neces.
sary for the insular government to use
he land.
The lands soon to be thrown open to
The public may be classified as fol-
ows:
High woody lands, suitable for trees
II valuable wood proper for building
and other purposes, and which lands
are preferred for coffee cultivation; low
bruShy lands, most suitable for fruits
and the cultivation of minor products
and sometimes utilized for planting
sugar cane; craggy lands, good for
small nd ut
ables; broken lands, generally Gov
cred with trees and more Or less adapt.
ed to some sort of cultivation, and lands
d caleareous nature, of which lime
stone is the only product.
There are some level lands, fit fos
he planting of sugar cane, cotton, rice
and rich pasturage.
Argyll and clayish lands are suftablt
.or the manufacture of bricks, tiles. and
other articles or domestic use. There
are also lands on which can be produced
as good tobacco as the best obtained ir
the island of Cuba; it requires only wise
and careful manipulation from the mo
ment of seeding to the sorting, dryfns
and curing process.
AS general rule, most OF all landt
are proper for the culture of fruits, es
pecially oranges, lines, and other va
r1et1es with which the island abounds
Swamps and marshy lands are generally
located near the seashore and the
mouths of the large rivers They art
recoverable and we'll fit for cane plant
ing. Now their only produce is the
mangrove, used for tanning purposes
Of this last class of land there is large
tract between the municipalities Oh
Manatf and Arecfbo, in extent from G, OOt
to 5000 acres, and known as "Cano DE-
Tiburones." 1t is now under survey
and if recovered, it will be ideal LANE
for sugar cane. Plots of lots suitable
for building can be found in the larger
cities like San Juan, Maryaguez, Ponce
and ArecibO.
There are also in Porto Rico many ex
tensions of lands granted by the Span
tsh government on which the holder.
have not seen fit to pay taxes. Other.
are occupied by "squatters," who OWE
no titles, and who, it is generally agreed
should be expelled. AS regards the for
| mer, the insular government will TAKE
some action in the next legislature; ant
as to the latter, an investigation ha,
been started by the inspector of pub
| lie lands, whose work has begun by tbs
| municipality of Manati