The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-07-20
PROGRESS OF
PORTO RICO
Commercially and Otherwise,
Future of Island Promising
Population 1000, 600

n very interesting person 10 taIk
to is AL Berg, who was In the city
for short time Saturday in the in
terests of the Porto Rico Cigar COM
pany, manufacturers OF high-grade
cigars and planters of tobacco and
coffee. Mr. Berg is the resident part
ner in this company, and spends most
of his time in the United States, al
though he makes frequent trips to
the island of Porto Rico. The COM
pany is an old established one, and
their products have a general sale
and an enviable reputation through
out the east. their cigars and the
popular Ponce de Leon" coffee be-
ing known in all the New England
states.
Our plantations comprise the orig
inal estate of Ponce de Leon, who was
the first governor of the island OF
Porto Rico" said Mr.. Berg to a Sil
yer State reporter Saturday. I'VE
raise everything common to this trop-
zeal spot, but devote our energies
mainly to the production of choice
coffee and tobacco. We have three
of the largest cigar factories on the
island. the principal one being To-
Gated at Areclbo; we manufacture
icrty-tive branos of cigars. running
IN price as hign as $125 per thousand.
in all we employ over eight hundren
lands. Labor is. of course. more rea-
scnable than in the states. Our sell
ing territory is being increased rap
ioiy, and Is spreading to the west.
"Ine island of Porto Rico is not
only valuaDle commercially, but it il
getting to be one of the most de-
slraDie spots in which to live OIL
the globe. 1t is about 100 miles long
and thirty-seven miles wide. The
population is now close to 1,000, ,00v
there has been some increase from
immigration, and the increase in the
oirth rate is also noticeable for the
,asl few years. The sanitary condi-
Cions of the island are great.
proved, and this great work is due
TO the energy and judgment shown by
GOV. HUNT. he has devoted most OF
ais time to the improvement of the
lsiand, and there has been a marked
decI ease in the death rate and sick
ness that formerly existed.
Il know Of no place in the world
that has a brighter future, viewed
from a commercial standpoint, than
the island OF Porto Rico. At the ex-
piration of the five years during
which Spain was allowed under the
terms of the Paris treaty to send heI
product free of duty to the island, or
about two years hence, there will be
the products OF the United States, and
more especially of the Pacific states,
che volume of which can hardly be
over estimated. l think that is one
of the greatest inducements leading
the Gould, Clark and other railroad
interests to force these trans-con-
tinental lines through to the coast.
they have their plans set to be in a
position to get the benefit of this
increased trade with the islands.
The people OF the island Of Porto
Rico are contented. Industrious and
prosperous. They are loyal to the
government of the United States. and
have the highest regard for Governor
Eunt. There are. as is well known,
no tariff regulations so far as the
United States is concerned: the
amount of the imports from the states
is very great indeed, but it is, as
have said. now small compared with
what it will be when the term pre-
scribed In the Paris treaty expires,
and the people are through with buy
ing from Spain"
S-