The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-12-07

"The mushroom towns of our great
West wern't bit more remarkable
than those Of American growth which
at present are springing up all over
Cuba" said Charles L. Hall.
Hir. Hall has just returned from
Cuba, where he owns plantation on
the outskirts Of one Of the largest of
these American towns il Cuba. 1t
is town with broad streets, school,
church, banks and business places,
which stands on spot where not
five years ago there was only q tropical
jungle.
"The5s American towns in Cuba are
not boom towns Mr.. Hall went on.
They represent growth which is
steady, even if it is rapid. The peo-
pie are planters, not prospectors.
Yet fortunes are made practically over
night, though not by discovering gold
mines.
''There was one man who arrived in
our town not three years ago. He
had been planter in Florida, and. the
frost had come, and in one night had
swept away his fortune and his means
of livelihood. When ne landed on
our shore he had his wife, child,
household goods and S25 in cash.
Give dollars Of his money he paid
to have his effects moved from the
pier beyond the town. There he
squatted on bit of vacant land and
built:a palm shack for home.
"He knew everything about plant
ing and raising orange trees, and that
was what he set about doing. To-day
he has his own rplantation, o nice
house and several thousands in bank.
His daughter has her own horse to
ride and all the pretty clothes she
wishes.
'There was another man who came
to our town so poor that he begged
two strawberry plants from a neighbor
with. which to start his garden. That
was only two years ago; yet just be-
fore I left he was digging up straw
berry plants and giving them away
free, simply to thin his beds out.
IT never saw anything like the
strawberries in Cuba-they increase
80 rapidly. The fruit is large and of
I a delicious favor. It ripens first iii
the latter part of December, and the
4 plants continue to bear right on into
4 June.
4 tomatoes are another wonderful
4 crop in ICuba. The plants grow to
4 great size, and bloom and bear con.
q Atinuously for FIVE months. One man
in our town invested his last dollar
Vlin six tomato plants, and he now has
thousands.
I peaches ealso are abundant and
hpineapplss-I never knew what pine
apple really tasted like before I went
Ito Cubal
"It is with an idea of raising
oranges that most Americans buy
plantations in Cuba, and this will
Roubtless become great future in
Rustry in the island. A great many
ho:own orange groves in Florida are
HowE Efocking to Cuba, because frost is
hknown in the island. The next sea-
'n will be the first in which we will
Rve chance to find out just what
Ae orange crop will be.
1t tnkes fully three and half or
pr years for orange trees to bloom.
me of our trees were ready to bear
At year, but the owners went around
nipped the buds. To save the
ength of the tree for season in
fashion improves the fruit in the
IA friend of mine, Who allowed
BE Of his trees to bear in order to
the fruit, picked over thousand
PES from single tree. So we con-
the outlook hopeful.
There are opportunities of all
besides orange raising in Cuba.
rson who could start chicken
there would strike gold mine.
IT town eggs at no time bring less
35 cents a dozen, and the smallest
er costs 75 cents.
grapefruit is another thing which
racting attention among Ameri.
Eiu Cuba.t It seems to thrive ex-
Rtly there, .sa pays well at this
GrapefrE;t trees bear in three
An average tree is found to
poo pieces Of fruit, and box
~ pieces aells in New York for