Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-09

lean hands. Some OF this property has
changed owners several times, but the
awaiting development or colonization by
small farmers.
Americans Own Vast Estates.
Ildeed nearly all the sales so far made
ara in thousands of acres. The eastern
part of the island, where most of the sales
have been made, is divided up into large
tracts, the holdings ranging all the way
from one thousand to seventy-f1ve thousand
acres more. Some of these estates have
been in the hands of families for genera
ticns; and, when sold, they must go as
whole The Cuban, who has ten thousand
acres. does not like TO sell fifty-acre or
even a five hundred-acre strip. He may be
willing to sell five thousand acres in order
to get enough money to develop the re-
naming five thousand. but, as a rule, he
wants to sell outright, and that for cash or
on short time This has resulted in the
Ar erican purchasers being syndicates or
individuals of large means. | venture that
ten thousand of the thirteen thousand pur-
chases have been of this nature. Most Of
the transfers are for thousands of acres,
and the average sale price represents
large sum.
About Nipe bay a tract of one hundred
and eighty thousand acres of some of the
best lands of Cuba was bought five years
ago by Mr.. Hippolyte Dumois for himself
and other parties connected with the
tDlteu Fru1j company OF Boston. his
has been divided, Mr.. Dumos and his i'm
mediate associates taking forty thousand
acres. and the balance going to the Nipe
Bay Company, an association of New Eng
land capitalists which will invest millions
In sugar mills and plantations. I have al
ready described the banana, pineapple, cof-
fee. cacao orange and sugar plantations
upon the Dumos purchase which in full
bearing l am told will bring in something
like a million dollars year.
In that same vicinity several other large
tracts are for sale. They contain from
forty to sixty thousand acres each. and
must be bought as a whole the largest re-
quirng at least half million dollars to
/ buy it. Once in the hands of Americans.
these lands may be divided into small
tracts for colonNts. If so. they will be
sold from $50 and upwards per acre instead
of so.
Big Tracts Cheap.
Indeed about the only cheap land In
Cuba is in large tracts. 1t is easier to
| buy a 1e,OOO-acre farm than one of 200
| acres, and in the New Cuba, which means
| the large territory opened up by the Cuban
| railroad, almost everything is sold that
| way. Hundreds of Americans are quietly
| travelling over this island picking up the de-
| sirable plots and holding them for specula-
| ton or further development. There are
| real estate agents in the cities who have
such tracts for sale, and good lands can be
bought in big blocks at from 81 an acre and
| upward. The same lands, when divided
| and coionized, will be worth $50 or more
| per acre.
| have before me the lists of several OF
| the American real estate agents showing
| their properties and prices. / do not men
| ton names. but merely quote some items tc
| give a general idea OF the prices asked
| Here Is tract of 13,00D acres In Santa
Clara province which has go acres of cane
| on It,. 1t Is for sale at IS per acre. On the
| same page Is tract of 10 600 acres, includ
ing 1900 acres of guinea grass. at 81 80 pei
| acre. The most of this tract is in woods
/ but 1t is described as rich land, suitab.t
| for sugar cane. On another page l see q
| tract OF $1,000 acres offered at s. per acre
| and one of 11000 acres ut $4,000. Further
on is tract of a.ec0 acres at 81 per acre
/ This lies the north COST and adjoins
one of the best-kEoyszos tie american col