Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-03-07
[ Ut}
Havana. Feb. 25. 1905.

Havana, Feb. 20, 1905.
I spent two days this week upon
the ranch of the Pinar del Rio COM
pany, near the town of Guanajay
about thirty-f miles from Havana.
This ranch consists Of $500 acres, and
Is owned entirely by Iowa men, the
company being made up of Hon. s. l..
Bows, G. J. Ives, ex-president of the
B. G. R. & N. railway; H. E. Witwer,
a prominent wholesaler; Charles H.
Foy and A. A. Quint These gentlemen
all reside in Cedar Rapids, Ia, except
ing Mr.. Quint, who is superintendent
Of the ranch, and makes his home on
the property. Mr.. Quint was a mem
Der of Company G of the Forty-ninth
Iowa regiment which came to Cuba
under Colonel BOWS during the Span
ish American war. He Is an Iowa
boy, having been born and raised in
the town of Carroll. Mr.. Quint is In.
tensely enthusiastic over the opportun-
tiles for young men and the invest
N emit of capital in Cuba. He prospected
and selected the ranch now owned by
the Pinar del Rio company, and 1t
was through his efforts, aided by Mr..
Foy that the company was organized
and the magnificent property which 1t
now owns was secured. The ranch
comprises four or five different kinds
Of soil, that are adapted mainly to the
production of sugar cane, tobacco,
hogs and cattle. These are the prof
table crops, but the soil is also adapted
to the production of coffee, corn, pota.
toes and all kinds of vegetables, pine.
-hor fr1yif
lemons, lines, guavas, and other fruit.
Guavas grow wild in abundance and
are not only good for hogs and cattle,
but make the finest kinds of preserves
and jellies for table use. Rubber trees
also grow abundantly, and there are
already growing on this plantation 500
Of these trees, which we are informed
will yield from s1.5O to $500 worth Of
crude rubber per tree annually.
A congenIaI Company.
It was a congenial company Of
Iowans that left the Villanueva station
at 58:45 Friday morning bound for
Guanajay, the party consisted Of G..
j. Ives, H. e. Witwer, DR.. ]. H. Smith,
W. H. Frick and Hiram Aldrich, all
Of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the writer.
The prominence of the gentlemen
above named made 1t appear some
what ridiculous, when we were In
formed by Mr. Witwer, who was in
charge Of the party, that nobody but
fools and a few over-rich Americans
rode first class on Cuban railways, and
that this party would do the sensible
thing by buying third class tickets,
and taking seats on the hard wooden
benches Of the third class coach
There is no second class on Cuban
railways. The ex-railway president of
the party was rallied considerably
upon his novel experience Of taking
railroad trip as q third class pay pas.
senger. Two hours ride brought us
to the town of Guanajay where the
party was met by Messrs. Foy and
Quint, and taken in carriages to the
Pinar del Rio ranch, about seven
miles from that city. A portion Of
this drive was along the famous
Trochta the earthwork intrenchment
which was constructed by the Spanish
soldiers during the late war and which
extended entirely across the island
from sea to sea. This entrenchment
was guarded throughout its entire dis
lance by Spanish soldiers, and the pur
pose was to keep the revolutionists
back Of it, combining them to Pinar del
Rio province There was much severe
fighting along the entire line of this
earthwork Arriving at the ranch the
party was greeted warmly by Hon. S.
L. Bows, who had been there for sew.
eral days, and who his many Iowa
friends will be pleased to know is re.
gaining health and strength In this
salubrious elm ate. This great ranch
cost the present proprietors, an aver
age of about $35 per acre. It has a
frontage Of about four miles, and Is
two miles wide. 1t consists of upland
and lowland, and overlooks Mariel
bay, which Is four miles away. The
view from the ranch headquarters
comprising within it's scope valley, sea
and mountain, is exceedingly beautiful.
Stranded on the beach on Mariel Bay
is the black hulk of a Spanish gunboat
which was sunk by the American navy
during the recent war.
Gives Majestic Appearance.
The Royal Palm-not only gives
to the Cuban landscape majestic and
beautiful appearance, but it is tree
Of the greatest practical value and
utility. From it the natives construct
their houses almost entirely. The
small nut, which it produces in large
quantities, is. hog food par-ex.
cellence, and the pith or center of the
top can even be used for food to sus.
tain human life. 1t is stated that the
army Of the revolution subsisted very
largely upon this food during the lat
ter portion of the late war. The houses
that are built from this tree for the use
OF the natives. it is said, can be made
at total cost Of about SIS in cash.
1t Is true that these houses are mere
shelters from rain and sun, and pos
sess none of the comforts nor even
conveniences of the home, but they are
what the average tenant farmer in
this country lives in, and they serve
the purpose for which they are in
tended. However. it is a severe strain
upon the imagination to call such a
shack or shelter by the name of home.
There are no floors, excepting the
ground itself, and no windows. except
ing holes in the side of the wall There