Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-12

that without q government concession,
without a right Of way and without the
asking of a dollar of the public. 1t was
planned. financed and built by Sir William
Van Horne, who had completed the con-
structfon of the Canadian Pacific, and.
Alexander like, was looking about for other
worlds to conquer. He had come to Cuba
just after the war on his way to British
Guiana where he had interests in gold
mines, and the railroad people here had
taken him over their systems In special
car Sir William never travels without
map. He is a shrewd observer, and as he
rode about over the central and western
provinces he saw the potential wealth of
the island. He realized the profits that
could be made in sugar. tobacco and fruits,
and was impressed with the fertility Of the
soil. In looking at the map he saw that
seven-tenths of Cuba seemed to be unde-
veloped, and that its whole eastern half
had no great railroad and practically no
farms. He asked as to the character of the
land and was told it was fully as good as
that of western Cuba, but that 1t was tnac-
cessible, although a number of railroads
had been planned in the past. and the Span
ish government had once offered to guaran-
tee per cent dividends on the cost of con-
struction If a trunk line were built
The more Sir William investigated the sub
ject the more be became convinced that
such road would be of vast good to Cuba
and that 1t would eventually be a profitable
undertaking. He did not come to this con-
clus1on until he had sent his engineers over
the line on horseback and had Travelled over
the most of 1t himself on horseback and in
wagons.
Quick Financiering.
AS soon as he decided. however, that It
would pay, he started for New York and
there financed the road In less than two
days. He wanted big men, and rich men:
men who would not expect immediate re-
suits, and men who could afford to lose
Fynntx A.:
way He started out to get over 81, 00O. 900
In $4,000 shares. and picked out eighteen
men Of whom he expected to ask $500, 900
each to begin with. These men were
among the leading capitalists of the
United States. They were men ac-
and 1t took but few words to get their
subscriptions. Among them were f. H.
Hartman. James j. Hill. Granville NJ.
Dodge, and others. Sir William had only
richest of all countries, lying in the front
dooryard of the world, with millions of
acres of undeveloped lands, surprising
all others in their ability to raise sugar
tobacco and other money crops. He
showed them that similar lands in Hawaii
costing as high as $500 per acre pay an
interest on the investment, and that these
undeveloped lands could be gotten from
81 to So an acre, and that by the thousands
of acres The map spoke for itself and
there was no trouble in getting the sub
scflpllOHS. InlS was TNe years ago. Since
then almost twice that amount has been
spent, but the trunk line of the road has
been completed. a great harbor opened up
on the biggest and best bay of Cuba,
begun, and a system of development origi-
mated which in time will probably be Of
great profit to the investors.
Building New Railroads in Cuba
The building of the Cuba road was a
wonder. The American syndicate had no
right of way. Cuba was then in charge
of the United States, and the Foraker
amendment forbade that any concession
be granted during the military occupation.
Sir William Van Horne had the Spanish
railroad laws translated, In the hope of
anding a loophole in them that would
enable him to go ahead, but there was
none He then fell back on the common
right of every man to build upon, his own
land. and decided to buy the lands on
which the railroad was to go, from the
center of the island to Santiago. He did
this, and was then only blocked where the
route crossed the public roads, and he
could have the right of way only by con-
sent OF the government He knew, how
ever, that the people wanted the road the
officials wanted 1t, and our government
wanted 1t. and also that no one was likely
to object to what every one wanted. and
that he could therefore build across the
public roads without concession. He
did this, and no one has objected.
He used Cuban workmen to construct the
line, and he says that they are as good
labor as can be found anywhere. It took
some time for the natives to learn to
handle the pick and shovel. but after that
they worked rapidly and conscientiously,
clearing the forests and laying the tracks.
Some Spaniards also were imported from
northern Spain, and the work was done
quickly and well.
Big Sugar Mills.
This is, however, only the first stage in the
davaIonrneuf oF tho autornrice Tho C,,ha