The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1907-12-20

The freight rate from California TO Cnl-
cago is 90 cents per box and to New
York 81. From Havana the freight rate
is 80 cents To New York. together with a
duty of 56 cents, making the cost 30
cents from Cuba against 81 from Cali
fornia, and remember that there is no
irrigation required 10 Cuba and no dan
ger of freeze as in Florida. This Gu
ban land can be purchased today at
from $50 to t75 per acre. Why the diff.
ference between Cuba and Californian
Simply this, its value is unknown. But
wait five or ten years until Cuban land
becomes known and the general public
finds out what car be produced and
there will be decided change in val
ues.
! brought home with me and have on
exhibition 10 Mr.. Tyler's window three
grape fruit OF the Walters variety pick
ed from one branch of a tree in my
grove at Los Indios, Isle of Pines, that
had been planted but 10 months. Each
fruit measured over Ii inches in circum-
ference at time Of picking. l also
brought pineapple purchased on the
Isle of Pines weighing l01a pounds.
Mr.. Rogers from whom purchased this
pine had sold over 81 900 worth from
less than an acre this season and from
no better land than can be purchased
anywhere on the island. / saw peach
tree OF a Florida variety on the planta-
ton of j. A. Miller of Nuava. Corona,
former Michigan man, planted Is months,
that measured 81 inches at the lower
limbs and l01a inches at the ground.
IL bore luscious peaches in July, when
l3 months old, and is now again in full
bloom. The raising Of peaches is an
experiment there and the tree does not
seem to know at what season it should
bear fruit, SO it goes ahead and fruits at
any old time. There are many expert.
ments being made with different fruits,
olives, grapes and many others, to see
what can be done with them, and time
only will tell, but you can rest assured
that the American will know what will
and what will not grow and why.
We had an opportunity OF visiting
Herradura, an American colony 80 miles
west of Havana, Cuba. This colony has
about 100 American families colonized
by the Herradura Land Co., of which
Mr.. Johnson, before mentioned is pres
dent They have some very fine groves
of citrus fruits, of which Prof. Earl,
formerly OF the experiment station In
Cuba, has charge. Their groves are in
the highest state of cultivation of any
that | saw while on the island 1t was
here that Mr.. Downing became captivat
ed and could not resist the temptation
to own an orange grove as we'll as Sc
curing options on some tracts for his
friends. Most of the settlers have groves
from one TO two years Old and while they
are waiting for the groves To mature are
raising tobacco and vegetables for the
New York market. This colony seems
to be very prosperous. There is good
mercantile opening at this point for some
live man wiz b a capital of four or five
thousand dollars.
On returning to Havana | found
letter from Capt. IL. ID. Thomson OF
the u. 5 army, an old time friend and
physician from Albion. The captaiu
has been in the army since the Spanish
war and is now at the head of the SAM
tary department in the city of Havaua
as well as being one of the yellow fever
experts in Cuba. Ia fact, the method
used for DISCRIMINATING the mosquito
that carries the yellow fever, is called
the Thomason system, being inaugurated
by him. Through the courtesy of the
doctor we met many of the prominent
army officials and had an opportunity To
see some Of the inside workings and
what the Americans are doing on the is.
land as we'll as a peep at the political
situation. One of the great improve
meuts made by Gov Magoon is the mil
itary roads througout Cuba and the Isle
of Pines These roads are built OF gravel
and stone with cement culverts and are
costing on an average of 81, 500 per mile.
They are practically without square
turns so that if Uncle Sam ever has oc
casion to turn his troops loose on the is
land they will be able to make double
quick time. There has already been over
Sl00000OO appropriated this year for
roads and harbors. The Cuban govern.
ment is supported by her import duties,
they amounting to over S25,000,OO0 per
anuum, so that the direct tax is yer,
light The purchaser of and pays tax
of per cent at the time of purchase
No other tax is required until he re-
ceives revenue from the land AMI this is
very nominal ak. making things very
favorable for the land owner.
i talked with number Of residents of
the Isle OF Pines relative to United
States ownership of the island. As most
of our readers perhaps know, this island
was supposed at one time to be Amer
can territory In fact, it is yet an unset
tied matter, but the people in general
are satisfied with the present state of
affairs from the fact that the country j.
being improved with Cuban money, and
from the present outlook by the time
the roads are built and the country put
in shape the island will come to the
United States, together with Cuba
They consider the export duties they are
paying now would be more than offset
by taxes on their land if they we're
forced TO make the improvements now
being done by the Cuban government
1t is estimated that there are over $780,.
100000 of American and English money
in the Cuban territory that the United
States government has agreed to protect
In what other way can the government
protect this thau to stay with il? The
Cuban realizes this and the better com
mercial class and those of the Palma
type look forward to the annexation of
the island General Carlos Veles re-
Gently visited President Roosevelt and
was informed by him that the A meric ans
would leave Cubs just as soon as the
Cubans formally requested 1t | asked
y prominent army official, one standing
close to the governor what he thought