The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1909-01-23
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cans knew little about the island of
Porto Rico, and the island knew little
about its near neighbor, America.
But now that has all been changed. It
is only ten years since the island
came under the control of the United
States, and in that time Americans
nave settled in the island and are now
to be found in almost every industry
there. In fact the chief industries,
such as sugar, tobacco and fruit, are
almost entirely controlled by Ameri-
can capital.
The sugar industry, which is by far
the most important, has had a phe-
nomenal growth in the last decade.
Formerly the plantations, scattered
throughout the island, but more espe-
clal1y IN the coast regions, were oper-
ated Independently The cane was
raised, the sugar was made and was
shipped by each estate. This method, of
course, necessitated a very primitive
and inefficient process. The power
was almost without exception fur
nlshed by oxen operating small set
OF rollers, into which the cane was fed
by hand. The boiling of the juice and
the crystallizing of the sugar was done
In open pans, with the result that a
large percentage of the sugar was not
recovered. Hence Porto Rico became
famed for her fine molasses, while lit
tie or nothing was ever heard of her
production of sugar.
To-day on nearly every estate the
DID mills have fallen into disuse or
have been dismantled, the rollers used
N road making and the pans for cattle
drink from, for sugar making by in
diyiduals is a thing of the past.
American companies have estab-
ished what are known as "centrals''
and have made it for the interest of
plantation owners to send their cane
here to be made into sugar. These
companies have established railroads
with branches running into all estates
Q bring the cane quickly and easily to
he mills.
In most cases the central has a
yeneral supervision over the estates
With inspectors who advise the latest
methods Of cane culture, install irrfga-
ion systems, encourage the opening of
new lands, often forwarding money for
such work, and in general promote the
.ulture of more and better cane.
Besides owning several plantations
some of the larger "centraIs" gather
and grind the cane from 60 or more
extending along the coast
sometimes for 80 or 40 miles and far
back into the mountains.
The advantage to the plantation
owner is very evident in that his work
and responsibility end when his cane
S raised, cut and loaded upon the COM
panies' cars which come by means of
portable tracks into his very fields.
The efficiency of the modern and elah-
crate method of sugar making more
than makes up for the division of
profits
These sugar houses are equipped
with the latest and best machinery.
No expense is spared in this respect,
Tor by the saving of even the smallest
of additional sugar the
saved in the manufacture of
a seasons crop, often $4,000 tons or
more, is enormous.
Connected with the sugar houses are
laboratories with a corps of chemists.
who by continued analysis at every
stage in the process of manufacture
control it so that the maximum amount
Of sugar is obtained, and the finished
product is kept up to the standard de
sired by the ref1ners in the states"
This process of manufacturing the
sugar occupies from six to eight
months in the year, the rest of the
time being given up to repairs and i'm
With the exception CT the laborers,
who are of course. natives, these places
are operated by Americans. and during
the grinding season you find many col
onies Of them situated far from the
cities in the midst of the cane coun-
try. Some men holding positions which
demand their attention the year round
have settled with their families at
these 'centrals.' but for the most part
those required but for the busy season
go north for the rest of the time,
where the social and climatic condi-
tons are more agreeable.
The social life is of course very linn
tied in these places. owing to the fact