Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-25

222.o43 acres Of cane on Nipe bay. Cuba
with mill which produced 30.4S7. $50
pounds of sugar and 1.05S.O67 gallons OF
molasses in the year 1908.
At Bocas del Toro. in the republic OF
Panama, during the year 1903. the com
pany acquired $500 additional acres OF
banana trees, and built 43 miles of rail-
way, large concrete wharf and steel
| warehouse. substituted several steel
bridges for temporary trestles, and added
! five locomotives and over 200 cars to its
| railway equipment. In Costa Rica 1t .ac-
quired 2,1oO more acres chiefly planted
with bananas. built eight miles Of new
railway and S miles of tramway through
the banana farms, and increased its
| equipment by six locomotives and zoo
freight cars.
In Guatemala 1t Increased its banana
plantations by 1900 acres, built IL miles
IF railway. erected a number Of farm and
commissary buildings and extended its
merchandise business.
In Jamaica 1t purchased new estate
OF 74S acres. and built nine miles of tram
way; In Santo Domingo, 300 acres of new
bananas were brought under cultivation
and sawmill and several new buildings
were erected.
At Santa Marta, Colombia. four miles
OF railway track were laid through the
company's banana field. 800 acres Of new
land were put under cultivation and go
acres more were cleared for planting
bananas.
To summarize. the betterment expendi-
lures of the company for 1908. according
to the official report. have resulted in a
net addition to it's holdings Of 2 700 acres
of land. 5000 acres of bananas. 1900 acres
of cane. 800 acres of pasture and about
1000 acres Of newly cleared land to be
planted i'm bananas or cane. Forty-three
miles Of railway and sixty one miles Of
tramway were added to the transporta-
ton: the equipment was increased by
twelve locomotives and 400 freight cars,
and 500 head of cattle were added to
the live stock belonging to the company.
Judging from these facts, which were
taken from the annual report Of the COM
pany, the banana trust had a fairly good
year.
Steamship Business Prosperous.
The steamship business was equally
prosperous. Tho company owns thirteen
steamers, ranging from 1900 to 1000
tons. all under foreign flags and most OF
them built at Belfact. Four are fifteen
years old. three are ten. years old and six
are brand-new. each of 5000 tons, built in
1908 and brought over in October. Three
more Of the same design and tonnage are
expected In April Each OF these steamers
has a capacity Of 125 f1rst-class passen-
gers. 1000 toninof cargo. dead weight
and 10000 bunches Of bananas One line
leaves New Orleans every Saturday for
Puerto Barios. Guatemala; Puerto Iimon,
costa hlcd. ana COlOn, Pananra.
Another line leaves New Orleans every
Thursday for Belize, British Honduras
Puerto Barios. Guatemala: Puerto Cortez,
Honduras. and Livingston, Nicaragua.
There Is a steamer from New York
every Thursday for Jamaica, Panama,
Guatemala and British Honduras. and
every fortnight from New York to Kings
ton. Jamaica.
There is a steamer from Philad alpha
every Thursday to Jamaica, and one from
Baltimore to Jamaica every Wednesday,
while a steamer leaves Boston every
Thursday for Costa Rica-
| These steamers carry over general mer-
chandise, principally lard. bacon, ham,
-four and other food products. railway
supplies, hardware and manufactured
goods. Mr.. Ellis, the manager Of the
company in this city, tells me that there
has been an increase of about 10 per cent
| per year since the company has been
doing business until last year. when there
was a considerable falling off on account
Of the panic. although 1t Is difficult to
understand how a financial panic In this
country should affect the purchasing pow
err of the people of Central America. Mr..
| Ellis tells me also that New Orleans Is
| getting large part of the -four trade in
Contra America and down On the west
coast which was formerly enjoyed by