The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1909-01-23
HOSTING E7NE TONS az CHNE

Prior TO the war with Spain Ameri-
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. 1t
is only ten years since the island
came under the control of the United
States, and in that time Americans
have settled in the island and are now
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-
clally in the coast regions, We're oper.
atet 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 a 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
t9poai for hn, fna
tie or nothing was ever heard of her
production of sugar
To-day on nearly every estate the
old mills have fallen into disuse or
have been dsmantled, the rollers used
In road making and the pans for cattle
TO drink from, for sugar making by In
diyiduals is thing of the past.
American companies have estab
lished what are known as "centrals
and have made it for the interest of
plantation owners to send their cane
there to be made into sugar These
companies have established railroads
with branches running into all estates
TO bring the cane quickly and easily tc
the mills.
IN most cases the central" has q
general supervision over the estates
with inspectors who advise the latest
methods of cane culture, install irriga
Oon systems, encourage the opening oi
new lands, often forwarding money fol
such work, and in general promote the
culture Of more and better cane.
Besides owning several plantations
some OF the larger 'centrals" gather
and grind the cane from 60 or more
Plantations extending along the coas
sometimes for 80 or 40 miles and far
back into the mountains.
The advantage to the plantation
owner is very evident In that his wOrl
and responsibility end when his cant
is 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 elab
orate method of sugar making more
than makes up for the division O.
profits
These sugar houses are equipped
Will lIt latest anu pest HldtillflN y
No expense is spared in this respect
for by the saving of even the smalles
percentage of additional sugar th,
amount saved in the manufacture 0
a seasons crop, often $4,000 tons o
more, is enormous
Connected with the sugar houses arr
laboratories with a corps Of chemists
who by continued analysis at ever.
stage in the process of manufacture
control il SO that the maximum amour
Of sugar is obtained. and the finished
produc' is kept up to the standard de
sired by the refuers in the ".tates
This process of manufacturing TIL
sugar occupies ftom six 10 eieh
months in the ye3r, the rest Of th'
time being given ~ TO repairs and i'm
pToyements.
With the excep.ion OF the laborers
who are OF course natives thege places
are operated by Americans, and du:ins
the grinding season you find many col
onies OF them situated far from n,
cities in the midst of the cabe coun
trr. So.ae men holding positions whicl
demand their attention the year ~0unr
have settled with their families a
thase centrals but for the nDss par
thosa required bg. for the busy scasoI
~ north for the rest of the tma
Were the social and climatic co-4i
lions are more agreeable
TIE social life i- 0t course Epry ltu