The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-30
INDUSTRY
IN HONDURAS

Consul Claude l. Dawson, Puerto
Cortes, writes
Several years ago the government
of Honduras granted to an American
corporation a concession of several
thousand acres of land to the west
ward on Puerto Cortes, in the richest
section of the north coast, for estab-
fishing an immense banana plantation.
The property was named Cuyamel
Plantation. Large sums were spent
without commensurate results. After
an Improbable experience the prop
erty was sold to the principal owners
of a steamship line operating from
Mobile, Ala, for about $4,000, which
was small fraction of the actual ex-
penditure. sr. '~t. ~t.
During the past year the new own
ers. have spent some $25GOOO in cul-
tivation and construction, and bananas
are now growing on 300 acres. When
these are in. full bearing the manager
estimates an average production of
II lunches per acre per month, and
therefore within six months he ex.
poets to ship at least $4,000 punches
of fruit a month. Whereas the trans.
portation company is now buying the
bulk of its cargoes from various plant
ers, this one plantation will supply
cargoes equal to the full carrying cap
acity of its ships and thus put the
company on an Independent and self
supporting basis.
Cattle MISUNDERSTANDING Posi-
blIities.
The original plantation as purchas-
ed by the new owners (Which included
a considerable acreage under long
lease from private owners) embraces
nearly 1900 acres. Some 81 900 acres
have been added by announcement
from the government; and in Sep.
TENDER, 1911, a cattle ranch of 10000
acres, stocked with 1900 head of mar
ketable cattle, has been acquired.
While this last-named property is
some distance in the interior, and is
not contiguous to the main FARM. it
is within easy reach of the principal
settlement. No announcement has
been made of the real motive for the
purchase of this ranch, but in addi-
ton to furnishing an unfailing beef
supply for the large number of plan
tatiOn operatives, it's reputation as one
of the best ranches in country fast
becoming famous for it's fine cattle
leads to the belief that when Hon.
duran cattle are admitted to the Am
erican market it will become one of
the first and largest exporters.
The original acreage and a portion
of the denounced lands skirt the sea
coast. They embrace the finest ba-
mana field in Honduras now available
for development. A recent eXamina-
ton by experts also disclosed the fact
that a LARGE percentage is excellent
sugar land, the knowledge of which
may materially affect the future oper-
ations of the owners; for up to this
time the cultivation of bananas has
been the sole aim. , Nevertheless, it'll
has long been recognized that Hon
duran soil produces fine quality Of
sugar cane, and that vast areas are
available for such development. Such
an enterprise would of course mean
the erection of factories Or "centrals'
for grinding cane, which woLlo count
far more than banana cultivation in
the permanent industrial upbuilding
of the country
How a Plantation Is Managed.
In the meantime greater acreage IS /
being devoted to bananas, and the
manager anticipates within a year or
two a production of 100000 punches
annually. The headquarters of Cuya-
mel Plantation is a settlement bear
ing the same name, miles direct
from the seacoast and connected there
with by a standard-gauge railroad be-
longing to the enterprise.
Here the general manager and his
corps of competent and practical field
assistants make their headquarters
and domicile in separate quarters pro
vided by the management Mechanics
and farm and railroad laborers, with
their families, are also furnished quar-
tiers. Schoolhouses are being built for
native children and those OF foreign |
employees, and competent instructors .
will be engaged The company main
tains a dispensary in charge OF an
American physician of wide expert |
enoe in Central America An up-to- /
date commissary is constantly stock
ed with fresh supplies, wearing ap-
paTel, etc. In fact, the management |
proposes to extend every possible con
venience and comfort to its employees. .
At its request and expense the gov
eminent details a commandant and |
force of soldiers to maintain order on |
the plantation, the present population
of which aDprOXimates 2O00 persons |