The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1912-05-09
LII Costa Rica Is divided into
two parts, that which Is the
scene of the operations of the
\ United Frnit company, and

~ scene Of the operations of the
United Frnit company, and
that which Is not. The first Is
becoming Americanized; In the sec
ond, European nations now have the
advantage in trade.
In the banana country the fruit COM
pany Is everywhere and as a common
carrier 1t has a powerful influence in
the coffee country. 1t has developed
the Atlantic coast Of Costa RIGA and
probably has done more than any 9TH
er single agent for the prosperity and
commercial development Of this small
republic. Costa RIGA is by far the
most prosperous of all the Central
American republics, and has not had
a successful revolution In more than
80 years, the correspondent OF the
New York Sun. writing from San Jose,
says. Americans living here and Co.'S
ia Ricans are convinced that the abb
sence of revolutions and the prosper
fly of the country are in the nature Of
cause and effect.
The bananas and coffee sent out of
Costa RIGA represent practically the
entire export trade of this country.
The value Of the banana expectations
average about 1000, 600 a year, and
the coffee a little more than half as
much. The fruit company either grows
or buys and transports and sells all
the bananas and carries all the coffee
produced In Costa Rica. In doing
fhaCA thinoe a. hoe dounlNnnH q Uroat
number of side lines Of activity, which
make 1t the great power 1t is in Costa
Rica. These other activities include
railroads, stores, telegraph and tele-
phone systems, light and power plants,
hospital, schools and various forms Of
agriculture and stock raising. In ad-
dition it has its feet Of ships, car
rying both passengers and freight.
Bananas Cost 40 Cents a Bunch.
The company owns owe 100000
acres of banana lands on the Atlantic
seaboard Of Costa Rica. On these
lands it produces about AZ per cent. of
all the bananas grown In the repub-
lie. 1t buys all the bananas that ma
tive growers can produce. The an
nual shipment Is about 10000, 900
punches, bought by the fruit company
at a fixed price Of 80 cents a bunch.
For handling the bananas the company
allows 10 cents a bunch, and the de-
clared export value of a bunch of ba-
nanas is fixed at 40 cents.
The outlet for both the coffee and
the bananas is Port Limon, on the
Caribbean. When Secretary Knox
and his party arrived there recently
there were three steamers In port
awaiting cargoes of bananas.
To tap the banana districts the main
dine Of the railroad, leased and oper-
ated by the United Fruit company IN
der the name of the Costa Rican
Northern railroad, extends from Port
Limon to San Jose, the capital, 1O3
miles distant and 5000 feet above the
sea. Frorl the main line extend a num-
Der Of branches and from these
branches other spurs and tramways,
the whole forming a system Of veins
and arteries for the transportation Of
bananas. Every effort Is made to get
the banana from the tree to the ship
as soon as possible and with the min
dmum of handling.
The main line Is a common carrier
of both passengers and freight. Dis
Icrimination by the fruit company Is
impossible under the terms of its
lease. At Port Limon the company
has built a number Of steel piers from
which the ships are loaded with ba-
nanas and coffee by special machin-
cry. The company has large offices at
Port Limon, and has In addition q
wireless station, a hospital, quarters
Ifor its employees. light and power
plants and wholesale and retail stores.
The Costa Rican government has CO.
operated with the fruit company.
has put In many public improvements
and keeps the city clean. The govern
lment receives a direct. al well as IN
indirect, revenue from the fruit COM
lpany through an export tax of 1 cent
gold upon each bunch OF bananas sent
out of Costa Rica.
The big banana growing districts
practically end in the foothills Of the
mountain range which divides Costa
RIGA, and where bananas stop coffee
begins. The hills and mountains for
more than so miles along the railroad
from Port Limon to San Jose are COW
cred with coffee plantations, many Of
them thousands Of acres in extent.
These are practically all owned by the
Costa Ricans. many of them wealthy.
Costa Rican coffee is considered by
Imany to be the finest In the world.