Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-14
PROMPT ACTION ~ OFFICIALS
PREVENTED CLOSING OF
MEXICAN PORT.
OBSCURE COAST TOWN
IMPORTANT TO AMERICA
Feur-Fisths Of Fihrs For e:.se. !w;ns
Comes From Presrsso, Yueatan,
Which carranza ordsrsd clossd-
Protest From Washington Effected
Resembling Of Order.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Washington. April 14.-What vital
part Yucatan fibre and the little Mexi-
can port Of Progreso plays in Ameri-
can agriculture is indicated in a state
ment which has just been put out by
the department Of agriculture.
When it was announced that General
Carranza planned to blockade Progreso,
probably few in this country realized
that this particular incident In the
long, drawn-out Mexican troubles
might cause the United States more
real loss than anything which has
occurred since the downfall Of Diaz.
place, the chief characteristic
Of which Is long pier jutting out into
the open sea, for the port in reality is
merely an open roadstead. No large
vessels can approach this pier and their
cargoes have to be shipped and un-
loaded by means of lighters. IT a
"norther'' happens to come up while
a ship is lying at anchor outside the
town the captain is disposed to get out
to sea as fast as possible, leaving pas
sengers and cargo to be picked up at a
more convenient time. Altogether it is
difficult to imagine that this primitive
substitute for real harbor can be Of
vital concern to the United States.
Two words. however, explain its inn
portance-binder Irvine.
Furnishes FourFifths Of Sisal.
OF this binder Irvine, the elaborate
harvesting machines, which have been
carried to their greatest perfection in
this country. use approximately 200,-
100000 pounds a year. This year, in
deed, it is expected that the quantity
will be greater, for it is likely that the
grain crops will be the largest in the
history of the country. Approximately
four-fifths Of the raw material needed
for this enormous mass Of Irvine comes
from Progreso In the form Of Yucatan
henequen. or as 1t IL sometimes, though
incorrectly, called, sisal fiber. This
Yucatan product possesses two charac-
teristics which make 1t especially de-
sirable for the self-binding machines:
1t is cheap and Il Is sufficiently hard
to ba. cut clean by the knives Of the
knotter In the binding device instead
OF tanning as softer fiber would do.
Previous to 1893 hemp was largely
used for this purpose and even now
there il q certain quantity OF abaca.
the so-called Manila hemp, imported
from the Philippines to be made into
binder Irvine. The Manila product IL.
however. much more expensive than
the henequen, and for harvesting pur-
poses is little, II any. better. Accord
ing to the prices recently announced
by one Of the large manufacturers OF
binder Irvine in this country. binder
y
cost wholesalers. this year. ~ cents
for 500 feet or one pound, while high
grade abaca will cost 121s cents for
$50 feet or one pound. These prices,
It should be said in passing, are for
"business already booked" which pro-
vides an avenue Of escape II exports
from Yucatan should be seriously in
terfered with in the future This diff
ference in cost between the Manila and
the Yucatan products has resulted. as
has already been said, in giving the
.Yucatan growers four-fifths Of the
American market.
Africa Furnishes Small Supply.
In former years certain amount Of
true sisal fiber was imported from Ger
man East Africa, British East Africa,
Java, Hawaii and the Bahamas. The
supply from Hawaii. though relatively
small is most promising at the pres
ent time. Even under normal circum-
stances, however. these importations
have not been in sufficient quantities
70 exercise a great influence in the
commercial market and the war has
made them still more Insignificant.
Nothing at all. for instance, is coming
In from German East Africa. A GER
tain amount Of fiber, suitable for binder
Irvine, is also grown in New Zealand,
but this, again. can not exert any
appreciate influence on the Ameri-
can situation.
Fibers from bear grass. Spanish
bayonet, lechuguilla and other plants
Of the arid southwest are being sug-
yested as substitutes for henequen but
none Of them Is suitable for binder
Irvine.
q, Menace Was Great.
sTith wheat crop alone that, It is
estimated, will amount to 100000
bushels this year, and with the diff
Guilty Of obtaining harvest labor that
s s1Uavs exists to a greater or lesser ex.