The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-10-14

~O HAT the European war mas us
turbed the economic and COM
mercial situation in practically
every civilized country in the
world is fact well known to
everyone at all conversant with
international trade conditions. Natu-
rally the republics of the western
hemisphere are no exception. Every
one of them has felt the disastrous eff
fects, but not in equal nor even in
proportionately equal measure. Nearly
all of them have experienced a large
diminution in csaieir export trade, and
consequently decrease in purchasing
power and resultant diminution in
their imports. One remarkable ex-
ception is the Dominican Republic,
says the Bulletin of the Pan-American
union. That little country enjoys the
distinction of having sold more of
it's products, in point Of value, TO the
outside world during the year 1914
than it did during 1918. The in
creased value of its exports was only
$11S,840, but that it should have in
creased it's sales at all is an astound-
ing fact It's purchases from other ma
tions during the year were consider
ably less, but the net result is that
the country has made a material
financial gain.
The Dominican Republic is one of
the smallest of the American repub-
lies. with an area of about 1925
square miles. This is nearly equal
to tho ccnbined areas of New Hamp-
shire and Vermont. 1t has a popula-
ton of between six and seven hundred
thousand inhabitants. Haiti Is the
adjoining republic and the two to-
gether comprise the island called by
the first Spanish discoveries "Isla Es-
pamela" and now sometimes called
'Santo Domingo" and sometimes
Haiti" Within the limits of what is
now the territory of the Dominican
Republic was located by Columbus the
first settlement of Europeans in the
new world. This settlement was
called Isabella" after the queen of
CASTLE, the friend and patroness of
Columbus. The first Spanish settle
ment, like Jamestown, the first Eng
lish settlement, no longer exists ex-
cept as a ruin In fact, isabella"
disappeared a few years after its
foundation. The modern city of Puer-
to Plata is located near the former site
OF the old settlement. The oldest ex-
listing settlement of Europeans in the
western world is likewise located in
the Dominican Republic. This is the
capital city, Santo Domingo.
= One of Worlds Richest Spots.
The Dominican Republic, in fact
the whole island, is naturally one of
the richest spots in the world. The
soil is remarkably fertile and pro-
duces luxuriously. On the, north
coast, in the province of Monte Cristi,
near the Haitian border, the soil is
we'll adapted for cotton raising. and
there is a very considerable acreage
devoted to this industry, backed by
cotton is of fine quality, and the
yield per acre is much greater than
that in our southern states.
Puerto Plata, an important port of
the north, is a town of some 10000 or
10000 inhabitants, connected by
railway, running south, with the
towns of the fertile Caibo region
Santiago de los Caballeros, La Vega,
and Moca. These towns are located
in the great agricultural regions of
the republic, where the famous cacao
bean is cultivated. Tobacco also is
grown to considerable extent. and
has had until recently a ready market
in Hamburg. Other ports of impor-
lance are SANTANA and Sanchez, in the
beautiful SANTANA bay. This bay is
famous for its size and picturesque
scenery. It is about Is miles long by
s miles wide, with depth Of
water sufficient to float the largest bat
tleships. Our North Atlantic squad
ron has frequently gone there for ma
neuvers. At the entrance to the
bay is the town of SANTANA, and at the
head is Sanchez, connected with the
interior by the Sanchez & Moca rail-
way, a Scotch enterprise, for a dis
lance of 40 miles.
San Pedro de Macoris is the sugar
port of the republic. In and around