The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-19
A department store in the
tropics, Hayti.

The trains run at irregular inter-
walls and the accommodations are very
poor. / remember meeting an Ameri
can and his wife. very proper people
from Connecticut, who attempted to
ride inland on one OF these railroads
TO visit a relative who was a Consul.
There was only one passenger car on
their train. which car was exceedingly
crowded; for, in addition to the regular
travel which had been accommodating
for some days. what should pile in az
the last moment but an italian opera
troupe containing from twenty TO
thirty jolly girls.
As there were about twice as many
people in the car as there were seats,
the getting seated caused commotion,
but This was nothing to what happened
at the first stop. Here a good natured
bull fighter, full OF liquor. with n re-
volver and a belt filled with cartridges,
boarded the train and insisted upon
having a seat. There was no objec-
ton on the part OF the passengers to
his having a seat: and. in fact. all
rose at once 10 give him a seat.
But his kindheartedness seemed to
come 10 the front, and he insisted that
every n else should sit down. I'm
fortunately. under the circumstances
the passenger were not all so willing
10 sit down as they were to rise. bu;
he was determined that every n
should have a seat, n thereupon
threatened to shoot any one who stood
up. cannot tell the story as did the
poor Connecticut lady. who had never
before been out of New England; but
between his threatening 10 shoot every
one who stood up and to hug every
one who sat down. in addition 10 the
fact that the trip consumed nearly a
whole day, II was a day OF great ex-
element on this national railroad OK
IIayti. Now. 10 more serious subjects.
do not like to tell about the oppor-
tunit!es for getting gold, silver and
precious stones In any country. My
experience along mining lines has been
that when a man has set out TO find
such things he has not obtained them,
while they have been found by one
who was not looking FOR them. II is,
however, generally admitted that
Hayti IL the richest undeveloped min
eral country in the world at the pres
ent time. Very little mining is being
carried on there. and yet natives are
continually bringing from h noun
tains nuggets Of gold and excellent
specimens of silver, copper and iron
ore.
{ Certainly Columbus found gold on
the island. while the Spnniards, working
l.. Ia. .,l Ha, .,rrt.l So. ,,t1
lions of dollars worth OF the precious
metal. Therefore. there must be ire
mendous opportunities for mining on
the island OF Hayti. However. what
is o~verground appeals to me more than
) what Is underground. I was espe-
cially impressed with the virgin for
ests which contain all the most valu-
able kinds Of wood. Mahogany is COM
mon. and in addition may he found
cedar, logwood. flstic, rubber, %resinous
pine and dyewood.
Still Haytis possibilities do not rest
with her mining and timber prospects
alone. The greatest asset OF his
island, to my mind, il the wonderful
soil-luam extending from one to two
feet deep. In this loan almost any
thing can be grown. Tropical fruits
and vegetables OF every description
may be raised on this island,
Not only is the soil perfect but by
going to different elevations almost
any kind Of climate can be enioyed.
Tropical products such as coffee and
Cocoanuts can be raised In the low
lands; fruits requiring less heat, such
as oranges, grapefruit. &c. can he
raised on the higher lands, while in
the mountains strawberries, sweet POI
tatoes II even cabba ges and potatoes
grow with wonderful luXuriance. I
saw potatoes which We're so large that
| could barely lift them. However.
the principal products now are sugar
cane. cacao. CoCoanuts. coffee, vanilla
and tobacco.
Hayti also enjoys a splendid eli
mate, the temperature varying from
20 to so degrees throughout the year;
Il Is hot IN the sur but always cool in
the shade. while the ever present
trade winds blow continually across
the island. 1t therefore seems To me
that So far as natures gifts are con-
corncd this island is the garden spot
of the world. Certainly II must have
been SO when nan found It, and the
only sore spots on i to-day are those
made by the hand OF man.
Not only is this island rich In soil
and climate, with "A fair amount OF
! rainfall, but 1t is blessed with a num-
Der of excellent harbors. The great
out about South America, especially
the northern coast, is the lack of good
harhors, This also applies to Central
America and many of the Islands Of
the West Indies group
The Islands OF Cuba and Hayti.
however, possess some Wonderful
natural harbors, although In the case
Of Hayti only a very few Of these
have in any way hcen developed. |,
seems almost a dream, hut here a
short distance from New York is this
Island with wonderful hnrhors settled