The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-12-01
find MINERALS
IN QUANTITIES
IN CUBA MINES

Marvellous stores Of rich iron ore
and copper are contributing to the
prosperity of the Republic of Cuba. 1t
was not until 1884 that American
capital became interested in a small
way in Cuban mines, but no active
operations were begun until the first
American Intervention, says the New
Orleans Daily States. From that
! time dates the real prospecting in Gu
ba, but only a small portion of the
country has been gone over by experts
| In this work.
| Oriente Province is renowned for
its minerals. Two gold mines are
| now being developed IN the vicinity
Of Holguin.
| Iron ore Of the finest quality
abounds throughout the mountainous
section, and in the vicinity Of Mayari
back from the Bay of Nipe, deposits
of high grade ore have been discov-
cred sufficient, it is said, to supply
the demands Of the entire world for
| the next century This industry is
being developed by several American
| companies, the Spanish-American Iron
| company having an immense modern
plant at FELTON,. on Nipe Bay.
In Camaguey Province copper, iron
and manganese ores are found. The
Cubitas mountains, or hills, along the
north coast, and the Portillo Hills in
the southeastern portion Of this prov
ince are known to contain these min
| erals.
Evidences of copper are scattered
|, broadcast in the province of Santa
Clara. A few miles south of the city
of Santa Clara copper ore has been
p1oyed up along the hillsides. The
ridge or hills, lying between the city
of Santa Clara and Manicaragua wall
ley, is perhaps the richest place in
Cuba in copper. Manganese and
iron are found as we'll as gold. Santa
Clara province also has a number of
asphalt deposits, most of which are
located near the north coast.
The Province Of Matanzas on the
north coast appears to be undertake
with asphalt in paying quantities. 1t
is found in the deep water Of the Bay
of Cardenas where vessels have been
known to anchor over the deposits
and load with over 800 tons in a fort
night: in fact the bay appears to be
over a large bed Of asphalt.
| The product that seems to attract
most attention and astonishes even
mineralogists. is that furnished by the
! San Juan mines in the Moten1bo hills
! It is called mother of oil by some and
by others it is given the name on
! naphtha. Thep roduct is as clear as
| spring water. If a little is poured on
! a marble slab it burns when ignited in
| a clear flame until the slab Is dry
| leaving absolutely no residue and ma
| king no smoke. It has the odor of
| naphtha, and possesses all the char
acteristics Of that liquid. These
| wells are located near the western
| line Of Santa Clara.
l. Petroleum is found in MatanzSs
| province, and many wells have been
| drilled. None of them, however,
| have been thoroughly developed.
In the province Of Havana, traces
! Of petroleum have been found, but
| in no such quantities as in Matan-
zas Asphalt also is found throughout
| the central and northern part. The
| product is Of high grade, much of 1t
| yielding 10 per cent. bitumen. Cop
per. manganese, iron and gold mines
| have been located in this section but
have not been developed.
Most Of the minerals in Pinar del
Rio are found in the mountain range.
West Of Mantu and bordering on the
coast, where the surface is of an un-
dulating nature, copper is found and
there are also evidence Of a high
grade Of iron. There are frequent
samples of oil have been obtained in
the vicinity Of Mariel, only a few
miles west Of the city Of Havana. AS
phalt can be found anywhere in the
vicinity of the north coast, from the
eastern boundary o. the province to
the western end of the mountain
range.
The republic Of Cuba ur1doubted-
ly needs a geological survey that
would render searching for minerals
less sporadic than it is at the present,
but until congress or the people, ruby
awaken to the great source OF revenue
which lies beneath her palm covered
foothills and mountains they Will nave
to content themselves with the pro-
miscuous surface scratching which, al
though intermittent and undirected. IS
even now giving promise OF great
things to come. Instead of stalking
claim to a mining property IN CUBA,
it is denounced. In other words
prospector makes a drawing In du-
plicate in which he starts from q CIV
en- center and goes 50 many meters
east. so many south, west and north,
until he completes either square,
para1lelogran, or rectangular figure,
after which an estimate is made OF the
number Of hectares included In the
drawings.
With his drawing and SUFFICIENT
amount of cash to pay 50 for each nee
tare, he presents himself at the de-
partment of Agriculture, Of which
mines form dependent bureau and
there registers his claim, pays his
money and gets receipt, signed and
sealed by the governments repre-
sentative, with the date and even the
hour attached. This claim OF de-
nouncement once registered, the pros
pector is entitled to everything that
lies below whae is termed the agrl- |
cultural surface of the ground for all
time to come If the owner OF the
property protests against the miner
digging or boring for copper, asphalt,
oil, O. any other product lying pc
meath ,le surface, the claimant to the
,,rxk III 1 nj a M