| : FACT T B 0 OK. HIN IDUSTRIAL i 1c U BA as tare age Pet eq BEG Bist aan eae *: ne 7 fe ae ass NY a RATSOQ INDUSTRIAL CUBA Tabloid Information Concerning Industrial Development, Possibilities and Opportunities in the Republic of Cuba wry) , & Prepared from notes supplied by best \\ informed resident authorities. INDUSTRIAL CUBA OR more than three hundred years the in- dustries of Cuba were periodically disrupted by internal and external wars. The nepotism of varying governing powers restricted the devel- opment of natural resources, except in just such a degree as would warrant large tribute, re- gardless of future prosperity. As a matter of fact, the true industrial devel- opment of Cuba began i in 1901, when her inde- pendence as a nation was assured. In the fifteen years following, Cuba has shown a remark- able increase in industrial growth. At the beginning of this era, Cuba was in much the same state industrially as was the Southern portion of the United States immediately follow- ing the Civil War of the 60’s. Her factories were destroyed, her roads were torn and scarred, and the very industries that up to that time as- sured profit to her workers were paralyzed. The facts and figures here compiled tell in no uncertain terms the accomplishments of an industrial motive that must have for its incentive a strong natural foundation, otherwise no such record could be written. Naturally, many important industrial facts must be omitted from such a work as this since its object is more to point to present opportuni- ties than to recite past accomplishments. Further detailed information regarding any of the industries herein named, or omitted, will be supplied by the publishers upon request. Industrial Cuba 4 GENERAL SURVEYS OF CUBAN INDUSTRIES If the commercial and industrial possibilities of Cuba are to be based on her record of the past ten years, it is most natural to conclude that her future is exceptionally bright. A marvelous soil, a climate unexcelled, a location directly in the pathway of Western and Southern commerce, an ambition to excel in those things which make for good government, and a most liberal encouragement from outside capital, together with friendly international rela- tions, presage for this Republic most exceptional industrial development. Cuba has in the past ten years increased her imports 82% and her exports 140%. There has been expended on public works, since 1902, approximately $100,000,000.00, or about $9,000,000.00 a year. The Government’s fixed policy is one of industrial progress. The Government’s plan, in the construction of an extensive system of macadamized highways through the Republic, would serve well as a paragon in many of our States. These highways will serve every part of the Island, and have already put in close touch many of the com- munities which were formerly isolated. Three principal highways will traverse the Island longitudinally, from East to West, one on the north end, one through the central part, and one between the central part and the Southern coast. Connecting with each of these principal high- ways, branch roads are being built to all impor- tant interior and coastal cities. 5 Industrial Cuba 1,877 kilometers of paved roads have already been opened to the public. These are distributed in the six provinces, as follows: Meer tel B10 ee RA 544 MR oo 8a ae ue irs 520 MUM AAS cpa eye ee 247 BERG a eg ay ete. 215 ig Be ER ath eran ne Por ie ae een 261 NITE ig ie ecient ee ce go Total, 1,877 kilometers, not including roads built by Provincial and Municipal Governments, which are estimated at about 250 kilometers additional, especially in the Provinces of Havana and Matanzas. One English mile equals 1,609 meters or 158% kilometers (K. M.), or = deerme 5 miles equals 8 kilometers (K. M. With only fifty-three ebiGits to the square mile, and ample room for the sustenance of three hundred, and but 20 per cent of the available soil adapted to the production of sugar, the possi- bilities of future growth along other lines than that now producing the greatest revenue are apparently marvelous. These opportunities open to and challenge the capital and enterprise of the world. While in Cuba sugar is conceded to be the king of industries, it does not monopolize the attention of the Cubans, notwithstanding the fact that at the present time it represents seventy per cent of the Republic’s agricultural products, reaching in 1916 approximately $250,000,000.00 in value. Some extent of this sugar industry will be Industrial Cuba 6 appreciated upon reading the article on sugar in Fact Book No. 2, wherein is detailed a com- prehensive statement of this industry. For facts regarding other agricultural products, the same reference is suggested. This book is in- tended more particularly to deal with those industrial features outside the scope of agriculture. 7 Industrial Cuba CUBA’S IMPORTS AND EXPORTS The following figures of imports and exports, including bullion, showing trade balance in favor of Cuba for the past four years, will illustrate general industrial condition: Trade Year Ending Dec. 31 Imports Exports Balance RO yt ey en ym a's $107,959,000 $151,271,000 $ 43,312,000 OSE ale areata 113,267,000 123,136,000 9,869,000 eS ge herrea 125,902,000 172,978,000 47,076,000 Ores. okt sh ss 143,827,000 165,125,000 21,298,000 PO sores ss Gs 0s oie sss 119,001,000 = 177,554,000 58,553,000 Eee a ae ae 155,448,000 254,292,000 98,844,000 It will be seen that the imports in 1915 increased $36,447,000, while the exports have increased $76,738,000. The following table details more particularly the sources of imports and exports: IMPORTS Countries 1913 1914. IgI5 United States.......... $-75,228,000 $ 68,623,000 $ 90,462,000 Other countries in Amer.. 10,529,000 7,982,000 8,020,000 CO Ea ae ae 9,674,000 5,034,000 800,000 Tel ETE I es are a 10,033,000 93939,000 10,817,000 SEEDED Ea a 75322,000 4,632,000 45897,000 United Kingdom........ 16,066,000 12,379,000 15,288,000 Other European Countries 7,778,000 ' —_ 6,852,000 6,203,000 All other Countries...... 3344.3,000 2,761,000 45397,;000 Total Merchandise. . ...$140,073,000 $118,202,000 $140,884,000 MEO os Cae os oes 35754000 799,000 14,564,000 Grand Total.........: $143,827,000 $119,001,000 $155,448,000 Industrial Cuba 8 EXPORTS Countries 1913 1914 IgI5 United States.......... $131,572,000 $145,881,000 $195,289,000 Other Countries in Amer. 5,580,000 35180,000 335'7;000 Germans Bae 4,708,000 2,354,000 : 9 See ees ees SPAMS fe Sales, oh oes Pere 657,000 1,645,000 872,000 Peace TPA eto oes 1,685,000 2,398,000 1,135,000 United Kingdom........ 18,427,000 15,842,000 33,033,000 Other European Countries 1,204,000 1,087,000 1,865,000 Other Countries (0055575: 780,000 1,720,000 678,000 Total Merchandise. .. .$164,611,000 $174,107,000 $236,229,000 je Lt ae ee ee 514,000 354.47,000 18,063,000 Grand Lotahs occa $165,125,000 $177,554,000 $254,292,000 9 Industrial Cuba CUSTOMS RECEIPTS The Customs Receipts, for the past four years, are shown in the following table, detailed by ports of entry, and this showing, even when placed in comparison with many of the ports of the United States, will prove most interesting: Ports 1gI2 1913 IgI4 IgIS Havana....... $19,392,000 $ 20,965,000 $ 17,607,000 $ 19,760,000 San. de Cuba.. 1,577,000 1,933,000 1,669,000 1,886,000 Matanzas..... 924,000 1,061,000 700,000 845,000 Cardenas..... 506,000 535,000 487,000 662,000 ARe8 i... 60,000 ~2'-~—— 60,000 63,000 59,000 Caibairen..... 637,000 699,000 549,000 650,000 aaracod... . 8,000 10,000 11,000 10,000 Nuevitas...... 220,000 230,000 239,000 226,000 Gabara. oso... 124,000 IOI,000 123,000 94,000 Los Indios... . 4,000 5,000 g,000 10,000 Guantanamo. . 261,000 294,000 243,000 348,000 Manzanillo.... 500,000 609,000 398,000 421,000 Santa Cruz del "EE gees 18,000 31,000 9,000 23,000 FaPaCO.. Ss 8,000 7,000 12,000 14,000 Tunas de Zaza. 1,000 8,000 3,000 16,000 ae aaa 419,000 658,000 520,000 462,000 Trinadad..... 2,000 2,000 2,000 35,000 Cienfuegos.... 1,622,000 1,628,000 1,234,000 1,522,000 Puerto Padre. . 155,000 247,000 257,000 28 3,000 Batabano..... 3,000 4,000 2,000 3,000 Nueva Gerona. 14,000 20,000 27,000 24,000 SagualaGrande 460,000 584,000 543,000 402,000 Industrial Cuba 10 The chief articles of trade are as shown by the Customs Reports for the year 1915: IMPORTS Articles Amount per Annum Pietntoes as Eee ee $ 1,949,851.00 Milk (Condensed). ...2....2... 2,626,422 .00 Flour (barrels, 936,198), value.... —_ §,881,323.00 Local Gereals 52 sce toncee On oo ty oe oy oa euan $ 19,173,881 .00 TS DI Oe tei tiag Sortris ae $ 5,988,484 .00 SUMS Soe SO ee ia 784,869.00 Total Meat Products......... $11,749,262 .00 Wines, Olive Oil, etc........... $ 4,408,918 .00 Cotton: As00ds soo hee sane eas 11,185,948 .00 NN einai Coda ook dy ee 5,178,381 .00 Agricultural Implements & Mchy. 18,576,796.00 Chemical Products): 2. 2oc.0 44% §,831,185.00 Tron and Steel Manufactured.... — 6,081,320.00 i Industrial Cuba EXPORTS Articles Amount per Annum Iron and Copper Ore......:.... $ 4,097,659.00 Me Gi. ool 6a eS ae 3,038,429 .00 MPMM R EOC oes Se cae 8 897,606 .co PM ch eo oink 1,279,300 .00 MIs le oi gene oe oS 887,339.00 MEN coy avis oes les 90,459.00 SS aa nee eo ea gees 425,606 .0o Other Fruits... .. Rear on oi 8 ieee 88,603.00 Mie pict ss con Ske es 53,281.00 RAM soos tea oo a ae 834,901 .00 Tobacco (leaf and manufactured) 24,413,778.00 Sugar and Molasses Me i acpi Ce es 196,168,330.00 Industrial Cuba 12 EXPORTS With Cuba beginning about fifteen years ago, with practically nothing but location, climate and soil as assets, devoid of credit, and unknown to the commercial world, to all intents and pur- poses, her accomplishments, as shown by the following table, must be recognized as evidence of commercial stability: Total foreign commerce over..............-+-45- $409,704,000.00 Exports for year ending December 31, 1915. ...... 254,292,000.00 Imports for year ending December 31, 1915....... 155,448,000.00 Balance of trade in favor of Cuba................ 98,844,000 .00 Balance of trade per.cupita: + 2 30, os a 39-53 Foreign export of Cuba per capita................ IO1.72 Foreign imports of Cuba per capita............... 62.19 Foreign debt of Cuba per capita................. 27.50 Although Cuba has a larger per capita debt than the United States, her per capita foreign commerce is about s00 per cent higher than that of the United States. More merchandise enters and leaves the harbor of Havana than any in the United States except New York. Cuba’s sugar crop this year exceeds $250,000,- 000.00.. Her tobacco yield is valued at $2.4,000,000.00. Although the’ groves are young, citrus fruit, pineapples and vegetables produce $3,500,000.00 annually. Coffee, cocoa, honey, asphalt, iron, héneewen! mahogany, cedar, hides, etc., yield $10,000,000.00. Her exports have increased in ten years 140 per cent. Her imports have increased in ten years 82 per cent. 13 Industrial Cuba All but 19 per cent of Cuba’s exports go to the United States. Owing to the European War, which began in the summer of 1914, the beet sugar product of France and Germany was eliminated, causing a marked rise in the price of cane sugar throughout the world. As a result of this, the value of the crop produced in the Island this year reached a total of $250,000,000.00. The latter sum seems almost startling when it is taken into consider- ation that only 12 per cent of Cuba’s area is cultivated in cane. Less than 3 per cent of avail- able land is in tobacco and not over § per cent in other crops. Industrial Cuba 14 FOOD STUFFS Below is a list of the average wholesale and retail prices in Havana, Cuba, of food stuffs: Per Per 100 Lbs. Lb. MIQUE oe ics SU tees Can ke $4.00 $o.06 Corninéal (Native). of 3s eS 3.20 05 POLBIORR. Cee aay Re Tae ee Or te 3.00 04 KBOHS isch ea ee ee gas ee tah 4.00 .05 Spanish Beans (Garbanzos).............. 8.00 .10 NETLOG TICMINS oi oc cele ius by Spe ead, hee 5, 25 .O7 BAB NOHNS. ou Rig ics bat ha a 7.00 08 Bed DEANE os eS en: gam eee 9.25 II Mee ae cere Pe eS cee 4.00 .06 Rothe MOasted) ns ei ea kee ee he 33-00 40 Core’ (seen). ose cs Heke co Pao a 24.00 .28 Pagar, (ERNE). oc eae eu ly he ce eas 6.72 .O7 ISAT TOWN ac ON eae. Peewee eels 3.20 .05 MIE DBCOM. ye ce, aia es ee 20.00 (a5 Ria N rec He CE oe ER cis ae ai 17.00 20 RIANA kb ovmrcc hd aca Mine a a Pee 10.75 14 Dried beet (Tasaio). oo cies eee 14.00 17 | ae Tle ARSE, 7 ae Seek Seems ete a ery | 50 BEDE gs hE Ls ee re TSO. en Duta tAmerigan) 58) 25 i Eek 2 OO 08 wees nate CATSENENG ih ies ot SS ae Tv805 ee PRREEICED COUN oy CR Ea ingn oaths 1.90 .03 PHREEE CORN) foi hs is hie oct Sees 1.85 .03 Per Per Case Can oncensed muks ste. yet se wei es $4.75 $o.11 Beef from 1§c to 40c, depending upon the cut. Eggs average 40c per dozen. Hens from 80c to $1.00 each. 15 Industrial Cuba IMPORTANT CITIES OF CUBA Following is a list of municipalities in the Republic of Cuba having a population of 10,000 or over: WEAVER iia vies <5 oe 0s ue 353,000 meeremO Seca es 55,000 TREE ol ace vs 75,000 eS Se ene 75,000 a eee 68,000 Raeeee es oe eS 30,000 Sancti Spiritus......... 38,000 mamte Giafa ds. >: 48,000 Manzanillo............ 56,000 Guantanamo.......... 45,000 Guariahacoa: .. ris oe. 27,000 Sagua la Grande....... 29,000 Pinat dé Riou. ica) 53,000 Teiniiats oa 31,000 San Antonio delos Banos 22,000 Fovellanos -5733 Pena. as 19,000 Marianao) .c 3... tex 20,000 Industrial Cuba 16 STEAMSHIP LINES So rapidly has the shipping increased, par- ticularly into the harbor of Havana, that two additional concrete docks have become necessary for the handling of this commerce. Pier No. 1 670 feet long; pier No. 2, 620 feet long. (See Moody’s Manual, 1916 [Industrial and Public Utilities Section], page 3304.) The Peninsular & Occidental S. S. Co. operates daily, except Sunday, service between Key West, Fla., and Havana, Cuba, making the run in from six to seven hours. At Key West connection is made with solid, fast Pullman trains via the- “Over-sea Railroad” for all points of the United States. This company also operates a semi-weekly service between Tampa, Fla., and Havana, making connections with all points north. The same system inaugurated a_ car-ferry service between Key West, Fla., and Havana in Decem- ber, 1914, linking up the Florida East Coast R. R. with the United Rys. of Havana, by which the railroads of the Island of Cuba became part and parcel of North-American Continental R. R. System. Freight cars of almost any of the United States and Canadian R. R. companies can constantly be seen on the Cuban roads, the car-ferry making a daily round trip between Key West and Havana with never less than 28 freight cars on board, loaded with merchandise or ma- chinery, direct from the factories to the sugar mills and interior points without rehandling, and carrying north in the same way sugar in bulk, molasses in tanks, tobacco in bales, hard wood, pineapples and other fruit, etc. D) 17 Industrial Cuba A second and larger car-ferry is now under - construction and will soon be placed in operation, The United Fruit Company has established a series of lines, with more boats sailing to and from Havana, than from any other city in the Western hemisphere. At the present time there are weekly sailings over this line from Havana to New York (every Friday), sailing from there on Saturdays, and to Boston (every Wednesday), returning from the latter city on Thursdays. Other steamers of the same line leave Havana every Saturday for New Orleans, return ships sailing from the latter city on Wednesdays. A United Fruit Co. steamer leaves Havana every Saturday for Colon, Panama, leaving Colon for Havana each Thursday. Ships of this line also leave Havana each Saturday for Bocas del Toro, via Colon, sailing fron the latter city for Havana Saturdays. Ships sail on Thursdays for Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, leaving that port on the return voyage, Sundays. Another sailing of this line leaves New Orleans Saturday of each week for Cienfuegos, Cuba, thence to the Isle of Pines, leaving the wharf of Los Indios each Monday on return voyage to New Orleans direct. The Cuba Mail & S.S.Co., known as the “Ward Line,’ operates two steamers a week between Havana and New York. These boats leave the former city on Wednesday and Saturday, return- ing from New York Tuesday and Saturday. The Ward Line also operates steamers between Havana and Mexican ports and Santiago de Cuba and New York. The Southern Pacific S.S. Co. has a weekly Industrial Cuba 18 service between New Orleans and Havana, with sailing from the former city on Saturdays, from Havana on Tuesdays. The sailing dates, however, are subject to changes dependent upon the season of the year. The Munson Line operates steamers every fifteen days from New York to Antilla (Nipe Bay) and Nuevitas. In addition to these pas- senger steamers this line has about 145 steamers per annum from Cuban points to the States, which carry no passengers. The United Steamship Company has a steamer leaving Galveston on the Ist, roth and 2oth of each month. These steamers touch at Havana and other Cuban ports. The Elder Dempster Line has a steamer a month from Canadian ports, Halifax and St. John to Havana. The Compania Trasatlantica Espanola oper- ates a semi-monthly service between Barcelona, Cadiz, Canary Islands to Porto Rico and Havana, thence to Mexican ports, returning to Havana and to Coruna; one of the steamers making the trip via New York and the other via the Canary Islands. The Sociedad Anonima de Navegacion Tras- atlantica line has a steamer leaving Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga, Cadiz, Canary Islands, Porto Rico, Havana, thence to Guantanamo, Man- zanillo, Cienfuegos and Cardenas, thence to New Orleans and returning via Havana. The Compagnie Transatlantique (French Line) previous to the outbreak of the war had a steamer every month from St. Nazaire, Spanish north coast ports, Havana and Vera Cruz, Mexico, 19 Industrial Cuba returning to Havana and the same European ports. Since the beginning of the war, the ser- vice has been greatly increased, there often being three or four steamers of this line per month. The Norway-Mexican Gulf Line has a steamer a month leaving Christiania about the 2oth for Hampton Roads, Havana, Mexican ports, Gal- veston and New Orleans. The Holland-American Line, also has steamers plying between various ports of the Netherlands and Havana. The Hamburg-American and North German Lloyd Lines played a very important part in carrying both passengers and freight between Cuba and various sections of the world, until the European war compelled an absolute suspension of all trafic under the German flag. In addition to the above mentioned passenger lines, there are many steamship lines plying be- tween Havana and various foreign ports, which carry freight only. The itinerant, or so-called tramp steamers, are entering and leaving the harbor of Havana almost every day of the year. Industrial Cuba 20 COASTWISE STEAMERS The Herrera Line operates coastwise steam- ers, which make the trip to the principal points in Santa Domingo and Porto Rico every three weeks. The steamers likewise make trips to Santiago de Cuba and intermediate points, leaving each Saturday and Wednesday. The North Coast or Vuelta Abajo Line runs a steamer the 7th, 15th, 22nd and 3oth of each month from Havana along the north coast, west to La Fe. The Trujillo Line has a steamer leaving Batabano, on the south coast, every Wednesday and Thurs- day for Santiago, also one leaving Saturday night for Manzanillo and intermediate points. Another steamer of the same line leaves Batabano every Sunday for Jucaro and intermediate points. All these lines have recently been amalgamated into one corporation called the ‘Empresa Naviera de Cuba.” 21 7 Industrial Cuba CUBAN RAILROADS Cuba was the second country in America to operate a steam railroad. This road was con- structed under the direction of the Improvement Board of Havana and opened for traffic on the 19th of November, 1837. It connected the capital with the town of Guines and was about forty-five miles long. From this small nucleus has developed a railroad mileage in Cuba aggregating 2,775 miles, which compares favorably with the railroad mileage of any state in America. Today there are four great railway systems in Cuba, extending from one extremity of the Island to the other. There is an excellent daily train service on the trunk lines and the minor systems, principally used for the transportation of agri- cultural products, have been developed to a high degree of efficiency. The four great railway systems of Cuba are: United Railways of Havana, The Cuba Railroad, The Cuban Central Railroad, The Western Railway of Havana. A reference to the map accompanying this book will illustrate the railway situation more com- pletely than could a verbal explanation. The seventeen principal railroads of Cuba, with the mileage of each and the business done by them, appear in the following table: Industrial Cuba 22 Railroads Mileage United Railways of Havana........ 855.08 ae SUR ROUPOR eo ioc Noe ens 683.20 The Cuban Central... oo. 0. es © 44d 62 ‘The Western Railway.2.. 654... 163.71 Guantanamo and Western Railroad. . 97.85 Havana Central (Electric).......... 97-16 Camaguey and Nuevitas........... 50.47 Gibara and Holguin... 2... ...... 02. 74.88 Pucaro and: Morton 00. a eee Abit PAROS ai Wee te hue Tiare sce 36.68 RAMECAl CBCACAD oe uo ewe es 46.49 Guantanamo Railroad............. 43-75 Tunas and Sancti Spiritus.......... 24.37 Rodas. and Cartagena. oo hh2.00 58 14.06 North American Sugar Co..:....... 38.75 Yaguajay Railroad Co............. 15.00 Insular Railway Co. (Electric)...... 10.85 Matanzas Terminal R. R. Co....... 8.26 Havana Terminal Ry. Co.......... 17.29 Cienfuegos, Palmira & Cruces....... 6.25 Year Ending June 30, 1914 Tons 6,2535337 2,402,461 2,946,409 583,904 3775328 695,036 130,095 9,655 4375384 80,310 217,382 3585585 739345 I 9541 2 CeO Wha tt oe Passengers 1.780,109 1,311,973 989,020 585,962 183,888 3,088,435 725429 66,715 2533954 3,988 oe bees ee 23 Industrial Cuba THE ELECTRIC LINES OF CUBA (See Moody’s Manual, 1916 [Industrial], page 1668, page 1769, page 1045.) The cities of Havana, Santiago, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Cardenas, Matanzas, Santa Clara, Pinar del Rio have well equipped and modern electric plants to supply electricity for both light and power. Electricity being so closely associated with urban transportation, it necessarily holds that we combine in this work the information on electric railways and the power produced by the various units. The following table gives the information in detail: Miles Passengers Electric Electric Value of Hauled Cities H. P. Roads Equipment IgIS MMMM sass Sc xiale su eo 60,000 86.35 $53,192,191 $4,304,079 MRO sao sh oss o's 39870 12.70 4,291,446 4,475,598 Ee Ee 1,495 4-15 1,256,507 1,851,863 There are 80 cities in Cuba, well equipped with electric plants sufficient to their needs. Industrial Cuba 24 THE CUBAN TELEPHONE SYSTEM The systems of telephone, both local and long distance, in the Republic of Cuba, are most ex- tensive. Practically every town of consequence, every sugar central, and most of the small villages are connected under one system. The Cuban Telephone Co. operates exclusively throughout the Island and a general appreciation of the extent of operations may be gained from the following table: About 1,600 miles long distance pole lines; 67,06214 miles of wire strung. 93,850 native hardwood poles. 34 exchanges, of which 8 are automatic. _ 220 cities and towns and 60 sugar mills con- nected by long distance, each city or town having its long distance station. 21,999 instruments in use. Gross income, year ending Dec. 31, I915, $1,254,069.16. (Month July, 1916, $132,113.35). Number of phones in operation end of 1915, 19,876. Preferred capital stock, $2,000,000.00; common capital stock, $5,000,000.00. Surplus, Ig15, $895,649.42. Number of employes, 749. 25 Industrial Cuba THE MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS OF CUBA In the following tables are shown condensed Statistics, ranging over a period of three years, which will serve as a guide to those seeking information on these subjects: IgI4 Igl5 1916 (Tons, 2,240 lbs.) (Estimated) SUGAR Quantity manufactured:. 2,596,567 | 2,582,845 3,050,000 Home consumption...... 16,335 19,787 25,000 tits bs cas 2,580,232 2,563,058 3,025,000 Import (Refined)........ 1,313 330 500 Number of plants....... 173 176 188 MEE SPEDE ss as ec bee Cee kee $200,000,000 CIGARS GER aed sts OR $32,104,098 -127, 169,549) (2% sa ss oes Number of factories... .. 93 81 73 Operatives employed. ... 31,000 27,500 20,000 CHOCOLATE AND CACAO RMR yO ss vo sian ch vex, *68,540 EGO Ci a cacewree SO ager aan nae *398,115 WIGSIOO 5 iad wee Number of plants....... 24 2 26 SISAL PRR oar) Gace sb *749,471 ye aL Rae re eR PEI 00's cic es es *275,746 "EB8,044 > CRS Number of plants....... 3 3 3 Operatives employed.... 2,500 2,500 2,500 BANANAS MORUNN siy oiss va Ou 5 Fes 755,763 O83 - 14853990,670° eo PINEAPPLES RMDOEG Se ev xccuw iwi’ 132555'7,900 TG pOeEO. has Gay. FOODSTUFFS Import (value in dollars). $46,867,795 $53,930,497. .........- WEARING APPAREL AND DRY GOODS Import (value in dollars). $16,030,398 $19,214,461 .........,. Tailors and dressmakers. 473 Operatives employed..... 6,321 fIndicates kilo. *Indicates lbs. Industrial Cuba 26 1914 IgI5 1916 HIDES Pxport (Raw) ..20.0 25"... "445258 492° S16 310,054 >. acme Import (Tanned)........ Y 231,780 + "3 406,884 So smetee PANOHed. 6p ics enters 41 43° Loses LEATHER Import (Pairs of shoes).. 4,091,284 4827, 395° > ae prep Harness & Belting....... WS90,1 82. 7. 9992 2Ob ered Number of plants (Shoes) 28 me Renae eons peer Operatives employed.... 583 Vid va wees Shoemakers............ 6,848 PA ta baal a Es 5 FISHERIES Export (Turtles, live)... *50,106 ig (3° ig F URI Import (Fresh Fish)..... TE s2Q7 SEAL: |; “25445,686 noe Ge Dried and Canned. ... *33,633,500 *38,265,668 .......... SPONGE INDUSTRY BRDU ors oS Rha eure *236,620 "931 204 se eee tIndicates kilo. *Indicates lbs. 27 at Industrial Cuba THE MINERAL WEALTH OF CUBA The Spanish conquerors of the 16th century, who forced their way into the wilderness of the Western Hemisphere, devoted little thought or efforts to the agricultural opportunities offered in the new world. Mineral wealth, that which lay beneath the rich surface soil alone appealed to them. To find great heaps of gold seemed to be the main object of their ambitions. - The aborigines of Cuba, the Siboneys, wore gold ornaments in profusion and exhibited small nuggets, but the source of these was never re- vealed to the Spaniards. The mountains of Cuba are covered by forests of hardwoods, below which lies a comparatively deep carpet of Humus and rich soil. The early prospectors for gold and other mineral wealth found the discovery of minerals most difficult on this account. Opportunities for the raising of live stock seemed more profitable than the prospecting for minerals. Copper was found in a few isolated places, principally west of Santiago de Cuba, and many years later stray outcroppings of the same ore were encountered in the mountains of Santa Clara and Pinar del Rio, but it was difficult to locate the main lodes, and since the Siboneys preferred death to laboring in the mines, they lent prac- tically no aid in the discovery of these metals. It was the middle of the 16th century before the aborigines succumbed to their conquerors and not until the early part of the 19th century was the presence of immense deposits of iron ore found throughout the mountain districts of Oriente. Industrial Cuba 28 IRON DEPOSITS OF CUBA Nearly all the great iron deposits of Oriente lie within a few feet of the surface, and on the southern slope of Sierra Maestra. In many places it is only necessary to scrape the dirt from the sides of the hills, remove the ore at small cost and send it down to the sea by gravity. The same is true of the Mayari mines on the north coast, just back of Nipe Bay, where the deposits need nothing but washing with cold water. The economy of handling these ores has appealed to large capital in the United States. Daiquiri and Juragun are being worked in the open but need quite some quarrying to get out large quantities of ore. Regardless of the fact that these iron ores were found to be equal to those of Sweden, and supe- rior, in that nature has supplied the requisite amount of both nickel and manganese, thus mak- ing the mines of Oriente perhaps the most valu- able in the world, little attention has been paid to these marvelously rich sources of mineral beyond those few who are drawing dividends from the industry. The récent purchase of the Spanish American Iron Company’s holdings at Daiquiri for $32,000,000.00 has called the attention of the mining interests in New York to the fact that millions of tons of untouched ore are still available in Cuba. 29 Industrial Cuba Twenty-five per cent of the area of Oriente still contains vast deposits of high grade iron and manganese and capital will be quick to see this advantage. PRESENT IRON MINING STATUS mim ber Of ACtIVE MINeS..3000.0 5.62 ei ca ke 5 Spupa-output Of Ore 0 oe Sf as go ere ey 969,612 tons Wverage per cent-finenéss. ooo Se ea es ea 35% PMPRUIVES. SMPIOVEU 5.6.05 5s oe es) see es ge 17,018 oS get te 25 © Seagate eae anne Men Perrier > 762,844 tons Industrial Cuba 30 COPPER DEPOSITS OF CUBA As a result of the present large demand for copper and the consequent high prices offered for this metal, great activity has been revived in the industry of copper mining. Many of the old mines of Pinar del Rio, aban- doned by reason of lack of transportation facili- ties, are now being opened up and _ producing successful outputs. In 1915 former Secretary of Public Works, Senor Luciano Diaz, started the development of his “‘Mata Hambre” mine, on the north coast of Pinar del Rio. This ore runs from twelve to twenty-four per cent copper with a sufficient amount of silver in combination to pay the entire smelting cost. At the present time ore is being taken out at the rate of over 2,000 tons per month, and $10,000,000.00 cash have been refused for the holdings. Since the successful operation of the “Mata Hambre” mine has been established, many claims have been staked out in that part of the province, some of which will no doubt prove valuable. Systematic and intelligent investigation of this section 1s sure to yield high returns to those who will take on the work. Some of the most promising finds have been located some miles back of the deep water harbor of Bahia Honda, sixty miles west of the city of Havana. One of these, known as “EI Brujo,” still bears the hardwood roof supports placed by prospectors of more than a half a century past. 31 Industrial Cuba This mine has been leased to a Havana company and is being profitably worked, although on a small scale. The ore yields from twenty-two to twenty-six per cent copper to the ton. The greatest activity in copper mining has been manifested in the province of Pinar del Rio and the copper field apparently ceases in the eastern trend of the mountains, to reappear in the peaks near Trinidad, in the province of Santa Clara. Rich finds have been recently made, but are being worked only on a small scale. In Oriente there is a great unexplored region that will some day make Cuba famous for her mineral wealth. PRESENT COPPER MINING STATUS Number of active mines.................. 42 Ieromemepat.of ofed.i 5: oe ite. 65,000 tons in 1915 Average per cent fineness...........6.+5.- 15% Operatives employed: os... va ees About 5,000 emanre GULING TQ15 256 kp ce 64,532 tons This section is extremely rich in copper, nickel, manganese, lead, silver, and occasionally, gold. In the Sierra de Cubitas mountains, paralleling for fifty miles the north coast of Camaguey, iron, copper, manganese, chrome and other minerals are found, but with the exception of such develop- ment as has taken place in working the iron holdings, no serious effort is being made to inves- tigate or develop the other mining opportunities of this field. The building of the north shore railroad, a spur of which will be sent into the iron deposit section, will have a tendency to develop the metal industry. Industrial Cuba 32 THE ASPHALTUM DEPOSITS OF CUBA Santa Clara province has a number of asphalt deposits, most of which are located near the north coast. Matanzas province on the north coast appears to be underlaid with asphalt in paying quanti- ties. It 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 300 tons in a fortnight, in fact the bay seems 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 Motembo hills. By some it is called “‘Mother of Oil,” by others it is given the name of naphtha. The product 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 making no smoke. It has the odor of naphtha, and possesses all the characteristics of that liquid. These wells are located near the western line of Santa Clara. Petroleum is found in Matanzas province, and many wells have been drilled, but none of them thoroughly developed. In Havana province 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 a high grade, much of it yielding 70 per cent bitumen. None of the deposits, however, have been thor- oughly developed, though there are 130 “‘de- nouncements”’ registered with the Government. While the production has remained on about the same scale for the last ten years, averaging 33 Industrial Cuba about 8,000 tons per annum, the home consump- tion has increased heavily, as can be seen from the exports during the last four years: Ig12, 9,389 tons, $60,924; 1913, 806 tons, $15,642; 1914, 879 tons, $19,491; I915, 442 tons, $11,247. Recently some development work, with very promising results, has been made near Mariel, on the north coast of Pinar del Rio, and near Jatibonica, on the border of Santa Clara and Camaguey provinces. The Republic of Cuba needs a geological sur- vey that would render searching for minerals less sporadic than it is at the present time. Industrial Cuba 34 THE MINING LAWS OF CUBA Instead of “staking a claim” to a mining property in Cuba it is “denounced.” In other words, a prospector makes a drawing in dupli- cate, in which he starts from a given center and goes so many meters east, so many south, west and north, until he completes either a square, parallelogram, or rectangular figure, after which an estimate is made of the number of hectares included in said drawing (a hectare being equiv- alent to about two and one-half acres of land). With his drawing, and a sufficient amount of cash to pay $2.00 for each hectare, he presents himself at the office of the Provincial Govern- ment corresponding to the province where the mine is located, and there registers his claim, pays his money and gets a receipt, signed and sealed by the Government, with the date, and even the hour, attached. This claim or ‘“‘de- nouncement”’ once registered, he is entitled to everything that lies below what is termed the agricultural surface of the ground for all time to come. If the owner of said property protests against the miner digging or boring for copper, asphalt, oil, or any other product lying beneath the sur- face, the claimant to the mineral rights must adjust his claim amicably with the owner of the property, lease it or work it, paying to said owner damages or a price that, if not mutually agreed on, is determined by a board of appraisers. In the meantime the mine can-be developed, subject to a bond being given until a settlement with the owner of the property is made. The usual custom, however, is to arrange with 35 . Industrial Cuba the owner, whenever possible, to accept a small royalty on whatever ore or oil may be removed from below the. surface, this agreement being acknowledged before a notary public and reg- istered in the nearest municipality. These rules and regulations in Cuba have proved eminently satisfactory in mining operations and are intended to be fair to all parties concerned. We will be pleased to supply detailed infor- mation concerning any specific industry in Cuba. Our connections are such that we can obtain facts that might otherwise prove hard to procure. Bankers’ Loan & Securities Company, New Orleans, La. | ate Rae 4 aa ee At eae R4264 Author public..of.Cyba,. ane eT —— THE - University of Toronto Library DO NOT REMOVE CARD | FROM THIS POCKET Title The. Re Acme Library Card Pocket Under Pat. ‘Ref. Index File” Made by LIBRARY BUREAU Po y Pets ee : aaa