THE CUBA REVIEW 19 
The Cuban Government records show totals of 80 vessels entered and 67 cleared 
in 1917 against the 140 entered and 140 cleared, as indicated above, in 1918. 
PORT FACILITIES AND RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION 
The terminals and docks at Nuevitas are owned by railroad companies. In recent 
years, the Cuba Railroad, after purchasing the line from Camaguey to Nuevitas, 
has extended it some three miles to Pastelillo, a little farther out on the coast of the 
bay, and has built there excellent terminal facilities, completing, in 1918, yard 
and warehouse accommodations for 280,000 bags of sugar. This capacity has since 
been increased. There are three docks, sufficient to accommodate half a dozen 
steamers, and by dredging, 27 feet of water has been obtained at the docks. Three 
large molasses tanks were installed, and work has now been commenced by an 
American oil company on the construction of tanks for fuel oil. 
To the completion of this terminal is due the present importance of Nuevitas 
as a sugar-exporting point, as it was formerly a lighter port. An increasingly larger 
share of the sugar grown and ground on the main line of the Cuba Railroad finds 
exit through Nuevitas, the apparently logical port for a considerable extent of ter- 
ritory. The Cuba Railroad did not engage in the construction of any new railroad 
line in the district during the year. This railroad is an American owned and man- 
aged corporation. 
NEW COAST RAILWAY 
During the year work proceeded on the construction of the Cuba Northern 
Railroad, familiarly known as the North Coast Railroad, and its line was completed 
from Moron along the coast to Nuevitas in the spring of 1919. This road was built 
by Cuban interests, and was rather heavily subsidized by the Government. It is 
understood that it will eventually construct a line from Moron to Caibarien, and it 
already has a branch connecting Moron with the main line of the Cuba Railroad at 
Ciego de Avila. Its operation will serve to bring sugar for export through Nuevitas 
from the territory around Moron and the western part of Camaguey Province. This 
movement started in the spring of 1919. The road will also open up a section of 
Cuba which has been hitherto practically untouched. A considerable amount of 
timber will be reached, but the greatest development is expected in sugar, large 
enterprises being already on foot to plant cane and build mills along the line. 
At Punta Tarafa (formerly Punta Guira), 1% miles from Nuevitas, the Cuba 
Northern has constructed extensive terminal facilities, with concrete docks and 
warehouses. At present there is not sufficient water at the docks for vessels to load 
there, and during the spring and summer of 1919 such sugar as was handled was 
loaded. from lighters. The Cuban Government has undertaken, however, to dredge 
for a sufficient depth at the docks and to deepen and straighten the channel which 
leads to them. 
DOCKS AND TERMINALS OWNED BY RAILWAYS 
It will be seen that the two railroads own the docks and the terminals at 
Nuevitas. There is no individual enterprise that caters particularly to the needs 
of shipping. Coal is not for sale except by the railroad, as a matter of occasional 
accommodation. Water must also be obtained in the same way, and it is rather 
expensive, being brought in by tank cars. The water used locally is caught in cis- 
terns. There is no ship chandlery in the small town of Nuevitas. 
There is plenty of water in the bay, but the entrance is long and narrow, aud 
pilots will not bring in ocean steamers at night. The current makes one or two 
places rather dangerous, although the worst spot, where one steamer went ashore 
during the year, could probably be rendered safe by blowing up a rock there. Ample 
protection and sea room are found in the bay itself. 
