12 T n E CUB A R E V I ]•: W 



of the jircviiiling high i)rices <luc to the lOuropeau war. These high prices stimulated pros- 

 pecting and an unusually large number of claims have been denounced during the last two year. 

 Heretofore, systematic ])ros])ecting and develojiment work was lacking. 



Tr;uisj)ortation facilities seriously interfered with the sl)i])ments of cop])e,r as well as 

 everything else in this section; it was almost impossible at times to secure vessels at any 

 price. 



As the mining laws of Cuba are liberal and the labor sujiply reasonably ])lenfifu1, it is 

 believed that the ])roduction of co])per in Culia will increase indefinitely. 



77/c Mdnfidiitsc Itidn.-ftnj. 



The manganese industry of Cuba, which dates back 20 >oars, had been continued with 

 interrrujitionb up to tha present time. 



The three generally recognized groups or deposits of ore within this district are known 

 as Cristo, Cauto, and Ponupo, the latter being the largest and having ])roduced up to the })res- 

 ent about 2,000,000 tons. It is still producing about 3,000 tons per month of a fair grade of 

 furnace ore that averages about 43 per cent metallic contents. The Cristo grouj) is i)roduoing 

 a small amount of ore that runs about 46 per cent, while the Cauto group is producing about 

 2,000 tons per month; it has also shijjped several small cargoes of dioxide. The three groups 

 arc operated by two companies — the Ponupo and Cristo groups by Aguilera Sc Co. and the 

 Cauto group by the Cauto Alining Co. 



The manganese operations in this section during l'.)lo were licld back chiefly through lack 

 of labor and inadequate transportation facilities by land and by sea. Practically all of the 

 ore produced was shipped to Baltimore with the exception of a small consignment for the 

 Italian Government. The demand for furnace ore is still strong. Xone of the ore is treated 

 in any of the mines here, except by log washing to remove the dirt. The furnace ore is shipped 

 in bulk and the dioxide in sacks. 



The price of manganese ore remained fairly steady throughout the year and on Juh' 15, 

 1916, was (f. o. b. Baltimore) $(30 to .S570 a unit. 



During the year the mining companies spent considerable money in improving their i)rop- 

 erties. There still remain in this Province large undenounced and undeveloped deposits of 

 manganese, no particular attention having been given to them on account of inadequate trans- 

 portation facilities, but the outlook, if the demand and good prices continue, is quite favorable. 



The Line-Stock Industry. 



For many years, the raising of cattle has been one of the imi)ortant industries of the 

 island of Cuba, having been confined mainly to the Pro\ances of Camaguey, Oriente, and 

 Santa Clara. The rainfall is usually good and the ranches, some of which are quit^ large, have 

 good grazing. 



The owners have done considerable during the last few \-ears toward ini])roving their stock, 

 chiefly through the importation of registered animals for breeding pur]:»oses from the United 

 States. The Government does not keep an accurate register of the sale and purchase of stock, 

 so that it is impossible to accurately or even approximately estimate the number of head of 

 cattle on the island at present. 



Considerable improvements have been made recently on the ranches throughout this dis- 

 trict, the most noticeable being the Vjuilding of new tanks and facilities for watering the stock, 

 the planting of nutritious grasses, and the construction of dipping tanks, through the use of 

 which the fever tick on some of the ranches is said to have disappeared altogether. The small 

 ranchman and breeder, however, cannot afford to construct tanks for dipj^ing purposes. 



Cuban cattle coidd be exported either to the United States or Porto Rico with profit, 

 but (juarantine regulations are so stringent as to preclude it altogether. 



There are no packing houses in the island. A refrigerating establishment of a limited 

 capacity is maintained by one of the large finns in Habana for the purpose of supplying the 

 local hotel and the steamship trade with frozen meat. 



Exports of Hides — Absence of Cattle Diseases. 



Only a very small proportion of the Cuban hides are tanned on the island. Practically 

 all are exj)orted to the United States, where there is a good demand and a steady price. During 



