12 



THE CUBA REVl E W 



View of the "Simnatia" factoiy near Cienfuegos for niauufactuiing flat and half-round 

 roofing tiles and hollow brick. 



Vista de la fabrica el "Simpatia," cerca de Cienfuegos, donde se lleva a cabo la fabricacion de 

 tejas planas y curvas para tejados, a si como ladrillos huecos. 



MANUFACTURING ROOFING TILES IN CUBA. 



Just across the bay of Cienfuegos 

 is the entrance to the Damuji river, 

 and four miles up is the "Simpatica" fac- 

 tory, a most complete plant for the 

 manufacture of French flat roofing and 

 half-round tiles, and hollow brick. The 

 river is navigable for 15 miles or more 

 and here are located mai:y of the famous 

 sugar plantations of Santa Clara Pro- 

 vince. From time to time there have 

 been attempts made in Cuba to estab- 

 lish factories for the manufacture of 

 tiles, as the importations from France 

 are large and the local demand rapidly 

 developing. As the principal cities, 

 suburbs, and interior minor towns build 

 up, and this is going on everywhere ow- 

 ing to increased railroad transportation 

 facilities, the demand for roofing tiles 

 must grow with it. experience demon- 

 strating that the tile is the proper roof- 

 ing material for Cuba. There were over 

 six million tiles imported from France 

 in 1008. and these retail at from $70.00 

 to $80.00 per thousand everj-where. 

 With an assured growing market at 

 profitable prices it is strange that 

 American investment capital has not yet 

 seized hold of the industry. 



The "Simpatica" factory is owned by 

 Balbis & Co., the company consisting 

 of Mr. Copperi, one of the leading Span- 

 ish merchants of Cienfuegos. It is situ- 

 ated about two miles from the river front 

 along which the property extends. A 

 miniature trolley car meets the visitors 

 at the Ijoat landing and carries them at 

 a lively rate to the factory and clay pits. 

 These latter are extensive, Mr. P.albis 

 estimating the supply as sufficient for 

 the ne.Kt few hundred years. The clay 

 is of a particular tine quality and is right 

 at the surface, requiring no especial 

 labor in getting out. The trolley tracks 

 encircle the factory, the clay pits and 

 every part of the grounds where the 

 work of getting out the clay and the 

 further treatment is carried on. When 

 the line was being built the natives 

 looked on with wonder at the rails, the 

 overhead wire and the car. But when 

 the dynamo started and the car sped 

 swiftly down to the river front without 

 any evidence of power they promptly 

 considered its manifestations as due to 

 la Bruja (witchcraft) and would have 

 none of it. But later when rains made 

 the roads impassable and the little elec- 



