14 



THE CUBA RE\'IE\V And Bulletin. 



MINING 



Consul -Max J. Baehr writes as follows 

 on the mining industry of Cuba. 



The development of mining in Cuba dates 

 from 1830. when companies were formed 

 for working the copper mines in the prov- 

 ince of the Oricnte. There were exported 

 more than 600,000 tons, valued at over 

 $48,000,000, and this only from two mines. 

 Subsequently numerous copper and iron 

 mines were discovered and worked in 

 Orienle, and manganese mines were dis- 

 covered in the same province, and naphtha. 

 gold and copper in Santa Clara. 



In 1899. considerable prospecting was 

 done in the province of Pinar del Rio, 

 where it appears that coal mines exist. It 

 is also believed that asphalt and copper 

 mines are to be found in the same prov- 

 ince, and in Habana and Matanzas. There 

 is not sufficient knowledge of the real 

 mineral resources of the island to make 

 an accurate estimate, but gold, silver, 

 iron, copper, manganese, lead, asphalt, pe- 

 troleum, naphtha, graphite, amianthus, as- 

 bestos, zinc, mercury, and coal are found 

 in most of the provinces, but the richest 

 district is the province of Oriente. followed 

 in importance by Santa Clara, Camaguey, 

 Pinar del Rio, Maianzas and Havana. 



The total number of mines surveyed, and 

 the boundaries marked up to December 31. 

 1905, was 386. containing 20.871 hectares 

 (hectare, 2.471 acres), divided among the 

 provinces and classified as follows: As- 

 phalt, 78; copper, ■/'/\ iron. 63; pit coal, 

 11; oxide of red lead, i ; manganese, 84; 

 gold. 13; graphite. 2; lead. S; zinc, 2; as- 

 bestos, i; other kinds. 49; total, 386. The 

 total area of the mining regions of Cuba 

 is 56.395 acres, of which 44-586 belong to 

 the province of the Oriente. 4,288 acres 

 to Santa Clara. 5,202 to Camaguey, 1,361 

 to Pinar del Rio. 444 to Matanzas, and 

 514 to Habana. 



Only very few mines of iron, manganese 

 and copper, in the province of Oriente. are 

 in operation. The others can be considered 

 only as concessions waiting for funds for 

 exploitation. The administration, under the 

 law, can not compel the miners to oper- 

 ate their claims. The o.vner is in pos- 

 session to perpetuity, and at his oAvn will 

 may work it or not. The only cause of 

 forfeiture is the failure to pay the annual 

 faxes. 



The applicants for mines can ask for 

 one or several claims at the same time. 

 A claim fpertenencia) is 300 meters (984 

 feet) long, by 200 meters (656 feet) wide 

 (6 hectares, or 14-8 acres), except when 

 the mines are of iron, coal, anthracite, lig- 

 nite, turf, asphalt, or bituminous clays, when 

 the pertenencia is 500 meters (1,640 feet) 



long and 300 meters (984 feet) wide (15 

 hectares, or 37 acres). 



The taxes to be paid to the government 

 are $5 yearly per hectare, or $30 for each 

 claim containing 6 hectares when the mines 

 are of precious stones or metalliferous sub- 

 stances. In other cases the tax is $2 per 

 hectare. 



The annual production of the mines actu- 

 ally operated, namely, 5 asphalt, 3 copper, 

 12 iron, 3 manganese, and i naphtha, give 

 a total output valued at $1,446,000, as fol- 

 lows: Asi)halt. $122,900; copper, approx- 

 imately, $13,068; iron, $1,146,882; man- 

 ganese, $163,140. 



COnnERCIAL 



.\ iKw iiulu.siry iia.^ Ikcu established in 

 Santa Clara for the manufacture of cement 

 blocks for construction purposes. The 

 manufactory belongs to .Messrs. Ruano and 

 Company. 



Yucca routs <if jiUmit a .vear's jrmwth. This Is 

 the variety wliich i.s ki"')"'ii for starch and is not 

 edible. It is extremel.v rich in starch and grows 

 well in all the Cuban soils the year round. 



The vice-president of the Postal Tele- 

 graph-Cable Co., Mr. C. .Vdams, and 

 Vice-President S. S. Dickenson, of the 

 Commercial Cable, with a party of 

 friends, were in Havana for a few days. 

 Mr. Adams stated that by September next 

 the laying of a direct line between New 

 York and Havana will be carried out suc- 

 cessfully. This will be a fast cable of 

 the best modern construction. It will ren- 

 der it possible to cable to London or the 

 Philippines within ten minutes. The rate 

 will be reduced even lower than at pres- 

 ent, which is about 15 cents. 



