CUBA 215 



In addition to the large estates of the planters, the island pos- 

 sesses many small farms of less than 100 acres, devoted to pro- 

 ducts for which there is a demand in the local markets. In 1895 

 there were over 100,000 farms, ranches, and plantations, valued 

 at $20,000,000. 



MINERALS 



The mineral resources of the island are iron ores, asphaltum, 

 manganese, copper, and salt. A little gold and silver were mined 

 in past centuries, but never in large quantities. The silver mines 

 of Santa Clara yielded in 1827 140 ounces to the ton, but were 

 soon worked out. The iron mines situated in the mountains a 

 few miles east of Santiago de Cuba are of importance. The pro- 

 duction of the Juragua Iron Company in 1890 was 362,068 tons, 

 and constituted one-fourth of the total importation of iron ores 

 into the United States for the same period. These mines were 

 owned by an American company, which had invested extensive 

 capital in them, but the production has been almost destroyed 

 by the present revolution. The ores are mineralogically peculiar, 

 being the result of replacement in limestone. They are mixed 

 brown and red hematite (turgite). 



Asphaltum (chapatote) of unusual richness occurs in several 

 parts of the island, in the beds of late Cretaceous and early Eocene 

 age. At Villa Clara occurs an unusually large deposit of this 

 materia], which for forty years has supplied the material for 

 making the illuminating gas of the city. American investors 

 bought these mines the year preceding the revolution, and their 

 investment up to date, which would otherwise have been profit- 

 able, has proved a total loss. 



Copper of extraordinary richness has been worked on the lee- 

 ward side of the Sierra Maestra range, 12 miles from Santiago de 

 Cuba. In former years these mines yielded as high as 50 tons 

 per day. Current report asserts that they are still very valuable, 

 but are awaiting the return of peace and development. Salt of 

 great purity is found in the cays adjacent to the north coast. 



No manufacturing industries except those of tobacco and 

 sugar- have been encouraged, the persistent policy of Spain hav- 

 ing been to promote the importation of manufactured articles 

 from the mother country. In the writer's travels over the island 

 only a single industrial establishment was seen, namely, a mill 

 at Baracoa for extracting oil from cocoanuts and making soap. 



