Pioneering in Cuba

A NARRATIVE OF THE SETTLEMENT OF LA GLORIA, THE FIRST AMERICAN COLONY IN CUBA, AND THE EARLY EXPERIENCES OF THE PIONEERS

BY JAMES M. ADAMS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL COLONISTS

Illustrated

CONCORD, N. H.: The Rumford Press 1901

Copyright, 1901, by James M. Adams

TO My Fellow Colonists

WHOSE COURAGE, CHEERFULNESS, AND KINDLY SPIRIT WON MY ADMIRATION AND AFFECTION

THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED

PREFACE.

My excuse for writing and publishing this book is a threefold one. For some time I have strongly felt that the true story of the La Gloria colony should be told, without bias and with an accurate, first-hand knowledge of all the facts. My close relations with the colony and the colonists, and an actual personal residence in La Gloria for nearly half a year, have made me entirely familiar with the conditions there, and I have endeavored to present them to the reader clearly, correctly, and honestly. Secondly, I have been imbued with the belief that many of the daily happenings in the colony, particularly those of the earlier months, are of sufficient general interest to justify their narration; and if I am wrong in this, I am quite sure that these incidents, anecdotes, and recollections will find an attentive audience among the colonists and their friends. It is one of the author's chief regrets that the size and scope of this book does not admit of the mention by name of all of the colonists who were prominent and active in the life of the colony. Thirdly, while in La Gloria, in his capacity as a member of the Pioneer Association, the author had the honor to be the chairman of the committee on History of the Colony. This committee was not officially or outwardly active, but in a quiet way its members stored up history as fast as it was made. The author does not dignify the present work by the name of history, but prefers to call it a narrative of the first year of the colony. He believes, however, that it contains many facts and incidents which will be found useful material to draw upon when in later years a complete history of the first American colony in Cuba may be written.

I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. V. K. Van De Venter, a professional photographer of Dundee, Michigan, for some of the best pictures in the book. The other photographs were taken, and in several cases kindly furnished gratuitously, by Robin H. Ford, John H. Rising, L. E. Mayo, and W. G. Spiker. I am also under obligation to Mr. Spiker for the loan of the cut of the lake on the Laguna Grande tract, and to Dr. W. P. Peirce for the use of the cut of his pineapple garden in La Gloria. All of the pictures in the book are scenes in the province of Puerto Principe, and with two or three exceptions, in or around La Gloria.

J. M. A.

North Weare, N. H., December, 1900.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I

The Arrival of the Colonists in Nuevitas Harbor.

PAGE

A New Sight for Old Nuevitas—The Yarmouth drops Anchor in the Harbor—The Vanguard of the First American Colony Planted in Cuba—The Beautiful Cuban Coast—Picturesque Appearance of Nuevitas—"Distance Lends Enchantment to the View"—Character of the Colonists—Gen. Paul Van der Voort—Nearly all the States Represented—"The Only Canuck on Board"—The Voyage from New York17

CHAPTER II

The Journey to Port La Gloria

An Irritating Delay—Ashore at Nuevitas—Midnight Row at the Pier—Convivial Colonists Clash With Cubans—Ex-Soldier Takes an Involuntary Bath—The Cuban Police—Hon. Peter E. Park—The Start for La Gloria—Some Intending Colonists Back Out—The Man With the Long, Red Face—The Only Woman—The Fleet Anchors—"To-morrow, Four O'clock, Wind Right, Go!"—An Uncomfortable Night—Cuban Captain Falls Overboard—Port La Gloria Sighted32

CHAPTER III

A Tough Tramp to La Gloria City.

Arrival at the Port—A Discouraging Scene—Mud, Water, and Sand Flies—The Memorable Walk to La Gloria "City"—An Awful Road—Battle With Water, Mud, Stumps, Roots, Logs, Briers and Branches—Lawyer Park Leads the Strange Procession—La Gloria at Last—The Royal Palm—Women in Masculine Garb—Col. Thos. H. Maginniss—First Night in La Gloria—The Survey Corps—Chief Engineer Kelly—Experiences of the Lowells and Spikers44

CHAPTER IV

First Days in the New Colony.

Isolation of La Gloria—The Camp at Night—Strange Sounds in the Forest—The Colonists Happy—Their Excellent Health—Remarkable Cures Effected by the Climate—The Agreeable Temperature—Prolonged Rainy Season—The "Hotel"—The Log Foundation—A Favorite Joke—The Company's Spring—Small Variety of Food—My First Supper in La Gloria—Eating Flamingo and Aged Goat—A Commissary With Nothing to Sell—A Fluctuating Population59

CHAPTER V

The Allotment of the Land.

The Character of the Contracts—The Question of Subdivision—Some of the Difficulties—Matter Placed in the Hands of a Committee of the Colonists—Fair and Feasible Plan Adopted—Gen. Van der Voort's Arrival in La Gloria—His Boat Nearly Wrecked—Delay in Getting Baggage—Colonists Get Their Land Promptly—The Town as Laid Out—Site Well Chosen—Woods Full of Colonists Hunting for Their Plantations—Different Kinds of Soil73

CHAPTER VI

The Sugar Riot.

Population of Colony Slowly Increases—Arrival of Second Yarmouth—Sensational and Ridiculous Reports—Consternation in Asbury Park—Laughing Over Newspaper Stories—Excitement Over Sugar—Mass Meeting to Air the Grievance—An Unexpected Turn of Affairs—Cable From New York Brings Good News—Van der Voort Elected President of the Company—Sugar Orators Remain Silent—A Noisy Celebration86

CHAPTER VII

Adventures and Misadventures.

The Women in the Camp—Mrs. Moller—Her Costume and Extraordinary Adventures—How She Entered La Gloria—Roosts in a Tree all Night—Builds the First House in La Gloria—Her Famous Cow and Calf—Wonderful Bloomers—Ubiquitous Mrs. Horn—Weighed 250, but Waded Into La Gloria—Not "Rattled" by a Brook Running Through Her Tent—A Pig Hunt and Its Results—Surveyors Lost in the Woods94

CHAPTER VIII

The Cubans.

Good People to "Get Along With"—Their Kindness and Courtesy—Harmony and Good Feeling Between the Colonists and Cubans—Their Primitive Style of Living—The Red Soil and Its Stains—Rural Homes—Prevalence of Children, Chickens, and Dogs—Little Girl Dresses for Company With Only a Slipper—Food and Drink of the Cubans—Few Amusements—An Indifferent People—The Country Districts of the Province of Puerto Principe104

CHAPTER IX

Steps of Progress.

Clearing and Planting—The Post-office—Col. John F. Early—The "Old Señor"—La Gloria Police Force—Chief Matthews' Nightly Trip "Down the Line"—No Liquor Sold, and Practically no Crime Committed—Watchman Eugene Kezar—Religious Services and Ministers—La Gloria Pioneer Association—Dr. W. P. Peirce—Mr. D. E. Lowell—Mr. R. G. Barner—Important Work of the Association118

CHAPTER X

Events Important and Otherwise.

Worth of the Colonists—Gen. Van der Voort's New Cuban House—The "Lookout Tree"—Its Part in the Cuban Wars—The General's Garden—Marvelously Rapid Growth of Plants—First Birth in La Gloria—Olaf El Gloria Olson—Given a Town Lot—Temperature Figures—Perfection of Climate—The Maginniss Corduroy Road—First Well Dug—Architect M. A. C. Neff133

CHAPTER XI

Self-reliance of the Colonists.

The Man With the Hoe—"Grandpa" Withee Able to Take Care of Himself—Not Dead, but Very Much Alive—A Pugnacious Old Man—Mr. Withee Shoots Chickens and Defies the Authorities—Big Jack McCauley and His "Influence"—"Albany" and the Mosquitoes—Arrival of Third Yarmouth—Arnold Mollenhauer—John A. Connell—S. W. Storm—The First School and Its Teacher143

CHAPTER XII

The First Holiday in La Gloria.

Craving for Athletic Sports—Half Holiday Formally Proclaimed—A Beautiful Day—The Colonists Photographed—Lieut. Evans and His Soldiers of the Eighth U. S. Cavalry—Successful Sports—Baseball Game—An Event not Down on the Program—Excited Colonists—Lawyer C. Hugo Drake of Puerto Principe—His Scheme—Ordered Out of Camp—A Night in the Woods—Lieutenant Cienfuente155

CHAPTER XIII

Industry of the Colonists.

Pink Orchids on the Trees—Vegetables Raised and Fruit Trees Set Out—The Various Employments—Working on the Survey Corps—Chief Kelly's Facetious Formula—An Official Kicker—B. F. Seibert—Improvements at the Port—Fish, Alligators, and Flamingo—J. L. Ratekin—First Banquet in La Gloria—Departure of Maginniss Party—First Death in the Colony—Only One Death in Six Months—Lowell's Corduroy Road and Kelly's Permanent Highway166

CHAPTER XIV

The First Ball in La Gloria.

A Semi-Anniversary—Town Lots and Plantations Allotted in First Six Months—A Grand Ball—French Dancing Master in Charge—Dan Goodman's Pennsylvania Modesty—Organizing an Orchestra at Short Notice—The Ballroom—Rev. Dr. Gill Lends His Tent Floor—Elaborate Decorations—A Transformation Scene—Some Taking Specialties—A Fine Supper—Music in Camp—An Aggravating Cornet Player—Singers in the Colony177

CHAPTER XV

A Walking Trip To Puerto Principe.

Five Good Walkers—A Halt at Mercedes—Sparsely Settled Country—Cuban Trails—A Night in the Woods—A Cripple From Sore Feet—A Pretty Country Place—The Cubitas Mountains—Hunting for the Late Cuban Capital—A Broad and Beautiful View—Seventeen Miles Without a House—Night on the Plain—The City of Puerto Principe—Politeness of Its People—The Journey Home—Sanchez' Sugar Plantation—Lost in the Forest—La Gloria Once More186

CHAPTER XVI

In and Around La Gloria.

Horses That May Have Committed Suicide—Colonel Maginniss "A Master Hand in Sickness"—Sudden and Surprising Rise of Water—A Deluge of Frogs—A Greedy Snake—Catching Fish in Central Avenue—D. Siefert's Industry—Max Neuber—Mountain View—A Facetious Signboard—The Sangjai—An Aggravating and Uncertain Channel 203

CHAPTER XVII

The Colony at the End of the First Year.

The Saw Mill—The Pole Tramway to the Bay—A Tragedy in the Colony—Death of Mr. Bosworth—The Summer Season—The Country Around La Gloria—The Cuban Colonization Company—Guanaja—The Rural Guard—Organizations in La Gloria—The March of Improvements—Construction of Wooden Buildings—Colonists Delighted With Their New Home in the Tropics212

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE.

James M. AdamsFrontispiece.

Map of Cuba16

City of Nuevitas, Cuba20

Gen. Paul Van der Voort26

An Involuntary Bath42

Port La Gloria46

Author on Road to La Gloria48

Col. Thomas H. Maginniss52

"The Hotel"64

The Spring68

Robert C. Beausejour82

La Gloria, Cuba, Looking North88

First House in La Gloria97

Frank J. O'Reilly110

First Women Colonists of La Gloria.122

Dr. William P. Peirce126

Gen. Van der Voort's Cuban House134

La Gloria, Cuba, Looking South150

Group of Colonists158

The Survey Corps168

Interior Gen. Van der Voort's House182

Agramonte Plaza, Puerto Principe, Cuba200

Dr. Peirce's Pineapple Patch208

Scene on Laguna Grande214

Map of Cuba.