USVI Public Records

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ST ¢RIY AYS . ° , . s s v. e Unitad States Prass Representativas’ Visit To St Groix, Virgin Islands, U. 3. A, ‘ THURSDAY February 21st, 1324, AS REVIEWED BY BUMBLE BEE EN ROUTE —:0:—:0:01— {Continued from yesterday’s Avis.) And now for the last lap of our journey. First thanking our genial host for the most pleasant diversion so tastefuily supplied and then into our waiting automobiles whieh in a few minutes carried us to the centerline road where at this point we rejoin- ed and proceeded down the road due west, we re-pass the plantations and scenes we re- viewed upon our upward journey. Our guest then took the opportuaity to ask ques- tions as to some characteristics of the island, as follows: P. R: What is the size of the island ? B. B: T'wenty-two miles lopg, five to six miles broad at the west end and midlle and rapering to a point in the east. In area about eighty-four squar» miles. P. R: What is the population ? B. B: About 12,000. P. R: How much of the island is arable? . B. B: Nearly allis arable. [ln 1790 the whole islanl was under cultivation even to the tops of the mountains we see before us, but gradually this extensive cultivation has decreased for various reasons in which the quastion of laoor and population enters largely. P. R: What is the price of land per acre ? B B: Itis not a custom here, as yet to sell land by acre, the plantations are held as a whole, generally ranging from seventy-five acres up, and are sold as plantations with buildings, stock, implements, ete., an estate of about 150 acres would be valued today about $20,000, equipped. P. R* But eannot land be s)ld by the acre ? B. B: There is no law to prevent selling estates in parcels as a whole with buildinas, stock, implements as describad; howevar, no doubt in the near futore a dismem- berment of estates as a whole will bacome the custom of the day rather than the system I have just mentioned. As to the value of the land it ranges from ten to fifty dollars per acre, according *o lscality and fertility, and in rental it is quite customary now of five to seven dollars per acre per annum. P. R: I notice that each plantation seems to have a group of hYuildings like a village upon It. B. B: Another old custom and which will not be seen in any other island in the West Indies, except possibly in Jamaica. Twenty-five years ago and previous, eacn of these plantations we are now passing had individual set of works for the manu- tacture of sugar and back in the ‘‘forties”” each had a windmill upon it before steam was introduced as power to grind the sugar cane, so that each of the groups vou see was a small beehive ot industry with the owner for the manager and his family. domestics and laborers ail working harmonious!y and happily together. P R: i understand there is some investigation on to procure water for the island. B. B: Yes, lam glad to say rhere is. By the courtesy and genuine interest that he has shown 1n the Virgin Islands we have to thank Mr. Denby,the S2eretary of the Navy. who has sent out an Engineer,Commander Warfield, to devise ways and mean: to supply water for the towns, and already Christiansted’s plans have been worked out and in the near :uture that town will have its water supply and Frederiksted has also the assurance that it will have a good supply for domestic purposes in the near future. As to the grea er problem Mr. Denby has sent our Mr. C. C. Fisher, kindly assigned by the Department of Interior of the Reclamation Service, who is studying the problems of a possible irrigation system and who assures us after a first study of the situation that it will be possible to impound water of suf- ficient quantity to carry a considerable acreage over the partial dry spell we have each vear and which will be so beneficial in allowing the use of artificial fertilizer not possible now as the application teads to burn out vezetation unless supplied with moisture. (To be continued.) e —————————————————————eeeeeee LOCAL The s. s. '‘Bridgetown’ sailed from | New on Saturday evening, Lave 10 tons | of cargo for Frederiksted and 37 tons | for Christiansted. : The postmaster requests us to make Eight Days More AtChristiansted. FROM WEDNESDAY 26th. CALL and see me at No. 4 Hospi- tal Street, Christiansted, and get the right Lenses fitted to your eyes before I leave. JOHN R. MAYHEW, Opt. Dr. “What Wives Wan!” di WlYes wah! WILL BE REPEATED AT THE oy WEST END MOVIES TONIGHTAT8.15 An obvious tale finely directed and staged in_ keeping with the manner of smart society. Ethel Grey Terry is at her best in this familiarly workea trianzle. : ADMISSION: Fromt DR .. iie 88, ... e THE Lenten services in the Lutheran churches this week: FREDERIKSTED Tuesday evening at 8o’cleck in Be- thesda. CHRISTIANSTED Thursday evening at 7.30. “WITH THE MASTER IN GETHSEMANE’’. J. P. CHRISTENSEN. oi SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REPORT No. 30. Week Endir.g March 21, 1924, Munieipality of St. Croix. Per- Percent of cent of Pupils not Attend- School Class tardy. ance. Frederiksted Jr. High 99.79 100.00 La Vallee Rural 100,00 120.00 Frederiksted Publie 99.02 99 37 Christiansted Jr. High 9821 98 86 Diamond Rural 100.00 93.75 Christiansted Publie 99.12 98.05 Peter’s Rest Rural 100.00 97.27 [.a Princesse Rural 100.00 97.25 Friedensfeld Rural 96.98 9019 remark that bills for rent of post office hoxes have just been issued for the coming quarter, April 1 to June 30, aud urges the settlement of the same be fore the close of the present month. In- variably box holders give a lot of need- less trouble in the closing of the box rent account through failure to pay in time. It will be much appreciated if due attention will be given to this mat- ter.