[CUBA - SUGAR PLANTATIONS]. 1862-1940. 550 Documents - Lot 86

[CUBA - SUGAR PLANTATIONS]. 1862-1940. 550 Documents Correspondence concerning the operation of the La Confianza and Santa Fe sugar estates on the island of Cuba in the Guantanamo region. Key document on the plantation, covering eighty years of history, from 1860 to 1940, in nearly 500 documents. An archive containing the detailed correspondence of the various administrators, reporting on sugar production and trading. The firms Ducourau, Faure frères, Pons, Arnaud and finally the Brooks company succeeded one another at the head of the agricultural estate, providing interesting accounts of the life of the planters, the climate and the sugar trade, which depended on the ups and downs of the financial markets and American and European demand. AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE ARCHIVES INCLUDES DETAILS OF SLAVERY. Correspondence on plantation life is backed up by accounting documents and important reports on the state of the workforce, particularly slaves, their state of health, illnesses and the emancipations that began in the 1870s. 1863 Our sugar market is very quiet, largely due to the lack of ships in our ports. on the arrival of sugar from Santa Fe; he hopes he will be able to place them; on the sale of 5 wooden cavalries. 1864 Quiet market, with deliveries still very much in arrears, in view of dues from the United States and Europe, purchase only for immediate needs. Note: "emancipados" fetch as high a price as slaves. So our planters realize that there is no advantage in buying government offers. March We regret to inform you that the Sta Fe harvest is still very much behind schedule, and we have not yet been able to sell our sugars, of which we have only received about sixty containers. Rest assured that as soon as we have received enough to form a presentable lot, we will do our best to offer you the best prices of the moment. Since the opening of the new crop sales, about 8,000 goats have been sold at $4 (...). April we've come to announce that we've placed the Sta Fé sugar crop at the attractive price of $4 2s deliverable to the Caisnavera by 200 boucans. We have not been able to obtain a levy at the Pueblo as you wished. 1865 March Sad events are currently taking place in Ste Catherine; for the past fortnight or so, from noon to one o'clock in the afternoon, when the breeze blows most strongly, "incendiary hands" have been setting fire to some sugar mill. Mr. Durruthy's St. Mary's completely burned down. Not a single cane was left standing (...) Le Confluent was even more unfortunate, as it lost all the canes, and having started rolling late, had only 100 boucants made. The establishments were saved by a miracle and thanks to a vigilant guard who saw the fire starting in the purgerie and was able to contain it. Sta Fé also had its share, but your loss was insignificant. Ste Rose, St Ildefonso, St Miguel, l'Espérance have all suffered to a greater or lesser extent (...) unfortunately the dry weather continues to favor criminals (...) add to that the low sugar prices which are coming down everywhere and we'll have a bad year. Maison Boze has just bought 3,000 buckwheats (...). It's the first deal of the year. Rum is offered at $25 with little demand. At Guantanamo, we haven't done anything yet. As for cotton, I think your crop will be almost nil because of the dry weather (...) April the victory of the Federals gives hope for the resumption of trade with the United States and a rise in prices but prices have not changed, he will not wait to sell sugar July mention of 2 bales (of cotton?) for Empress Eugenie. MENTION OF THE FIRST INSURRECTIONS ON THE ISLAND, SEVERAL REPORTS ON FALLING SUGAR PRICES, AND REGULAR REPORTS ON THE WORK OF "NEGRES" EMPLOYED AS SLAVES ON THE FARM, ETC.