The Portland Daily Press

JAMAICA'S BANANA KING.
He Was a
Yankee Skipper and First
Brought the Fruit to Cape Cod.

Something over twenty years ago a New England skipper used to take several trips a year from Boston to the northern ports of Jamaica, and would return to Cape Cod bay, his fleet schooner laden with bananas, for which he found a ready and remunerative sale.

Other vessels were added to the business, which grew and prospered, and soon became too important longer to depend upon the uncertain winds. and steamers replaced the schooners, according to Harper's Weekly. Bananas were offered in quantities greater than our Yankee mariner, with his limited means, could handle, and a company was formed in 1877, with a capital of $200,000 and two steamers. and the business of systematically growing the banana for export to the United States commenced. From such small beginnings sprung the American company, which now practically controls the fruit export trade of Jamaica. Its present capital is $500,000, and it has a surplus of $1,000,000, and employs twelve steamers. It ships to the United States every year about 4,000,000 bunches of bananas, besides upward of 6,000,000 cocoanuts and quantities of pimento (allspice), coffee, cacao and early vegetables. It employs nearly 2,000 men.

More than 600 mules are daily in harness engaged in drawing to ports of shipment its varied products.

It owns and controls more than twenty estates, comprising nearly 50,000 acres.

Free schools are provided for the children of its employes. It has brought great prosperity to a languishing country and practically created an industry, and its president, the man whose foresight began all this great work and whose energy is now pushing it onward, is commonly known among the Jamaicans as the Banana King.