The Spanish-American Iron Company and the Juragua Iron Company remained in operation during the entire war between Spain and Cuba, and, although located at the extreme outpost of the Spanish troops, with Cuban forces in the immediate vicinity, maintained throughout a strict neutrality, and continued shipping ore until they were closed by order of the Spanish authorities, after the declaration of war between the United States and Spain. The three companies, which are the only ones that have ever operated mines in the province, represent an investment of American capital of about $8,000,000, and the two still operating have paid into the Treasury of the United States more than $2,000,000 in import duties on iron ore. The following table shows the production of iron ore in the province from 1884 to 1897: ------+------------------------------------------------------ | PRODUCTION. YEARS.+----------+----------------+-------------+------------ | Juragua |Spanish-American|Sigua Iron | Total Tons. | Company. | Iron Company. | Company. | ------+----------+----------------+-------------+------------ 1884 | 23,977| .... | .... | 23,977 1885 | 80,095| .... | .... | 80,095 1886 | 110,880| .... | .... | 110,880 1887 | 94,810| .... | .... | 94,810 1888 | 204,475| .... | .... | 204,475 1889 | 255,406| .... | .... | 255,406 1890 | 356,060| .... | .... | 356,060 1891 | 261,620| .... | .... | 261,620 1892 | 320,859| .... | .... | 320,859 1893 | 334,341| .... | 12,000[1]| 346,341 1894 | 153,650| .... | .... | 153,650 1895 | 302,050| 74,992 | .... | 377,041 1896 | 291,561| 114,110 | .... | 405,671 1897 | 246,530| 206,029 | .... | 452,559 ------+----------+----------------+-------------+------------ Total | 3,036,314| 395,131 | [17] |3,443,444 ------+----------+----------------+-------------+------------