New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-02-18
THE TRIBUNE
Life In Cuba.
Correspondence OF the Tribuse.
ru,,n.n pp Nrp, M


,.,,;,r of any interest has transpired at this
:. ,rce my arrival, and have nothing in partl-
Pg w.. - communicate except a few general sb,er-
~. ..,. mon the place, climate, &c. The weather
:. h.en dry and fine it always is here at this
of the wear, but rather cooler than usual, re-
..G,gus q, times that it must. be little too cold
=. ,cmfort in your northern city. There is no
] ..,, climate under the sun for northern invalds,
=. bs want of accommodations is such as to coun-
4 .,A,1suce the superiority of climate over other
.l.,., Of resort, and the few now here are in no
..,l wsy disconnected with their situation. No
,,.a thing as hotel is known here; and the only
.,.o,, OF stranger is to miserable Posada (equi
,lsDt to Q low victualing house in English) fur
,;bed with pine table, few wood-bottom chairs,
I'd half a dozen cots extremely well peopled with
,,,. scorpions, &c., at one dollar and fifty cents
,rday. The want of enterprise is truly surPriz-
!, This city costains population Of about thir-
,.o thousand inhabitants; two hundred cargees
,.,r are shipped from its port; steamboats, from
Biabano, opposite to Havana and ST. Jago,
,o.b here four times month, and for six months
,,be wear it is, in respect to climate asd weather,
4. heat resort accessible for nvslids; and still no
o,s can be found willing to try the experiment of
,,.niog decent hotel All the energies of the
,.onls. not subdued by the relaxing influence of
| ro,ical climate, appear to be concentrated upon
| s.s,oes and susar-cane. The idea Of public inn
,m,ements seems to find no place in their minds.
Gsa,Ien,sn residing in the city with abundance of
s servants lettering about the streets, are content
nide up and down the road to the port of Casilda,
but three miles, from year to year, picking their
vsg from side to side to avoid the gulles yard or
more deep in some parts, and in other parts to
wade through deep drifts of dry sand, without ever
bss.owing particle Of labor to The repair of the
road; and the government Of the city, with nearly
sundred prisoners to work in the streets, equal
creless Of this great thoroughfare of travel from
] town TO port As these prisoners must be kept at
work. tho streets Of the city have been nicely paved
mud huts, occupied by negroes, mulattoes, &c &C.;
1 but here there is pecuniary motive, for the OWL
u Of the lots, however, poor, are compelled to pay
/ a the pavement. The direct and immediate ac-
ssi.i.on Of money seems to DO the oaly ruling mo.
/ tive Of the authorities and people. There are but
,soansHeu to all suggested improyemsnts-"No
,,re" (it won't dog and impossible (impossi-
&) Its estimated that thirty thousand dollar,
1 RI year are expended for gig hire and as much
Drs carriage over this scandalous road, and yot
l. same men who contrive to produce from 5000
as500O boxes of sugar per year by the labor of
I heir numerous slaves, solemnly declare the. moth
sls can be done for Improvement Of the road,
Hi.eanse the Consalado haze taoelve thousand dol
sl~s funds for that Gerry purpose, which is not
sia!f ensugh to begin to do eny thing.
E III. about the same in respect to water for the
use Of tho city. The town being situated over
ares of rocks. ne water can be obtained from
Ees, and of cisterns there arc scarcely twenty in
he whole city Poor free negroes, &c. &C. bring
water from the river, about mile distant, in jugs,
md thu. supply the inhabitants enough to drink;
a!m to keeping them clean, that has not yet
aeu thought Of; and would no doubt be declared
a'apo,sible, judging from their appearance. 1t is
aeussom here never to put water to the skin Of
aa sick; and, as dirt is considered SO good cure
Sssa disease, it appears to be generally esteemed a
pnsren'ise also, by the number of dirty faces met
Ha the streets. There are plenty of good springs
lathe hill, within two miles of the city, from which
bluc water could be brought in pipes at small
Expense, but brought in this manner it would no
aoubt be too clean, and consequently unwhole-
Ispne. AS they now get it there is no such danger.
'ne twenty or thirty negroes, with mules and
asss, ride into the little stream, dsmount and fill
sfsir jugs from below the animals, with due pro-
3rtiOn of nastiness, of course, to make the water
Ila,able and wholesome
Water, too, and cleanliness, are considered de-
nctlye to the salubrity of the houses, and conse-
ISently mop is thing unknown In domestic
aaomy, and the floors never are wet, except BY
janpness from the ground below in the rainy sea-
30a As Tho latter mode of wctting them pro-
#Sse' sickness i, is supposed by some that wash
@slhem would be as bad, but by far the greater
sAoer Of the people never thought or heard OF
Seyuch foolish idea as washing floors. The out
100 doors and window shutters are equally free
saa the touch of water, and many grand house,
'a an illussrieus coat of arms in the CRATE OF the
,ad0w, alse displays remarkable coat of dirt ON
ssaons door.
me style of building is copied in great meas
= 'a nom the houses of old Spain, and will be fol-
a4sed' no doubt, without change, for ever and
va. The aoors are of course brick and mortar,
saon the ground like the bottom of cellar, l. e.
Ssesa few grand houses in which marble is sub
@uea Tor bricks, and about half the residue which
NC not any floors a, all. There is but one story,
lug half dozen exceptions in the whole
s'a,) and in the rainy season there is no escap-
we dreadful dampness Of the ground Even