Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-04-11
Letter from Hahnna.
HOTEL SANTA YsABEL, LA HABANA, !
February, 1868. !
From a Lady Correspondent

PSOA udi y low
From a Lady CorrespOndent.l
10TH Fe6-Visited the cigarro manufac-
tory La HOmrady (the honest, the most
extensive in the island. All sorts of work
is going on in the establishment barrel
making from wood imported from the
United States, box-nsking, printing of
all kinds, wood, steel and copper engrav-
ing, photography. &c. A folio bulletin of
twenty-eight pages is issued every month
which advertises their cigarettes to all
the world. They employ two hundred
workmen, half of them Coolies, who are
more intelligent and ingenious than the
blacks. The faces of the Cinnamon bear
a wonderful likeness to each other, but are
bright enough, and their heads are not
ill-shaped. Most of them had their hair cut
in the neck and wore a band to keep 1t
from falling forward, some retain the long
braids down the back or wound around
the head. Their sleeping-rooms were
filed with rows of hunks one above an
other, with the name and number of the
occupant on a plate at the post Of each.
The names are all sonorous Spanish,
whether bestowed or adopted l know not.
Here and there was a plant growing or a
picture stuck upon the wall. The pack
ing vas pretty close, but not more so than
is usual with that class of laborers. The
Coolies are purchased of the Government
for eight years, are paid four dollars a
month, fed, clothed and lodged. There is
task-work, if they do more they are paid
for it. Some earn from twenty to thirty
dollars a month. Those making up the
packages of paper cigars count with great
rapidity, often not adding to or taking
from the bundle picked up. The litho-
graphed envelopes are yerypretty, having
colors, a different stone being
used for each. When we left
each Of our party was presented
with a package of cigarros, with
The words Remembrance TO-" and the
name printed on the envelope-done, of
course, during our visit. I noticed a Chi
lese child, and inquired his age. He was
porn on the island, but generally these un-
ortunate exiles have no families.
Paid a second visit to the Cathedral of
Cristobal. The tablet to the memory
# Columbus is within the chancel rails,
md has an alto-relievo of the great dis
and q few lines that signify a
determination to preserve his ashes for a
thousand years, and to keep him in
memory as well.
On the Plaza de Armes is a little temple.
'uilt where the first mass was celebrated
the island, and which is opened but
nee a year. In front of this is a bust of
)olon; but, l believe, there is no statue
rected to him in the city.
Opposite the tablet in the Cathedral is a
of stained glass specimen of
Of " the Lost Arts" executed four
years before the great d~iscoverer
made his first voyage.
The centre of the chancel is occupied
y a pavilion, underneath which is an
mage of the Virgin. The columns and
ase resemble the marble Of Tennessee.
We were shown the vestments of the
RESTS, which arc very elegant-velvet, /,
rocades, and cloths Of gold and silver. !
he episcopal chair is lined and canopied
18th red velvet, less pretentious than some !
seudo Peters chairs in the North. :
Assisted at the christening of a negro !
hid. Two little boys made the responses, =
ofthem expectorating after every credo +
nd amen. l was quite shocked at the in ;
Of their manner during the :
sremony, which is to them a sacrament :
everywhere in the church. i
I have been in the habit of thinking nv
'untrymen uncleanly in their habits, but /
ley are not comparable to Cubans. Spit n
ng is practised everywhere and to such a
/ extent in the churches that it is diff a
lit to find a decent kneeling place. .
Beggsrs beset you st every turn. There .
e W. old women at each church door, Z
I'd the children swarm about one like z
es. :
Aost Of the churches have at the affairs, !
stead Of pictures, life size wax or plaster
lures dressed in the oldest guise. At
lie were the Virgin and child in three
.rnered blue satin hats, turned up with
hite roses. At another the Madonna wore
black dress trimmed with gold lace, very 4
UGH in the style of Lucretia Borgia, in
e second act Of that opera. 1t seems as a:
fancy had gone wild in bedizsningt these NJ
sures with silk, flowers, lace and tinsel. is
Ihe confessionsls are open arm chairs Ii
it'll plates pierced with holes at each side b,
rough which the voice of the penitent is
aches the holy fathers ear. 4. n. D. OF