The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-04


only Cuban port where the prevalence OF the disease
ia rather great. The sanitary reports Of the whole
island curing 1 the past month Of May show but Ss
fever and smallpox. There were 2ls deaths, divided
thus:-Choera, 2eo cases and 104 deaths; yellow
fever 12l cases and Al deaths; smallpox ITO cases
and IS deaths For Havana, the table shows "a
OF yellow fever and 20 deaths, 20 cases Of smallpox
pna the sarss Of mortality in this por .
yellow fever, 1898 per cent; smallpox, 50 per cent
and A per cent cholera Nearly all the other cases
the maady may be considered sporadic II not semi
epidemic at present. The above line OF steamers,
ITO return to our muttOns will continue stopping
here on their voyages homewards, from New Or
leans to Baltimore, the latter city being as yet I'M
cursed with military dictator quick to publish ana t
trade and commercial prosperity. In connection
with the afsrenamed line, 1t Is in common justice
lar communication not only with the South but also
with that snug little island called Key West, yet de-
stined to become both q convenient, near and safe
probably most appropriate naval station for our
An old Spanish law Of nearly century ago pro-
ydes that no one shall engage in any vocation in the
harbor Of Havana unless he has served prescribed
This law has remained a sort Of dead letter on the
statute book for years as much honored IN its breach
away from Spanish supineness and want OF business
activity the monopoly OF any branch OF industry
red on In the bay had occurred to necesstae the
vival Of the law for the rescue OF any jeOpardized
Spanish interest until lately; the law remained
dormant, idle. But the emergency has risen and
the law Is once more invoked. Two months ago ex-
Mayor Monroe came from New Orleans and at once
engaged in systematic stevedoring In the bay and,
despite number OF petty acts Of meanness on the
part of interested opponents, was prospecting IN the
business. The absence OF competition threatened
an absorption OF the business, winch was not the
terprsers fault but 1t alarmed the parties concerned
In 1t, and, through their influence, who should step
upon the scene but the Captain de Puerto or harbor-
master and, with the old statute book Aand point
to the fogy law and In pursuance OF IL order Mayor
Munr0e away, since he mad never rendered service
Mayor might have retorfed that in this respect
neither the negro sevedores nor their masters had
been OF any service to Her Catholic Majesty more
than he. But discerning the pressure Of the stua-
ton (snce an omnipoent authority had undertaken
the championship and disguised with such illlbera
institutions, where the law can swing according to
the influence Of the wind, ex-Mayor Monroe forth.
with determined once more to make New Orleans
hts home, not to return to Cuba till English is
spoken here" La Psensa, the faithful organ OF
everything Spanish, will Of course raise shout OF
Joy and sound the glad tidngs OF triumph over the
thwarting OF an American enterprise by means so
worthy.
During the past fortnight two coolie laden vessels
arrived-the Spanish brig Alagracia, with 800 in
dentured Celestias, and the French bark Vile de st.
LO, with 321 ditto ''cOtOnOS AsatcOs.n AS proof
how Wen the Chinese relish their bondage, once
another dc0lstectnientO, which is only one of the
few recorded but Is the second OF the kind in twenty
days. The mutiny occurred on the 10th at the Osma
hacienda, near Alquzar, where they murdered the
naoyorM, or overseer. Sixteen Of the coolies have
been imprisoned bound in IRONS, for the murder,
ana they are ali to be tried by the military commits.
sion of the district to the great deriment Of their
Unjust now admit that had no occasion to regret,
as did in previous letter. that an American had
engaged in the late bull fights. To-day understand
sumed to obtain an opportunity OF displaying the
fighting qualities OF the Florida bulls The gentle
GUS cargoes OF cattle sent from Florida. by manag.
ing the bull ring he was able TO introduce
number Of bulls to public notice which done
joying the reward OF his enterprise and foresight in
o greatly increased demand for the Florida bulls
sent him and a corresponding enhancement in the
price, as the people say they will hencefOrward go
TO no bull fight unless the contest is carried BY
Fordan cattle. Nothing like Americans, after ali,
for business purposes Isn't it just soY They will
succeed where others would inevitably fall and often
through means as drol and original as startling.
| our American eX-manager OF Spanish bull fights
conceive to be as good an illustration OF this truth
as any man have ever heard OF. II we do not hear
OF him again soon he will have made his fortune by
the sole OF all the best sewing machines of America.
Throughout the island complaints are heard o.
enormous taxation, and the home government pro-
fesses disposition to lessen the peoples burdens
avowing itself In favor Of the strictest economy I'm
the management of affairs. Has the government Iot
gone TO the extremity OF curtailing the salaries
OF its employees by heavy percentage OF dscountS
Yet, in the face q all this, there are many other
means OF econOmzing For instance, l find that
several of the government offices and bureaus are
scattered throughout this city and the suburbs
located in private buildings obtained at enormous
\ rents. whole palace OF gigantic proportions Is
| occupied by single individual, for whom ample
accommodations could be secured In this edhce and
yet leave (saloons) for nearly al, the Offices
now occupying such costly houses. The same may
be said with respect to the lntendencia, which, In
| Custom House. the High Court of Justice, &c. Why
SO much empty pomposity when economy Is the
ali the government ofices ''' land i they are are
innumerable If not legion) another large building
could soon be erected at an insignificant
| owns several suitable lots. has on hand
an immense quantity OF building materials
| ana can command any amount Of convict labor Free
| With all this another palace con be built. It would
| make an enormous yearly saving In The money paid
government INDUCED in the practice as well as The
According 10 the monthly Custom House returns
OF May past the duties collected at all ports OF
the island amounted to only S75s, 546, against $780,
22e during the same month last year, thus showing
decrease Of $9l,6S3. This is mainly owing to the
restrictions on American commerce.
The exposed condition of the public archives
ana other departments of the island claims attention.
These documents are all kept here In one building,
structure Inhabited by two families, who have small
children and negro servants, big and little.
migration can occur a. any moment, either through
documents, in which found the legal history and
titles Of Havana property, are not kept brick
vaults, but remain Wondering In wooden cupboards
desks &c. Shouid fire occur, there Is no telling
what confusion 1t would entail In the claims
great city, and what vast amount OF costly never
ending litigations would ensue tnerefrom. The Audi
encia, or Superior Court, has jurisdiction over the
mdteSi. Why uoSs ~ NV OiuSl tiLtb tlcsc NauaDlc
papers be more securely keptf The Havana press
has time to give its attention TO these local inte
rests, since the telegraph keeps their hands full.
There Is no alternative but that the HERALD should
do so, thus redounding to Cuba, as not q small
part OIL even local. intelligence does throughout
the week, enabling che people TO read In your
columns what they never hear Of on the spot and
much less see In print, and when they do So IL IL
not unfrequently stale to the HERALD strange IL IL
that La Prensd, which Is ever alert for the main.
enance and protection OF everything that h Spanish
has not raised the fostering cry OF alarm Let but
consider what irreparable injury must follow the
destruction by fire Of the Cote0io de Escfbdnos and
all its Spanish contents well foreign interests)
teen witlfgraye editorials and prosy culogiums In
Favor OF spanish brick vaults spanish safes spanish
IRE proof doors f any exst and Catalan ciaret for
the preservation or Havana's archives, the loss OF
which would inevitably afiict hundred thousand,
anil olaIln nj