The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-03-17

tho war. TO do this shsy tax everything
they do, everything they sell, and every dol
lar they mako they have 10 give about hall
fit 10 the government. A large standing
army 10 maintained 10 Keep the Cubsns from
trying the revolution business again. Ha-
vana Ia
ONE OF THE RICHEST
places In the world; business of all kinds Ia
good; they make money very fast, and they
have to. or they could not stand the heavy
burden Of taxes placed upon all occupations.
As an example may mention that a clerk,
or any one in any business relations involving
a salary of $4,000, hes to pay the govern
ment $500 of the amount. Again, Havana
sugar is probably the best in the world.
There is six cents duty on every pound ex-
ported. BY the time Trey get returns it prob
ably nets them two or three cents.
The small margin would not pay them,
only from the fact that the yield its
enormous, and the expense ard trouble of
its production Us nothing compared TO SINH
lar enterprises in our country. They plant
any time in the spring or fall and the crops
are harvested the same way. If they plant
their cane this year, they probably do not
have to plant again for five or six years, and,
on the most inferior soil, certainly not oftener
than once in three or four years. They cut
the cane off each year and it grows up again.
| When il shows signs of deterioration they
pull up the crop and plant anew. They
stimste the value of land by the number of
cuts, or the number of consecutive crops, as
we would say, that it is capable of producing
| from one planting, and not from the maxi
mum yield of prolific year. as we would
determine the value Of our lands.
The main predictions Of the country are
sugar. tobacco, coffee, fruits and vegetables.
There are several varieties Of grapes, and
they make fine wine. Wine is cheap there
is comparatively little made for export, the
duty being so excessive IS to render compe-
tition With European productions impossible.
Bananas, the yam and bread fruit grow wild
in such profusion that life could be main
tanned without an effort ut labor Tho pa
triot army sometimes subsisted in this way
for months in the mountains, until rem
couture with tho enemy or II descent
upon village would repenish the
commissary. Their -four is chiefly imported
from Spain, and some little from the United
States the duty on the latter beng such as
to make the fo mer the cheaper article.
Fruits and vegetables are vrtg cheap and
the export duty light. The prices of all
other commodities of life are excessive,
however.
They have free, municipal and graded
schools, the city, not the government main
tanning them. The government sustsins
university where physicians and lawyers
are matriculsted and perfected in their pro-
LESSONS.
They have large, efficient police force,
constituting four distinct forces-the mu.
nicipal the government, the night watch and
tAc civil guard.
The catholic is the only re igion; they have
about one hundred cathedrials, many
converts and several nuneries. Secret'socia-
ties are not permitted by the government.
The priesthood are the censors, and at their
instance the government interdicts odd fell
lowship, masonry or any other secret orsani'
cation. Notwithstanding, there are some
sub rosa, l am informed.
The population of tho island is about
300, 0Cl, that of Havana 100000. They
| have rail communication with Matanzssr
Cardepas Santa Clara and Cienfuegos and
the lesser towns intermediate. The cous!ruc-
ted road embraces about One-tElrd OF the
island, which is about 1900 miles long by
an average width of probably 100 miles.
Santiago de Cuba and Puerto Principe lie
on the eastern part of the island, are reached
by the gulf and rank next in population and
| importance to,Havsna. Trinidad, another
place ofconsderable commercial importance,
! lies on the south OF the island aLdis resched
| by vessel from Cieniuegas.
They have many fine streams and springs
of water. Water is supplied 10 Havana ey
an aqueduct, the supply being derived from
| inexhsustsble springs. The reservoir cost
over 100000 There are many beau
tiful parks and promensdes in Havana,
marked conspicuously by works of sculptur-
ed art from Italy and the Uaited States,
prominent among which are -. tues Of Feroi-
nand and Isabella, Coluuous and Old
| Neptune. The parks are very beautiful, the
design and taste displayed not being
| to American horticultural art. There are
onnibuses and street cars of American
construction, some of the latter being pulled
| by curious little steam dummies, much after
the style of the New York elevated railroad.
| The city 10 lighted--and not sting hv-vith
gas. They have no wood, burn coal entirely,
principally charcoal. Hack hire is cheao,
40 cts. ia Spanish paper or % c.s. Ia silver.
Their hacks are small, their hind wheels
being about tho sizs of the forward wheels
of ours, and they arc drawn by one horse.
They charge no more Tor .wo pelsoiis I.!.as
than for one, and the price IS uniform
10 any part of the city. Havana WAS formerly
Whllcd 10 iii y tue Ouiuc-c hiih III VIZ c'N
Spanish cities, but the wall has been torn
down TO give place TO fine promenades and
other features Of practical utility. There are
no beer gardens, but saloons confront you on
almost every square. They have magnfci-
emf theatres, but the Spanish performances
are all Greek 10 anything but Spanish
scholar Your .rrespoLdent "tnmbles" 70
few words, but not enough 10 "catch on"
when tie to elevated. Rock building
rnsterisl Is abundant. They have no frame
buildings. The houses are built to-day with
the me view TO Substantially as they we're
in ye oldsn times--wben every one @lcd
into bis hole and tried 10 pull the hole N
si.er him. Fish and game are plentiful. The
o,zters are small, the best are brought from
fiorida-Sl dozen. The beef used here
principally comes
FROM TEXAS,
and retails al 40, 30 and 20 cents per pound
silver money. A shsve costs 80 cents.
paper, 30 cen.s silver. There are four botels
ranking frst-class, and 50 far as the table
d'kole il concerned, heir prelentionz may
not be contested; bat The furniture and
general features OF The Rooms would make