The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-12-01


Railway travelling in Cuba has some
curious aspects. For instance, when
trains arrive at or depart from cities or
VILLAGES Il israther queer thing 10 see.
between the depots and limits OF all
the municipalities. a man on horseback
preceding the engine. No train may
arrive or depart more rapidly than the
speed Of this courier. who announces
his own and the trains coming by tire
mendous bellowings aud hallooings.
Sometimes he is provided with a sort
of trumpet which he sounds lugubri-
,ously. The railways are nearly all OF
narrow gauge, and freight and pas
senger cars are little and low. Not
long ago Cuban engineers were nearly
all Americans and received fabulous
wages. This was also true Of the en-
gineers on the sugar plantations. But
Cubans are bright and initiative, and
they are alone now In charge The
machinery attests that Ii Is dingy.
rusty. half-ruiped.
The Cuban engineer handles his en-
CINE In hesitant. hysterieal sort of
way. He Is no mechanic. IL break
down occurs he calls upon everybody
within reach and In complete despera-
ton talks IL all over" runs away al
together. or commits suicide from
sheer fright
The railway stations are walled
about as high as fortress and freight
is handled in the yards and transferred
much as a lower Mississippi river
steam boat is wooded" by negro
roust.bouts who '.shanty" with dismal
songs. or by the nnwieldy bull carts
with their picturesque carretoneros so
common TO the streets of Havana.
There are also some odd regulations
about Cuban railway travel Ticket
offices are closed i've minutes before
departure of trains. and II one thus
fails of securing ticket one-third adj
ditional TO the regular fare is exacted
for the first division over which your
route may lay. You are allowed TO
carry free only hat-box or a small va
lise; but IL your train does not make
schedule time YOU can stop anywhere
along the route aud get your entire
fare refunded.
No persons of color" are allowed
in first-class cars, though game-cocks
in baskets are; and IL you attempted
10 ride upon the platform or occupy
more than one seat you would imme-
diately be turned over 10 the guardia
civil. whose members ride on trains
between stations to flirt with fair senor-
itas and 10 constantly enforce the fact
that Spain owns Cuba.
AS in most European countries there
are three grades OF passenger coaches,
and all are modelled on the American
plan. The third grade ears have only
solid wood seats, the second are very
plain, but the seats are OF cane; the
first are very pleasant and convenient,
and In most cases prettily enough dec
Grated, the woven cane seats taking
the place of our plush seats on account
of the difference OF climate. The con-
ductor Is uniformed as with us and Is
the busiest man on earth for the
amount of business he transacts. He
is at everybody every five minutes for
denomination OF tickets, and POM
pous guardia civil. a soldier Of one OF
the three classes Of military In the is
land, is forever at his heels. glaring
impudently into faces, demanding with
maddening frequency your passport,
IL you happen 20 be foreigner, and
especially so il an American, whom
the Spaniard loathcs, and searching
your person or even "A lady's reticule,
IL the within seizes him.