West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-06-28
Cuban RAILWAYS.

halfway travelling in Cuba has som,
very curious aspects. For instance, when
trains arrive at and depart from citie,
OF villages 1T is rather a queer thing &c
see, between the depots and limits of all
municipalities, man on horseback pre.
ceding the engine. No train NAV arrive
or depart more rapidly than the speed of
this courier, who announces his own and
the trains coming by tremendous below.
ings and hallooings. Sometimes he il
provided with a sort of trumpet. which
he sounds lugubriously. The railroads
are Dearly all OF narrow puage. and
freight and passenger cars are little and
low. Not long ago Cuban engineers
We're nearly all Americans and received
fabulous wages. This was also true of
the engineers on the sugar plantations.
But Subans are bright and initiative,
and they are aloro now in charge. The
machinery attests that 1t is dingy.
rusty, half-ruined. 80
The Cuban engineer handles his engine
IN ahesitant, hysterical sort of way. He
IS no mechanic. IL breakdown occurs
ne calls upon everybody within reach
ana, In complete desperation, 'talks it
mlts suicide from sheer fright.
The railway stations arc all walled
about as high as fortress, and freight
Is handled in the yards and transferred
much as lower Mississippi River steam.
boat is wooded" by negro roustabonts
who "shanty' with dismal songs. or by
the unwieldy bull-carts with their pic.
turesque carretoneros, so common TO the
streets of Havana
There are also some odd regulations
about Cuban railway travel. Ticket
ofhces are closed five minutes before de.
parture OF trains and if one thus fails
OF securing ticket, one.third addition
al 10 regular iare is eXacted for the first
division over which your route NAV lie.
You are allowed 20 carry free only a hat
box or medium-size vaise; but If your
train does not make schedule time Won
can stop anywhere along the route and
get your entire fare refunded No "per.
sons OF COLOR are allowed in first-class
cars, though gamecocks in baskets are /.
and II you attempted TO ride upon the
platform or TO occupy more than one
seat, you would Immediately be turned
over TO the guardia civil, whose members
ride on trains between stations to lirt
with fair senoritas, aud to constantly en-.
force the fact that Spain owns Cuba.
AS In most European countries, there
arc three grades of passenger coaches.
and all are modelled on the American
plan. The third grade cars have only
solid wood seats; the second are very
plain, but the seats are Of cane" the
hrst are very pleasant and convenient.
and In most cases prettily enough deco.
rated, the woven cane seats taking the
place OF our plush cushions on account
OF the difference in climate. The con.
duetor is uniformed rs with us. and is
the busiest man on earth for the amount
OF business he transacts He IL at every.
body every five minutes for re re-examina.
ton OF tickets, and pompous guardia
civil, a soldier of one of the three classes
OF military in the island, is forever at
lns heels, glaring impudently into faces.
demanding with maddening frequency
your passport, if you happen to be a for.
eigner and especially so ii an American,
whom the Spaniard loathes, and search.
ing your person, or even a lady's reti.
cule, If the whim sieZes him.