The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-05
How Newspaper Men Fought
Their Way to News in Cuba.

synopsis &C previous narratives, Crs,ssn-
oen Marriott arrived in Cuba on January
-. Assf, when the people Of this country
We're ignorant or the true state Of affalrs
on the ISLAND Gen. weyler had Just
started his ahortsve campaign, and Secrs-
sary oiney had detied the senate to receg-
nize the beiligerency OF the rebels. The
american editors awoks 70 the Importance
OK Cuban news and dispatched their best
men 10 the ssat of war. All these news
paper men had narrow escapes, several
were killed. one died III a hospital. some
were imprisoned Marriott wildly de-
pets the dangers encountered by tire
Stranger in Cuba. the watchfulness OF
Spanish spies. and the ease with which a
man can be killed and his death passed
over unnoticed.
havana wakes Up more slowly. and at
q -ateF hoIr tslan one would suppose from
the amount OF noise that prevails In the
streets at the most uTiearthly hours cs the
morning. The first railway trip 7 made
IN cuoa was 20 Matanzas, some sixty miles
east OF Havana, With me went Editor
AeeIsah, OF Pittsburg, who was visiting
IN Cuba st the time. We arose early 10
Lake the go train. for in Cuba IL Is nee
essary 10 start early SO as TO have plenty
OF 1i'ne 10 waste later in the dsy At that
noor II was dark. and the streets were
deserted. cup Of black coffee and some
roiis without butter were ali that We could
get Defore starting. We would eat break
I las, AT Maianzas at II o'clock. they said.
Eleven Is considered quite a fashionaa ,a
houf Tor breakfast in Havana.
II was necessary 20 cross the bay To taxa
,t'e tram from Resis, a little station on
the opposite side. chiefly OF interest he
cause IL Is the door 10 Guanahacoa. Ha-
xsh2 once happy and aristocfatic suburb
Inc train should have gone for at least
zen minutes when We reached the station
nut there IL stood. with no signs OF nm
diie haste about il. After A while II. an
peared that II never starts until ALI the
passengers have been able 10 buy their
uchets. ana as buying their tickets is a
serious matter IN Cuba this takes time
The regular fare from Havana to Matan-
Zas IS <s.so. bat recently. on account of the
war. the company has raised fares 20 per
cent Only the old tariff sheets exist
however, and the passenger has to cal
cuiate his own increase. This brings the
fare up TO $4.5s. Then there IS an addi-
tonai tax or 10 per cent. for the govern
ment But TINS is a gold price, and when
one has 10 put Ii into silver or paper at the
varying rate of the day. and to agree on
his change with ticket seller who speaks
foreign language on the subject into the
bargain, he feels that he has done a hard
days work.
Meanwhile, the train waited. II had
six cars, like those in the United States:
one for baggage. enc for first class. one
for second class and three third class
The first class ear was upholstered with
Plated straw: the second had plain wood
en- benches. but with backs: while the
third class had similar ones without backs
First class costs TO 10 cents a mile, sec
ond class s To s, and third class 3 TO 3.
These Were wartime prices OF course
We took first-claSs tickets. and Mr.. kee-
nan. after a while, suddenly discovered
that he was sitting on string of fresh
FISH that some enterprising Cuban was
taking home for his breakfast--a small in
cident-but showing a custom Of the
country.
The engine backed up to the train, bring