Evening star., 1897-04-27
THE CITY OF KEY WEST.


me osly One In the south That w.s
Never Under the Confederate Flag.
Frcm the Buflalo Courier
man who recently has returned from
key West, Fla. says the first impression
q stranger gets Of that place At the present
time is that the city has gone on a per
petoAl hoiioay spree. Bunting flies from
almost every housetop. and the coiors are
about evenly divided between "Oitf Glory,
and the emblem of the Cuban republic.
People Of all classes and ages wear min.
or other symbols bearing the motto .-C,ha
hore. and If Uncle Sam would only nod
consent or say nothing at all about It the
15.O00 patriotic inhabitants of this seaeirt
isle would skip across the channel and
u ckfe the Queen Of the Antilles to the Star
Spangied Banner without any more fuss
Castillo del Morro." or Moro Castle. is
only eighty-seven miles from the govern
ment dock at this point and our swift
cruisers could cover the distance in a little
more than four hours. The defenses OF
n havana T' are obsolete and out of date. and
a Cuban colonel. now here. a member of
Gomez's staff, openly declares that any
one OF our armored ships could pass the
ieaa'and take the city without dificulty:
that is, as far as the land defenses are
concerned
This far southern city. lying almost with
In the tropics. is the only town of import
ance below Mason and Dixon's line that
was never Under the stars and bars of tn.
eonfederacy. The population is about
evenly divided between white Cubans coi-
ored Cubans and white Bahamians. There
are not more than a score of real Ameri-
can families, -seSdent on the island but
notwithstanding this fact the great mass
of the people are loyal to the Union first
and to Cuba next 1t Is curious, though
true. that of all the houses. dwellings,
stores. hotels and other buildings that dot
n ha pf har
one of them has a chimney or anything
that will answer the purpose of a chimney
Handsome residences and lowly novels are
alike in this respect, and from eminence
gazing out over acres of roofs on all Sides
one is struck with the want of something
to complete the symmetry of the picture
Wood and coal fuel of any kind are
unknown quantities, as the tropital atmos-
phere furnishes at all times OF the year
all the heat required, and for cooking pur-
poses sticks of carbon are used. which
are sold by pcddlers, who hawk their wares
about the streets.
There arc few stores, We understand
such things, and no markets. Sign boards
in Spanish will tell you where the barber
shop is located, or where to buy coral Or
naments There are no more than half a
dozen stores conducted on the American
pian in the island.
Instead of market there Is a daily auc-
ton near the government dock, where ev-
erything in the way of provisions. furni-
est bidder. Bananas alligator pears and
pineappleS are the commonest articles of
purchase, and here ships from Jamaica,
Cuba and Nassau. in the Bahamas, unload
their cargoes and dispose Of them at ruin
Gus rates rather than risk voyage at this
time of year to more northern ports. Quick
sales and small profits seem to be the pre-
vailing idea with them. As consequence.
Key West is. perhaps, the greatest banana
and pineapple market in the world On al
most any day one can secure an enormous
bunch of bananas, ripe or green, at from 10
to 10 cents, and can cart away all the lus-
cious pineappleS he cares to purchase at
one cent, two cents. or three cents each.
Directly opposite tine harbor docks on the
further side of the island and facing Cuba
Is large dancing pavilion called La Brisa,
where Monday and Friday nights and Sat
urday afternoons public dances are held
1t has large. broad verandas overlooking
the sea, which make ideal promenades and
commodious dancing hall within, where
those who desire can trip the light fan
tastic to their hearts content upon the pay
ment Of small fee. The very best people
attend these dances, and many go simply
for the promenade or to smoke or chat with
friends: but should any one step even so
dark-skinned Cuban Is Immediately at hand
with a proffered hat into which a coin must
be dropped.
There must be at least 5000 refugees in
Key West fioh-combatants and exiles from
their homes, who dare not return under the
present Spanish rule, and who must await
the solution of the war problem one way
OF the other before they can return to their
peaceful occupations