The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-06-24
The CITY OF KEY WEST.
The Only One in the south That Wac
scycrI uacrthe Con scGcratc Flag.

|
at the present time is that the city
| has gone on perpetual holiday spree.
| l;uutinr flies from almost every house
top. and the colors at" Hiout cven!E
| divided between odd Glory" and the
emblem of the Cuban republic. People
of all classes and ares wear pins or
ether symbols bearing the motto:
CUBA Iibre,' and if tncle Sam would
| only nod consent or say nothing at all
about it the 5000 patriotic Inhabitants
Of this eca~irt isle would skip across
the channel and tackle the queen of
the Antilles to the Star Spanglcd Ban
ncr without any more fuss. "CaStlllo
del Moro" or Moro castle. is only 81
miles from the government dock at this
point, and our swift cruisers could
cover the distance in a little more than
| four hours The defcnSeS of Havana
are obsolete and out of date, and Il
Cuban colonel, now here, a member Of
| Gcmcz' staff, openly declares that any
one of our armOred ships could pass the
| font and take the city without diff eul
tv; hat is, as far as the land dCtenses
| are concerned.
This far Southern city, lying almost
within the tropics, is the only town
| of Importance below Mason and DiXOn'S
| lire that was never under the stars
and bars of the confederacy. The pop
u1ation is about evenly divided between
whit" Cubans, colorcd Cubans and
white Bahamians. There are not more
than Il score Of real American families
| resident on the island. but notWitG
| standing 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 the island from one shore to the
| ether. not one of them has Il chimney
| or anything that Will answer the puT-
| pose Of Il chimney. Handsome resi-
Genccs and lowly novels are alike in
this respect, and from an cminencH,
| gazing out over acres Of roofs on all
sides. one is struck with the want Of
| something to complete the symmetry
OF the picture. WooI and coal or fuel
of any kind are unknown quantities, as
the tropical atmosphere furnishes at
all times Of the year all the heat re-
CURED, and for cooking purposes sticks
OF carhon are used. which are sold by
| peldlers, who hawk their wares about
the streets.
There are few stores. as we under
stand such things, and no markets.
Sign boards in Spanish Will tell You
| where the barber shop is located. or
here to buy coral ornaments. There
| are no NOR" than half !. dozen stores
conducted on the American plan in the
island.
| Instead of a, market there is 4 daily
auction near the government dock,
where everything in the way of provi-
| sions, furniture and fruit is knocked
down to the highest bidder. Bananas
2lligators, pears and pineapples are the
comm0nCst articles of purchase, and
here ships from jamaica, Cuba, and
Nassau, in the bahamas, unload they
sHrgocS ard dispose of them at ruinou5
rates rather than risk 4 voyage ut this
| time Of year to more northern ports.
Quick sales and small profits seems to
II" the prevailing idea with them. As
A consequence, Key West is, perhaps.
1h" greatest banana and pineapple mar
let in the world. On almost any day
| or" can secure an enormous bunch CT
bananas. pc or green, at from ten to
| fifteen cents, and one can cart away
all the luscious pineapples he cares 20
purchase at one cent. two cents or three
cents. Directly opposite the harhor
doc ks, on the farther side of the island
and fa"irg Cuba. is a large dancing
pavilion called La Rrisa, where Monday
and Friday nights and Saturday after
Moons public dances are held. 1t has
large, broad vcrantlas overlooking the
sea, which make ideal prornenatles, ANA
Il connexions dancing hall within.
| where those who desire can trip the
Eight fantastic to their hearts content
upon the payment of a small fee. The
very best people attend these dances,
and many 20 simply for the promenade
or to smoke or chat with friends: but
should anyone step even so much as
Il toe upon the dancing floor a clark
skinned Cuban is Immediately at hand
with a proffcred hat into which a coin
must be dropped.
There must lie at least 1000 refugees
IN Key West. non-combatant and exilcs
from their homes. who dare rot re-
turn under the present Spanish rule,
and W no must await the solution of the
war problem ore way or the other be-
tore they can return TO their Ueacrful