Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-01-21
TRAVELLING IN CUBA.

F.M. Craig Of Clarion now in Cuba
writes home as follows:
at is almost impossible to travel in Cuba
now without passport, but an American
citizen can generally obtain one by prov
ing his identity, giving a satisfactory ac-
count OF himself through an interpreter
and paying fee of si.25. Armed with
this Important document, We leave Hava-
ma at noon, and after two hours run ar
rived at Batayano. Having had some ex-
perienee on the Pittsburg d Western Ry.,
this trip was not so novel as it otherwise
would have been. Instead of switching
engine pair of oxen was used in hauling
one car after another into place. | suppose
this is because Columbus used oxen ia
making up his tram when he first visited
Cuba, and the Spanish ruling class does
not favor radical reforms When the
train is ready to start a boy runs up and
down the platform ringing haudbell. A
P. & W. coach is a palace car compared to
one of these The second class coaches
and look as if they hadn't been swept out
since The war began. Every train in
cludes an armored car next the engine
filled with soldiers. Up to within few
miles of Havana, the country presents a
scene of indescribable desolation. Sugar
plantations are in ruins, houses burned
down, fields laid waste, and the country
almost deserted. All along the railroad
are seen the stumps of former telegraph
poles and in several places tho culverts
have been rebuilt after being destroyed
with dynamite by raiding parties of the in
surgents. The famous trocha runs parallel
with the railway which is used in concen-
trating the reserve columns at any
threatened point. The trooha consists of
a series of detached forts several hundred
yards apart, connected with line of rifle
pits, sentry boxes, wire fences and
trenches. 1t is held by force Of 80, 900
men, or rather boys for most Of the Span
ish soldiers l have seen were boys under
twenty. | think Co. D, of Clarion could
easily dispose Of cd equal number of Wey-
ler's host but they wouldn't care to tackle
the commissary department. At meal
time lot of steaming kettles are set out
and the soldiers gather around with long
handled spoons and help themselves.
What the pots contain is a problem be
yond my knowledge OF the culinary art
With the exceptions Of arms and amuni
ton, these soldiers are hardly any better
off than the insurgents. They are poorly
fed and clothed and have not received any
pay for over year. With halls OF them
barefooied, they constantly have to make
long marches under a burning sun in
search Of foe they can never find until it
suits his cTn convenience. Add TO this
the terrors OF smallpox and yellow fever;
and 1t is little wonder that they dread 9
campaign in Cuba"
"It is almost impossible to get any re-
liable information and especially difficult
for one not familiar with the language.
the official reports are extremely conflict
ing and always tell of Spanish victories.
1t seems that Spanish veracity has not
improved any in this respect since the
last war, when according to their own ac-
counts, they slaughtered all the Cubans
on the island An American resident of
Havana kept daily record of all the Gu
ban losses reported during the Ten Years
War, and the sum total Amounted TO more
than the entire population of the island.
Two hours before newspaper appears on
the streets OF Havana copy is sent to the
public censor and must receive his appro
val before il can be distributed. All mail
matter is opened and examined. If this
communication were mailed here it would
never get farther than the censor at Hava-
na; bat At goes on the schooner Isadora to
Key West, where it it to be hoped the
postmaster has better manners.
Cuba is as large as Pennsy ylrania and
has only one-third the population. 1t will
therefore be seen there is plenty of room
for all the American volunteers who come
oyer with the intention Of making it their
f9tuIe holn3. When CUBA Libre" Is an
assured fact, every one OF thsm will re-
ceive q tract cf copfiscsted Spanish land.
The soil js black loan, and is said to be
so rich that the aging almost holds good,
Tickle it with hoe and it laughs g har-
vest" in time of peace it would be .
paradise for lazy man, especially if he
was vegetarian. Work would not then
be necessary, as an excellent bread is
made from the -four of the cassava plant
and dried bananas, and all kinds OF delic-
ious tropical fruits grow wild. There Is
very little to be seen now, however, and
it will be gears before the island Will be
restored to its former productiYepess.
was accompanied here by one OF the
prospective land owners-a Texas COW
boy-who ID now watching tor an oppor-
tunity to join the insurgents. l first met
him in Key West, where he arrived with
fri end, twenty dollars in gold tied up in
a handkerchief, Colts revolver and a
belt full Of cartridges. His partner lost
heart and decamped with the gold on the
first steamer back to Galveston. Nothing
discouraged our fiibuster sold his surplus
drygoods, revolver and ammunition. and
came across with the proceeds on the Oil
vette. When he secured his passport nc
claimed TO be citizen OF Pennsylvania as
the Spaniards seem to have special
grudge against the natives Of the Lone
Star State. He says he is good shot
and expects to make fortune shooting
Spanish officers st $1,000 head.
W ith the thermometer at 70 degrees in
the shade it is hard to realize that Christ
mas Is almost here. 1t will be anything
but merry one for Cuba; but it vii! be a
happy Eew Year if the United States
Congress promptly acts in accordance with
the principles of eternal justice and the
will Of the American people.
L. NJ. CRAIG.