The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-04-08
KEY WEST a QUEER PLACE.
Few Americans Live There - Great
Market for Fruit.

Market for Fruit.
a man who recently has returned
from Key West, Fla, says the first inn
preston stranger gets of that place
1T the present time is that the city has
gone on a perpetual holiday spree.
Bunting flies from almost every house
top, and the colors are about evenly di-
vided between "old glory and the en-
blem of the Cuban republic. People Of
all classes and ages wear pins or other
symbols bearing the motto Cuba
libre," and if Uncle Sam would only nod
consent or say nothing at all about It
| The $4,000 patriotic inhabitants of this
seagirt isle would skip across the chan
mel and tack the queen of the Antilles
! % the star spangled banner without
any more fuss. Castillo del Morro,"
or MORO castle. is only 81 miles from
he government dock at this point. and
our swift cruisers could cover the dis
lance in a little more than four hours.
The defenses of Havana are obsolete
md out of date. and a Cuban colonel,
4 member of GemeZ' staff, openly de-
clares that anyone of our armored ships
could pass the fort and take the city
without difficulty; that is. as far as thu
and defenses are concerned.
This far southern city. lying almost
within the tropics. is the only town Of
| importance below Mason and DiXon's
line that was never under the stars and
bars of the confederacy. The popula-
ton is about evenly divided between
white Cubans, colored Cubans and
white Bahamians. There are not more
| than a score of real American families
resident on the island. but notwith-
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 other. not
one of them has chimney or anything
that will answer the purpose of a chin
ney. Handsome residences and lowIv
novels are alike in this respect, and
from an eminence. gazing out over
acres of roofs on all sides. one is at once
struck with the want of something to
complete the symmetry of the picture.
NooC and coal or fuel of any kind are
unknown quantities, as the tropical at
mosphere furnishes at all times of the
year all the heat required, and for cook
ing purposes sticks of carbon are used,
which are sold by peddlers, who hawk
their wares about the streets.
There are few stores. as we UNDER
S.tu SI11b !, I'D
Signboards in Spanish will tell You
where a barber shop is located or where
TO buy coral ornaments. There are not
more than half a dozen real stores con-
Quoted on the American plan in the
whole island.
Instead of a market there is a daily
auction near the government dock,
where everything in the way of provis-
ions, furniture and fruit is knocked
down to the highest 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 ruinous
rates rather than risk a voyage at this
time of year to more northern ports.
Quick sales and small profits seems to
be the prevailing idea with them. As
consequence Key West is. perhaps, the
greatest banana and pineapple market
in the world. On almost any day one
can secure an enormous bunch of
bananas, ripe or green, at from ten to
fifteen cents, and can cart away all tine
luscious pineapples he cares to purchase
at one, two or three cents each DE-
rrctly opposite TO the harbor docks. on
the farther side of the island and fac
ing Cuba, is a large dancing pavilion
called La Brisa. where Monday and Fri
day nights and Saturday 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 fam
tastic to their hearts content upon the
payment of a small fee The very best
people attend these dances. and many
go simply for the promenade or 10
smoke or chat with friends. but should
anyone step even so much as toe upon
the dancing floor a dark-skinned Cuban
is Immediately at hand with a prof
fered hat into which a coin must be
dropped.
There must be at least 5000 refugees
in Key West, NONCOMPLIANCE and eXiles
from their homes, who dare not return
under the present Spanish rule, and
who must await the solution of the war
problem ono way or the other before
they can return and resume their peace
full occupations.-Chicago Chronicle.
Marvellous Mechanism.
The human body is an epitome in