The times., 1898-07-10

On the hills above were several small
blockhouse forts, which have doubtless
been improved within the last two
months. while ii is almost certain that
cannon have been mounted on the brow OF
the hill above the city, near the military
barracks, and at the market place, for
merly monastery. These points COM
mand the bay, but they also afford easy
targets for our fire. The harbor front has
several wharves but only vessels of lignt
draught can come alongside The Span
ish authorities have been talking for
years of constructing a stone jetty and,
by dredging, obtaining a depth OF from
IL to % feet in order that many vessels
now hghtered may unload direct on the
quay. Stories are told of immense sums
paid 10 the military engineers, who pOck-
eted the money and left the work 10 their
successors, with the result that scarcely
more than a start has been made.
One Of the best features of the place
is the Alameda, the road extending along
the water front for about half a mile,
which has a good surface adapted for cy-
cling and Is shaded by a boulevard OF
waving palms and choice trees
AT the eastern end Is a very sro-ty
Htar'ci e:,tacn About midwIv .. vSu
the Paseo is a charming rustic pavilion.
directly opposite the pier which leads TO
| the comfortable quarters OF the club
Nautica. Since the revolution the club
has had little chance of fulfilling the
object of It's existence. no boats. by order
# the Spanish authorities, being allowed
ou- 10th the club AMI the impr Jvemeats
TO the Alameda are chiefly due 10 the
efforts of a German resident Mr. Mi
cldelson. of the banking house of Scnu-
mann & Co. As matter of fact. were
it not for the foreign residents. the city
would long ago have gone entirely 20
the dogs. The Spaniards are so intent
on personal gain, that no time or money
can be spared for public improvements.
There is no hotel in the city at which a
self-respecting tramp would accept free
accommodation couple of years ago,
therefore. a few Englishmen and Ameri-
cans met and formed an alliance tha
result OF which took definite shape in the
establishment Of an Anglo-American club.
Without exception, travellers have de-
clared il supplied the best-cOoked meals,
and was the cleanest and most comfort
able stopping place for foreign travel
ers and residents in the West Indies. Il
anything is to be spared from lombard
ment it should be the premises of tins
Ang!o-American Club.
The appearance of the commercial
houses on the harbor front convey
wrong impression of the business trans
acted therein. Looking at the shabby,
tumbledOwn offices Of BrOokes & Co and
OF Bueno & Co, one can hardly credit
| that the former firm has some threG
| million dollars investd in sugar estates
| and both do a turnover Of several mill
ions yes-. Frederic Ransom. the Brit
/ lSh consul. Is a member of the firm OF
| Brookes & Co, and has his consulate in
| the same building Mr.. Ramson though
| consul al the time OF the Virginius az.
| fair was away in England, his brother.
/ in-law, Theodore Brooks being the then
| acting vice-cOnsul. On Mr.. Ramson's re.
| turn he worked energetically in obtain
| ing. compensation from the Spanish gov
| ernment. Il may not be generally known
| that Mr.. Best. the cable clerk ignored
| the instructions Of the Spanish censor,
/ and took upon himself the responsibility
/ Of sending messenger 10 Jamaica for
| the British gunbOat that subsequently
| arrived in time 10 save the crew from ths
| fate OF their hfty-three unfortunate
companions who were shot in front of
| the abattoir in 1913 He Is now in charge
/ Of the Office Of the Wes; India and Pana-
ma Gable Company in San Juan. where
| he stuck 10 his post OF duty throughout
! the recent bombardmsnt
Ihe old cathedral forms the eastern
boundary Of the Plaza de Armas. where
on Thursday and Sunday nights f. was the
| custom OF the citizens. and especially OF
the pretty senOritas. 10 promenade while
bands. During the month of March last
several band nights passed without mu-
sic Inquiries elected the fact that a
number Of the bandsmen had made off to
the woods TO join the ranks of the in
surgents- The brass band which is said
to have met the recent expedition from
Key West near Guantanamo in all prob
ability numbered among its members
some of these self same individuals The
government house and the Club San Car
los are also in the Plaza. The latter club
was a regular rendezvous for Cuban pa
triots; for it must not be thought that all
the insurgents are in the woods Equal
ly valuable work has been done by those
remaining in towns in the way Of obtain
ing and sending out supplies of ammUni-
ton. food and clothing. This went on con-
tinually in Santiago, scarcely a week
elapsing that did not see the dispatch OF
something or other needed by the insur-
gents under arms.
In speaking OF the principal city build
ings mention must be made of the large
military barracks and hospital on the
hill to the northwest; nor Will it do 10
forget the theater. now in rather a dilap-
idated state in which it is claimed Mime.
Adelina Patti at the age of fourteen
and under the direction of Gottschalk,
made her debut on the public stage. The
same claim however. is made for the
theater OF San Juan; but II may oe that
both places were visited on the same
tour.
The patrons of the theater in Santiago
since the present revolution broke out
/ have chiefly been confined 10 the Span
! ish officers. The citizens have had little
/ TO spend on amusements. Many families.
1 old and distinguished and well 10 do.
/ have been brought 20 ruin, their mem
/ bers being only TOO glad 10 accept the
/ charitable gifts of the American Relief
! Committee to avoid actual starvation
| The reconcentrados and people of the
| lower orders. having no chance of get
| ting employment, have also suffered
| great hardships. A soup kitchen, which
| had been supported for some time by
/ the contributions of merchants was two
/ months ago threatened with extinction.
| because the local storekeepers were do
| ing no business and simply could not
| pay their promised contributions. With
| large body of military TO feed and their
numbers increased by the arrival of
| the Spanish feet, and knowing the brut-
| al. selfish character of the authorities
| one can easily imagine the desperate
! straits to which the poor people of San
tiago are put in seeking to obtain the
| bare necessaries of life.-New York Sun
| GERMANY'S NEW REICHSTAG.