The times., 1898-12-25
IN THE Cuban CAPITAL
A Mingling off, the Medieval
and Fin de Steele.
THE SPIRIT 4 OF PROGRESS

ers The Canteen Boys - Spanish
/ Officers Not So Swagser-Newspa-
per Censorship Continues-Tvhe Re-
| turn Of the Vicious Nanigoes A
| Bind of Dangerous Criminals.
| Havana, Cuba, Nov. 17.-It is impossible
to set forth in words ones first impress
sons of this old. old town-the .'San Cris-
toval,'' whose foundations were laid 200
| years before our great Republic was born.
| They are Il bewildering medley of glow
ing sunshine. brilliant coloring and mas
sive buildings. tottering with the weight
of years-of wealth and poverty, beggars
and proud grapdees. gaunt starvation and
gayety that seems never to have known a
care. Memories of dons and hidalgos.
| mail-clad crusaders and murderous buc-
| cancers, caravals and gold-iaden galleons
expeditions of discoverers freebooters and
| flibusters. come thronging to the mind,
together with thoughts of later tragedies
of patriots ragged and hungry. in swamps
Land mountain Businesses. fighting for
years against overwhelming odds in SUBJ
lime devotion to the cause of Cuba libre,
and of those most pitiable objects under
the sun-the go 600 pacificos. who have been
crushed to death between the mlllstones
of tyranny and rebellion. Especially al
this time of year travellers fresh from the
frozen North find Cuba veritable land OF
enchantment, with blue skies and greener
fields and brighter verdure than can be
seen anywhere else on earth. 1t Is Mex
leo doubledistilled-it is the Italy of the
Western Hemisphere mingling of
Southern Europe with the Far East. and
a wonderful blending of medieval times
with the end Of the nineteenth century.
In any other light than this the ancient
capital would look dingy and shabby be-
yond compare. II is the marvelously clear
atmosphere which gives the fading paint
weather-worn stones and crumbiing plas
ter of those dilapidated structures the
mellow tints and softly brilliant color ef-
fects that artists admire.
Lethnrgy Giving Nay.
The first innovation one observes In the
Havana of today-besides the presence of
American soldiers ana the Stars and
Stripes fiuttering above house tops in lier
OF spain's red and yellow bsnner-is the
extraordinary activity everywhere appar-
ent. Men no longer lounge in their door
ways or loiter along the shady side o.
the street as If the hardest work the
world held for them was that of killing
time" but everybody Is up and stirring
How it must astonish the natives, who
have inherited the idea from generation:
of lazy ancestors that II is well to put off
/ until an indefinite manana the things
which should be done, today Nowadays
American enterprise stares you in the face
the instant you set foot on shore. First
there is our new Government pier, now
almost completed. at Marianao near
suburb of Havana. For many years II
has been badly needed, but the Cubans
were too poor and their Spanish master
too Indifferent 10 build 1t. Havana ha
never had but the one line OF wharves-
those near the Cuba custom house-and
with the landing OF our troops and sup
plies another was Indispensable The Ma
rianao pier has ten feet of water at low
tide said to be sufficient for all llghterage
Just beyond It an unusual stir is visible
100 men, with mules and carts and bar
rows, busy at railroad building This new
Government line is to be only seven mile
long to connect Marianao. Regla. Iris
coria and Guanabacoa with the capital
Another scheme to be carried out in the
near future is the building of a second
! ard more extensive. pier near Casa Blan-
) co. on the other side of the harbor. It's
! wharf will be 400 feet long, with thirty
feet of water along the side, and, OF
course. warehouses and full facilities foI
commerce and shipping will quickly fol
low Work on this wharf has not YET
been begun. as the lumber and other ma
, terials must be brought from the United
= = States. Uncle Samuel will be -esponsibls
for ilaf nf
. Marianao pier and the short railway aboy'
mentioned.
= Prospective Enterprise.
e They tell us that a longer road IL
I about to be built, under the auspices OF
! the American-Indies Company. of Tren
ton. N ]. 1t is said that the company
has sIS.eoO 900 in hand, all of which Il
proposes to invest in Cuba and PortC
Rico and promises 10 raise as many NOR,
millions as may be required. The line, a.
projected, viii begin at the Casa Blanct
: wharves, keeping close to shore for SOM
e distance and tlcn strfAing eastward, vi;
$ Triscoria, TO Matanzas, where it will con
meet with the present railway system o
f Cuba. 1t will be constructed on the gen
: era1 plan of our Pennsylvania road, dou
: ble-tracked most of the way; and 1t i
d safe to say that all its equipments viii
e be made or purchased in the Unite'
s States. Hitherto the island railway!
a have been built and controlled by Eng
Y lishmen, furnished with rolling stool
s from England and run by English engi
: neers. The Indies Company have alread.
made a primary survey. CONSIDERABLE
: blasting. grading and filling will b
o necessary, as the route traverses
r rather difficult section. of rocky hills al
e ternated with swamps.
e The next hint of changed condition
:. which greets ones return to Cuba is til
Y increased cab fare. Formerly. as regu
# lated by local ordinance. 1t was 20 cent
l. for each person. one way, from point t
l. point within city limits Now 1t is
: cents-a dollar-whateyer the hackme
a can impose upon the unsophisticate6
II The former tariff was sufficient. consid
ering the character of the service, and n
e doubt more profitable to the owners of tn
L. f:Insnackle vehicles-for in the old day
e everybody rode, whether going two O
three blocks or as many miles, whereas
J. at double and quadruple the price. man
: will count the cost and treat themselve
J. to healthful exercise. 81
II The securing of proper accommodation
IS in Havana has already become a Seriou