The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-18
IN cuBA,s CAPITAL WITH 4 CAMERA
A Last Look at the Graves of Our Men of the "Maine''-Some Spanish Character
(Speclal CorfespOnQenCe
 Washington, April 12, '9S

Washington, April 12, '9S
 The last thing I did before leaving Havana was to go out to the Cemen- tario de Cristoval Colon, to photograph the graves of our men of the Maine" for the sake of their friends at home. It was a faultless summer morning, cooled and sweetened by tradewinds waiting the odor of flowers on their wings-such weather as would make q paradise of Cuba without these dread full conditions of war. The "Cemen- tario' lies about three miles from the heart of the city. You may go by horse car as far as the suburb, Jesus del Monte, and thence to the gate of the enclosure in a ten-cent bus; or you may take carriage, at the rate of $1.50 the hour. Havanas 5000 or more pub lie carriages carry you from point to point anywhere within the city limits for 20 cents, each way; but they make up for that cheapness, by charging five times as much if they cross the line of demarkation into the suburbs, by so much as a quarter of a mile. The stu dent of human nature gets a good deal more out of the trip in tine democratic horse-car; but as time was an object on our last day In Cuba we chose the quicker transit of the carriage. The drive is a beautiful one-past city parks and plazas, abloom with roses; the great market house, with it's facing of 'portales," or covered arches-under each arch regular curio-store of a shop; through interminable narrow streets, built closely up with low flat roofed buildings, painted sky-blue purple, rose-pink, pea-green, all With iron barred windows. The retail trad CTS placard their inf1nitessimal stocks with high-sounding titles-such as the shoe-shop of La Riena de las Flores, C'The queen of the f1oWers') the gro cery of the Love of Venus, the old clothes cleaner, of His Gracious Majes- ty, Alphonso VII etc. Havana has been correctly described as a city of smells and noises. It is relief when the ev- erlasting racket of the cobble stones is exchanged for the smooth roll of wheels over macadamized road, though the latter is deep in dust and white as snow in a glaring sunshine. Down the middle of the road statues stand at frequent intervals-old marble figures, quaint and weather stained. Dusty trees line the way; beneath them, on either side, a little stream purles along pebbly ditch; and the fields are hedged with organ cactus, its pipes covered with stinging spines, growing close tog,,-.ler, higher than a mans head, forp ,ng a barrier which no living thing can pass. The Governor Generals country place is close to the city-limits on the cemetery road. It is a magnificent estate, with tower ing palms, wilderness of flowers and extensive park in which the choicest vegetation of the tropics flourish to perfection. The mansion-large, low, white-painted and surrounded by lat ticed varandas-remains closed in these troubulous times; but formerly the rul- CTS of Cuba spent most of the year here and gave frequent receptions which were attended by the flower of Ha- vanas society. It is said that the or nate iron paling which surrounds these grounds, was stolen from the munich pality by former Governor-General. It enclosed the central plaza, with it's score of entrances and the good peo- ple were very proud of it. But his ex- cellency needed a new fence for his country place and preferred to econo- mize the money in the treasury for oth CT private uses. So one night after dark the transfer was made by com- pany of soldiers, and next morning the astonished citizens could hardly believe their eyes at sight of the denuded park.
 Adjoining this place is the botanical garden, with a wonderful avenue of royal palms, second only to that of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. A little farther on is the Quinta, (Garden) of the busi- nessmen's club-a one-story, rambling, red-tiled building, surrounded by shrubbery. Members of this club, who keep up their dues of dollar a month, can go out to this place at any time for few days rest and recuperation, or for nursing when actually i'll. Another interesting institution on this road is the retreat of a Catholic sisterhood, corresponding to the order known in the United States as "The Little Sis ters of the Poor" The valuable estate, with its fine old mansion set far back from the highway behind green fields and royal palms, was bequeathed to the order many years ago by a wealthy Cuban lady, and the little sisters, now very aged women, are jogging toward sunset in peaceful retirement.
 Rustic tiendas are scattered along the way, through whose open doors white draped tables are seen; and the clinking of glasses indicate that the refreshment is mostly in liquid form. Donkeys are constantly met-some- times singly, sometimes tandem, half a dozen in line, hauling heavy load-al- ways wonderfully caparisoned with iingling bells and scarlet tassels and huge rolls of white wool atop the shoulders and harness thickly studded with big brass nails Ox-teams are fre- quent, long trains of them yoked two abreast, their poor heads bowed almost to the earth by the load of wood upon the horns, held in place by a cruel rope drawn through the nostrils. It makes ones heart ache to witness the treat ment of animals in Cuba-and nothing seems to fare worse than oxen, the most patient and faithful of all beasts of burden. How their heads must ache under those heavy yokes, staggering all day long, lashed and goaded at ev- cry step though pulling the utmost ounce of which they are capable. When the days work is done, the suffering beasts, often without water and grudg-