Evening star., 1898-12-16

three royal palms which tower like giart
sentinels, and which visible from all
parts of Havana, do not belong to the Field
of Mars. They are in the railroad freight
yard close by, but in the perspective they
of the park.
Though the fountains in the Field of Mars
lack the adOrnment of statuary-possbiy
through the fo1getfulness of the nagnifi-
cent Captain General Tacon, who had to
supply SO many statues to mark his rule
that in founding this park he overlooked
the matter, yet the deficiency is supplied
in the 'Glarleta' or small square which
is at the head of the Prado. 1t might also
be considered a corner of the Marian
Field. The Conde de9Villa Nueya sought
to perpetuate his own name and add to the
beauty of Havara- by presenting the statue
of India by Canova, Which rarely fails to
evoke admiration The counts fame is
perpetuated not so much by the statue
as by the neighboring railroad station
which was named after him. A thousand
persons hear of Villa. Nueva throupb Tho
medium of railroad travel where one dis
covers the fountain and the beautiful
statue carved out OF Carrara marble The
ngure OF India is symbolical. and the effect
cal, too, of all the Indias
FROM the symboical marble India of
classic art to the image of flesh and blood
parsonage. an historical character. is a
snort walk along the Prado. 1t might be a
descent from Carrara, to the ouarries Of
commerce. The static OF Isabel II is not
a work cf art. During the ten ytsttt3s. war
the LCuban patriots several times 'eyerturn-
ed her majesty, but the,Spansh authorities,
none or whom were artists or sculDtors
We're grteved at the vandalism and restored
Isabella to her pedestal. The park has
ceased to bear her name, and is now uni
VerSaily Known as the Paruue Central IT
is not large one, but an Havana resorts
there IN the spring and summer when
the fanboyant trees are in Boom their
bright red hues form a rich setting for the
ever green laurels
Much of the history of Havana js ca,
tered IN this park. Less than a year ago
the Spanish troops bivouacked there sew
eraI days and nights holding 1t against
the MOB which had been melted to the riots
against autonomy by officers who were in
command of those troops That was one
or the many mockeries of Spain's last effort
10 MAINTAIN her sway in the colony OF
Cupa. FROM time without memory the
military band has given public concerts in
TINS park on Thursday and Sunday even
lngs. 1t played during the reconcentra-
ticn, when of the thousands of starving
country people who crowded into the city
many of these poor creatures were DIVING
III the streets and in the doorways within
sound OF the strains of music. 1t played
during the blockade, when the major por-
ton OF the Havana population was praying
that the American fleet might begin the
bombardment, which they would have wei
coined as deliVerauce from greater suffer
ings
ne deiIverance has come, and when the
Spanish military band is gone it may be
that the national air of America" will he
htard. Tor music the people of Havana will
Always have. The statue of Isabella may
remain for a while. 1t was erected IN 1857
to honor the memory of Lieutenant General
Eha and his VaiIant comrades vho dled de-
IendInS their queen and their country IN
lsoi so reads the inscription. After
tlme II VIII give way to some worthy mon
ument The bronze lions at the four cor
n r will rfptr.,
When tapped they give forth hollow
sound that does not resemble the roar Of
the king of beasts. They are mere hronze
castings. The pedestals are of marble
Havana has ona monument that deserves
to remain forever. 1t is d fitting tribute to
one whose services benefit pos-erty. TIE
statue is that of Francisco 1e Albear, the
eminent civil and military engineer, the
most liustrious of his profession. lie de-
signed the system of waterwUrks which
took his name, and is known as tna canals
OF Albear Dlsease-tainted and pest-bread-
ing as Havana is in aVery other respect, il
has a water supply not eXceiled for purity
by any other city in the world. The statue
stands in the Glarieta. or miniature square,
into which the parque Ceatru na;' ows,
ana from which lead the business thorough
fares Obispo and O'Reilly. L Is bord .Ted
by palms and by foliage plants The statue
is by the Cuban sculptor Saavedera CT
Florence. The attitud8 is cu1rac :eristic
one The female Egufe at he base SYM
pohH-S ti Ii IL eAEtdtci Will
much spirit and strength. rhe Inscriptions
on the pedestal tell that Albear was born in
1916 and died in 1885, that his name re-
mains indelibly liNked Gwith the history CT
the city, and that the dmonument Is erected
by grateful cityao hsr illus tfious son. A
further inscription. recites that Aibear hon
ored the profession OF arms and elevated
science; that, however strongly he strug-
gled he never soHa d his history; that his
works Illustrated his life, and thal in the
nnal one he crowned his glory.