New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-07
HOUSEKEEPING IN CUBA.
CLEANLINESS AND DAIN11NFSS WITHIN
THE DWELLINGS. IF NOT WITHOUT.
HOW THE NATIVES MANAGE WITHOUT TCE-THE
NECESSITY TO GUARD AGAINST ANTS.

HOW THE NATIVES MANAGE WITHOUT 1CE-THE
NECESSITY TO GUARD AGAINST ANTS.
LIZARDS AND SCORPIONS.
"In the place Of refrlgerators such as we use
said a former resident of Cuba to a Tribune re-
norter some of the Cuban houses have large
wooden boxes about three feet square and fix feei
high divided into two compartments In the lower
part provisions stored. The upper part CON
tains a great jar of glazed clay, which VIII hod
about ten gallons of water The top OF ms jar l.
a followed porous stone. which serves as inter
for the water which trickcs through 1t into the
jar The evaporation of the water III the cray jar
keeps It cool and cools the compartment benea'h.
This porous stone tank is scrubbed every DAY ana
occasionally charcoal clean gravel is put in TO
further purify the water. Though the streets OF
Santiago are SO dirty the Cuban houses that l
visited In that city were kept scrupulously clean
number of men servants were employed on low
wages-about s. a month. There are few women
servants never saw a Cuban woman engaged III
any kind OF Homework, or in plain sewing 90
not wish to make any sweeping assertion ana
state that they never work, but merely say tha'
those who work never came under my observation
Stoves such as we have are not used. In the
kitchens that / saw an open fireplace rested on a
foundation OF masonry three or foir feet ABOVE the
floor The draught was supplied by aperture
that ran from the front Of the stone foundation
through the floor OF the fireplace. The fire was
built around this hole. and over the fire was placed
quirements. Coal imported from the states
only for manufacturing purposes. Charcoal for
fuel was brought around by podlers.
I'm times Of drouth bought drinking water
from pedlers. who used 20 carry II slung In goat
skins on each side of their mules. We could buy
four or five gallons for ten cents. and kept 1t
fairly cool in jars Of unburned clay. Artificial Ice
was sold in the city Of Santiago de Cuba for seven
cents a pound. There is an Imperfect system OF
waterworks in Santiago. At time. when the
I,1 ~ G( IN nj
& Co. imported water from Philadelphia in tramp
steamers as we'll in the steamers OF the Jura-
qua Iron Company. Mr.. Mchaelson. 1t will be re-
membered established the soup kitchens in San
t!ago last year.
"The dlfficulties Of housekeeping are much IN
creased in that climate by the lack Of ice. In the
cities where ice can be purchased by the well-to-
do good beef is the tables. But In the
country the beef is tough. because II must neces-
sarily be cooked almost directly after the animal is
Killed: therefore poultry Is the staple meat;
fowls abundant.
"A favorite dish is chicken cut in small pieces
and stewed with rice and tomatoes. Another ma
ticral dish IS rice with fried eggs Fat for cooking
is called 'rnanteca Foods fried in lard. oleo-
margarine or olive oil. | would venture 10 say
that there Is no butter in the Province Of Santiago
but any. Though the cattle are fine.
the COWS give little milk. Condensed milk is used
Rice with tortillas staple dish Of the poorer
classes The rice when boiled. appears with every
grain separate and slightly hard though thoroughly
cooked Torti'ias are made oil imported cSrnmea;
beans and rce-arroz-cooked with oacon--tocino
The peasantry are also inordnateiy fond OF sugar
,hey S a S WV want G nothing more The natives
partial fr!tters Of bananas. oranges or other
fruits. and 10 the red bananas cut In slices and
baked IN fat. Tomatoes with red pepper are much
used for sauces. fayorte salad is made Of tona,;
toes and Spanish onions cti IN slices ana dressed
with vinegar OIL pepper and salt the onions that
delicate in favor as those ate in Cuba The aqua
cate pear is much used in soups and salads The
always served fresh. but rot hot peculiar fruit is
the chirimoya. which tastes Ike ice cream
breakfast u'' oa p' Of coffee only IS served to the
and the ep TAKE an aRgs9z whc Served fHeS
at II O'clock and In weil-to-do families consists OF
and fruits, and French wine and rum black coffee
is always served with cigars or cigarettes cheese
are Served in the same course AT or o'clock
comes the eomida corresponding to our d Inner
what heavier r soups meats salads vegetables
I'm the absence Of butter, je!es and preserves OF
various kinds are much used; Though / nave
say that in all of those that visited the table
Linen YVES spSte es and the meals wsr ,Ln dainty b
refuse into the streets for the vultures devour
fruits fnyoTiss drink s the milk Of the green
cu5an it d TAX To keep
from IL OIL
water with oil on top to prevent their in n
way into the e. and hsve - seen h the great
the country The bodies OF these crabs are about
nine inches long, with legs Of ten eleven inches
a friend Of who was engaged In the construc-
ton OF the Juragua Railroad. at n place known
Crab Summit on account OF the enormous num-
beers Of these creatures told US that when he was
encamped near the Summit he discovered
morning that some OF his garments had disap-
reared. and found them several yards away from
the camp in the possession OF crabs. who were
scuttling of with them fast possible. But
this NAV be only a crab story These crabs are
not eatabe."
urrnc urlpT WAC NOV