New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-25
GOOD ROADS ~ CUBA.

II might seem a trine premature TO consiuer
Cuba as favorte resort for wheelnen Inc
island is not now blessed with many roads avail
able for anything more than mule trains. Out
rs a letter in The Tribune Of yesterday relateu'
the militant apostle Of good roads. Generai Roy
Stone has shown in Porto Rico what ll'tle
Yankee energy do for the Improvement OF
highways, and. Of course. the same can be done
I'm Cuba and doubtless will he done. now that
the igland has ceased to be a colony Of Spain.
For one thing. the picturesque beauty or the
island. enhanced by the charm Of It's semi
tropical vcrdur. Is rrr- to attract tho attention
oi American wheelmen. and when whccIfnch
get their eye on country II is certain that the
condition Of It's roads will speedily I'm. rove III
the case OF Cuba however whcclmen VIII hho
that their task will be not so much inc improve
mont as tho creation Of roads for practcaiy
no roads worthy Of the name exist, nnd even
the streets ~ the cities and towns nrs in
wrc, chcd condition. Were tho patient native muIs
endowed with speech liIc. hi. kirsmnn OF the Ba-
lsam story he would undoubtedly 0y OUT against
what passes for street IN .ypic.l Spanish
town II will sound little strange % read o.
century runs being mad. in C-bn bur the
thing may happ; II. and that too hefsto many
years.
In the winter with the improved SAM
tnrv conditions that will soon obtnin in the
Cuban cities. the ISLAND vi. become favorite
resort for a mutItud. OF Americans. The beau
tful Isl. u Pln.s will PROBABLY become one OF
the most popular places In mo West indies
Even IN tia midst Of their nerc. f.hting our
sailor and soldier boys were struck 10y the charm
Of the country around SAa'ago. Scattered
about I'm the sugar districts o. cuba no spirn-
cid sugar plantations owned bs Cubans and
Americans whose owncrs uudcr decent and
stable government would coon open up the
country by good roads and other improvements.
Then there is the centre Of the island. As yet
practically UNEMPLOYED aid unknown, but sald
to contain great forests n, valuable woods. 1t
will not he long before this tstra :ncognita VIII
be opened up under ih- stimulus OF American
ENTERPRISE Towns will arise. railroads VIII he
constructed. and then about that time olong VIII
come the wheclmen. not long inter which we
shall hear ~ this that and the other bicycle
road or path running. (, may be-. through
grove ~ palm trees. while the mir Is laden win
a tropical fragrance AMI the stiffness OK the
forest is punctuated with TIC NOES o. strange
birds II the adventurous American wheelman
fails 10 take advantage Of this new and delight
full experience we have very much msjudged
him
time in Cuba but his duty there has been
simply 70 advise IN the building OF tempo
rary military roads for the use OF the
Army But IT may well be that these temporary
roads will become the nuclei OF permanent roads,
Just as the points near Santiago at which en-
gagcments with Spanish troops have taken
place may become interesting towns and VII
lagos with American names In tho new Cuba
that IL TO be Indeed II is Inevitable that this
American invasion OF the island Is going TO
make many changes In Is geography and topog-
raphy While the moro Important places Will OF
course retain their names American Industry
and commerce will create new centres ot lie
and trade and develop to their fullest extent the
splendid opportuntiea for growth and progress
that have been so shsmefully neglected by
Spain But 10 revert 70 Our FIRST thought. Cuba
Is natural paradise FOR tho whceiman. 'nl
when he nnds Il out he Is going 10 see that good
roads are built