The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-07-02
The New World.
From the New York Herald.

citizens of the United States will take new
interest in that ancient city-the oldest
standing city in the New World, except
Santo Domingo, which was established by
Columbus four hundred years ago Santi-
ago itself was founded only eighteen years
after Santo Domingo. 1t was the former
capital and is the third city of commercial
importance on the Island of Cuba.
The name Santiago given to the former
capital signifies in English st. James, and
has at various times been called San Jago,
San Diego and Santiago, all with the same
meaning. 1t is situated $50 miles in a
direct line southeast of Havana, and is still
the chief city of the eastern department of
Cuba. 1t is the residential town of the
Archbishop and is the seat of several yearly
! religious festivals which are celebrated with
pomp and ceremony.
Santiago is the terminus Of two railroad
lines, one of which is the outlet of Lomas
de Cobre, the celebrated copper mines stu
ated several miles inland. The second rail-
road passes through the rich sugar cOun-
try, affording transportation for that staple
article of expectation. The exports from
Santiago are said to reach the sum of $9, :
900, 900 annually. Tobacco, honey, rum
cocoa and mahogany are also exported in
great quantities. Santiago is inclosed on
three sides by hills rising rapidly from the
bay to mountains of great height and
beauty, which besides being lovely to look
upon afford perfect drainage to the city.
The streets are all alike and apparently
have not been repaired since first con-
structed, four hundred years ago. Start
inc at the shore, the streets, which are
very narrow, run directly up the hillside,
distance of one hundred and fifty feet
or more Tropical rains have washed
great cutters down the roads, in some
places three and four feet deep, and the
traffic has uprooted the cobblestones laid
hundreds of years ago and LETT in the road
pitfalls and mantraps for the unwary
The main street, upon which the Amerl-
can consul lived, is in such a condition OF
decay that no effort is made to drive a
vehicle through it, and even Il horseman
cannot ride through it after dark. There
is risk in attempting to navigate the street
on foot in broad daylight. Most of the
streets have cemented sidewalks ten or fif-
teen inches wide, but in some streets even
this accommodation is done away with.
Santiago has the reputation Of being the
most unhealthy city in Cuba. Hemmed in
by mountains, with all the city's filth fes-
tering in the sun, it is surprising that yel-
low fever does not make the city its regu-
lar abiding place, instead Of visiting it an
nually, as it does Children of both sexes
to the age of ten or twelve years totally
dispense with clothing and chase about in
the streets and highways in costumes akin
to those worn by the only residents Of the
Garden of Eden.
Houses of the better class in the city
are as alike as two peas, and description
of one answers for ALL Take the building
which was occupied by the American con
sui, situated in a street absolutely impassa-
Bile for anything but pedestrians. 1t is
necessary, should one be driving, to leave
the carriage at the corner of the street and
pick his way down the socalled sidewalk to
the old-fashioned building recognized as
the consul home by the American eagle,
which surmounts the keystone. The walls
of the building are three feet thick, of
solid cement, hardened to the solidity of
marble, with windows one foot square set
in at various and unexpected places in its
front wall The door posts are set in the
ground ten feet, and the building, as is
evidenced by its strength, was built to re-
sist the frequent earthquakes.
In the business district of the city one
cannot but be interested with the quaint
and peculiar appearance of the shops The
front of the shop building is entirely open:
and inside can be seen the clerk, divested
Of every particle of clothing except such as
is absolutely y necessary for covering naked
ness, coquetting with bright, gayly -attired
mulatto girls. All the shopping is done
by servants. the women of the aristocracy
never visiting the shops, but sending for
everything needed either for dress Or for
household purposes. Much of the shop
ping is done on the corners of the street,
where heavy negresses sit on the ground,
surrounded by huge baskets containing
fruit, vegetables and yams.
Few vehicles are seen in the streets, and
when seen the poor beasts of burden are
to be commiserated, as there is absolutely
no care given to the animals, the owners
apparently desiring only to get as much
work as possible out of the beasts before
they surrender to fate and drop dead in
their tracks
Half way up the hill, back of the city,
situated upon a plaza, where the military
band plays on certain evenings, stands the
cathedral, the most pretentious structure
in Santiago The cathedral is the largest
and finest on the Island of Cuba, but its
walls, built of porous stone, which is
steadily crumbling away, give it the ap-
pearance of being motheaten. The city
abounds in club houses, there being six for
a population of only $4,000 Gambling
houses are wide open, and an unobstructed
view can be obtained from the streets OF
the interiors of these resorts. where the
Spaniard and Cuban can get rid of his sur
plus cash.
Santiago is memorable historically main
ly for the French occupation of 1853 and
the affair of the Virginius, just twenty
five years ago, which resulted in the pay
ment by the Spanish government to the
United States Of an indemnity for the
murder of Capt. Fry and the crew of that
vessel, Santiago has also been the seat Of
most of the political uprisings against the
oppressive rule of the home government,
and long line of patriots have been shot
on the ramparts of the MORO Castle over
hanging the harbor.
The city contains theatre, a custom
house, barracks and hospital Foundries,
soap works, tanyards and cigar factories
are the only industrial establishments.