The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-28
FEATURES OF SANTIAGO
OF A FORMER RESI-
DENT OF THE CUBAN CITY.
Mistakes in the Press RepOrts-Clubs
and Architectural Features-Ex-
aggerated Mineral Wealth.
New York Evening Post.

merly engaged at Santiago, and at present
a resident of New York, in recent inter-
view said that many mistakes had been
made in the press reports from the captured
city. He also added some facts the knowl-
edge of which was derived from his resi-
dence there. Dr. Woltereck described the
conditions as he knew them; some changes,
of course, having taken place during the
war. He said:
"Cayo Smith is a locality which has been
the subject of much misrepresentation. In
all the accounts which / have seen this has
been described as a small village near a
battery, where a few pilots had their
homes. AS a matter of fact, it is the sum-
abiding place of some of Santiago's
wealthest and most prominent citizens.
There are many expensive villas there, and
it is an ultra-fashionable summer resort.
"Punta Blanca, which means simply
White Point'-long beaches of white sand
being found at this points not the site of
a dangerous battery, as has been implied,
and at times stated in the published reports.
There is a large warehouse at that point,
where rejected pieces of ordnance and other
supplies which have proved unfit for use are
stored. There used to be a corporars guard
station there On the site of the harbor
there is a wall of brick, behind which are
one or two old muzzle-loading guns, for
saluting purposes. 1 never heard them fired
The WALL warehouse, and guns could be
knocked into ruins with one or two shots
from modern guns.
'"There has been considerable written
about the American Club There is no
American Club at Santiago. There is a
prominent organization known as the An
glo-American Club, to which all the foreign
residents, the consuls. etc, belong. The
No N1t1IN xxbi0 ic iYoD RI a
club, though some yachtsmen belong, has
been the subject of many mistakes But the
'Circulo de la Filarmonia,' the leading club
and casino of the city, has worried the cor
respondents more than any of the others.
/ cannot begin to tell you of the changes
which have been rung on this name. The
building is large one. and was erected at
great expense by an organization of the
elite of the city. 1t is to Santiago what the
completely a clubhouse. 1t contains an
immense ballroom, where all the masked
balls of the aristocracy are held.
MASKED BALLS.
These masked balls, curiously enough,
are held in July. They begin at II o'clock at
night and last until sunrise The costumes
and appointments are very rich and gay. 1t
is at these balls that the danza is to be
seen in all it's beauty. This is the national
dance of Cuba. 1t is not waltz, 1t has
been described, but is danced very slow
ly to three-four' time. The feature of the
DANA which makes it remarkable to visi-
tors lies in the intermezzos which take
place all through the dance. The time sud-
denly changes while the dancers cease NOV
ing and stand upon the floor When the
music OF the intermiSSiOn is over, the DANA
movement is resumed and the cancers pe-
gin again their slow gyrations.
Il see that many OF the writer's who have
described the city refer to the Alameda
This is, as it has been described a boule-
ward with four rows of trees planted it's en-
to it is that it is now called the Alameda
at all. In 1898 and 1894 a public-spirited for
eign resident, Mr. Michaeison, agreed to de-
fray tho expenses of repairing the road
promenades. This he did. The citizens of
Santiago, in recognition of his services,
Avenlda Michaelson,' and that is it's name
to-day.
"Of misstatements and misleading state
ments there is no end AS matter of fact,
the prevalence of yellow fever is about the
only thing that can be urged against San
tiago with any shadow of justice. This is
caused by the lack of sewerage, matter
which the Americans will probably over
come, If they retain possession of the city
for any length OF time. Aside from this.
life in Santiago is a JOY forever. The people
are lovable, kind, hospitable. They are
eaSy-gOing, although not indolent in bust
ness. The city has an adequate gas supply.
for gas is not considered ground for COM
plant. The water supply is a good one.
4
for drinking without filtration. But when
this is promptly attended to there is no fur
Their fault to be found. In private houses
or jugs, which keep it cool. A jar is placed
in wooden cage called a tlnajero, which
supports. over the mouth of the jar tina
ia, or filter, which is made of porous sand
stone The city water poured into this con-
cave stone filter seeps through into the
unaja, sweet and cool.
UNPLEASANT VERMIN.
of the land crab. This is harmless, though
not altogether savory crustacean, which is
found in abundance all over the province.
The scorpions and centipedes are more dam
gerous Nearly every day would find one
more scorpions hidden behind the picture
frames on the wall. And it grew to be a
fixed habit with me to lift all the pictures
from the wall and look behind them when
ever l entered my house. Once 1 found a
thriving family of father, mother and
twenty-one young ones on the ok of one
picture. Probably the most >rous in
sect is the arana peluda, 2, hairy
spider which grows to be tn, lze of
mans fist and jump eight .eet. 1t is
of the tarantula family, though its bite is
not so severe. There are no venomous
snakes near Santiago nor anywhere else on
the Cuban island Yet I have seen recent
accounts of encounters with rattlesnakes. l
fear they emerged from boots.
which has not been referred to- but which
hold to be distinctive of the city. is the
absence of glass. Unlike Havana, there ap-
pears never to have been a glazier at work
In Santiago except in some of the modern
stores. The shutters at the windows of the
houses are of wood, with little gratings
which open on hinges. This absence of
glass is a detail which would be likely to
catch the attention of the visitor.
Life in the city is conducted on a leisure
ly plan. Except in the small retail shops
chiefly those where wines and tobacco are
sold, there is an entire cessation of business
from IL TO 1 o'clock. Two hours for luncheon
and sieSta is the rule in all the retail and
wholesale stores. Nearly every one rides
horseback in getting about the town and
one of the uses of the knocker on the front
door is that of hitching ring. 1t is a curl
Gus sight to see horses tied to the front
doors of restaurants and casinos during the
busy hours of the day.
THE mineral wealth of the province has
been grossly overeStimated in the public
prints. Statements to the effect that there
is more wealth in Santiago province than in
the Klondike country are, of course, arrant
nonsense. The manganese mines are very
rich. and the iron mines have had a heavy
output At one time three large steamers
a week wero loaded at Sagua with iron ore,
and cleared from Santiago. But our great
Pennsylvania iron kings early secured an
option on all the iron mines, and outsiders
would have no chance there to-day. Some
of the mines are exhausted"
NOT LATIN RACES