Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-10-22
The Finest Hotel Ever Erected
Located There-COst Over
Three Millions.
Miles and Miles of as Poor Land
as Is to Be Found i'm the
Entire World.
SAILED WEDNESDAY FOR HAVANA

The following interesting letter is the
first of number that will be published
in our columns from Mr.. Joseph S. Cum
ningham, formerly stationed at the Quar-
termaster's Department in Jeffersonvills.
Mr.. Cunningham was selected because of
his exceeding ability to fill all important
position in the Government service in
Cuba, and his letters will prove both in
structive and entertaining. He writes
from Tampa under date of October Is:
TAMPA, FLA, Oct 16.-We arrived
here safe this morning at IL O'Clock.
After we left Louisville the weather be-
gan to grow very chilly, and remained so
until we reached Montgomery, Ala. The
country was very poor-looking and unin-
teresting until we reached Sanford, Fla,
where we saw very beautiful orange
groves. But of course you know their
beauty is always exaggerated by people
who write and talk about this country.
We saw mile after mile of as miserable
and swampy land as exists i'll the world.
We will stay in Tampa until tomorrow,
and will not reach Havana before Wednes-
day morning. We have to stop at Key
West for twelve hours. | have
been all over Tampa today, and it is a
city of about %, 900 inhabitants. 1 went
to the Cuban quarter and found large
number of Cubans who have been living
there since the war broke out. They
manufacture cigars, and few keep res
taurants, fruit stands, and one has drug
store. 1t is called in Spanish Farmacia,
or FL Botica. The Cubans are very vehe-
ment in their speech, and make use of a
great many -gasiculatiens..- After visit
ing the hotel called 'Alcazas Americanos'
| visited the finest hotel in the world.
This seems to be big assertion, but when
tell you that it cost over 50, 600, 900 you
will believe that it is something extraor-
binary. 1t was built by II. B. Plant. He
seems to own nearly everything in this
part of the country. He is the owner of
the largest railroad system in Florida
and two or three steamship lines. He
built this hotel for the use of rich friends
up North who can afford to pay anywhere
from s. up to $50 per day for rooms.
There are thirty acres covered with every
known plant that grows in the tropics.
The buildings are Moorish in architecture
and are covered with domes and minarets,
just the same as in Constantinople OF
any Oriental city. Each minaret is sur
mounted by gilded crescent. l walked
around the place, looking for some one
in authority, but for long while could
find no one, for the season has not as
yet opened. Finally l met ar old Ger
man, who is the care-taker of the place.
He very kindly showed me over the
grounds and conducted me through all
of his lighthouses. saw oranges, pine
apples, cocoanuts, lemons, bananas and
nearly every fruit that grows in the
tropical zone. He showed me the Casino,
and it contained, besides billiard rooms,
club rooms, ETC., large swimming pool
and theater capable of seating 1900
people. send you small book con-
tanning better description of the place.
AS walked around the place, seeing nc
one, thought of story in the Arabian
Nights, where a traveller going into a
magnificent city found the streets empty
He finally went into the houses, and the
few people he saw were dead or asleep
When we reach Havana 1 will write
and tell you all about our trip across the
Gulf and tell you something of the beau
ties of Cuba.
JOSEPH S. CUNNINGHAM"