The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-18

hven the City-Many Spanish
Residents Will "Reminiscences
lean Gambling Halls and Saloons.
New York, Dec. IA dispatch to the
Tribune from Havana says: Havana is
at the half way stage between the de-
parture of the Spaniards and the COM
ing of the Americans. The city looks
lonesome. 1t is not desolate, because
hopefulness and desolation don't go to-
gether, and everybody is hopeful of the
future. Trade is not brisk, because, eX-
cept in breadstuffs, there are no i'm
pOrtations. That win be changed as
soon as the new tariff goes into effect
In the retail districts occupied By the
middle classes d fair amount of bust
pcss is done. A walk throughout those
sections shows more activity than there
WAS two months ago. This is due to the
return of so many Cuban families. In
what would be called the shopping dis
trict of the city, such as Obispo street,
which is the Fifth avenue of Havana,
nothing is done. Nevertheless, the
Spanish shcpkeeperS are complacent.
They prefer a period Of dizziness for a
single reason. The families of the Span
ish officers and officials were good Gus
toners. but were not good pay. The
tradesmen dreaded their patronage, and
sought to evade it as much as possible.
Neither were the Cubans good pay, but
credit could be refused them without
fear of the consequences. The Ameri-
cans are coming; they are at the same
time good customers and good pay. So
the shopkeeper is content with the pres
ent dullneSs in his trade.
.sE s,F
many Spanish families in a. way. They
helped to give it life. A few weeks ago
it was almost impossible to rent q
house in any respectable quarter of the
city. Cubans, chiefly professional men.
returning from their exile in the United
States and Europe, had leased them.
Now, in the suburbs the number of
houses which are closed and barred
gives these places the appearance of a
deserted town. They have been occu-
pied by both military and civil officials,
who are returning to Spain.
AMERICANS COMING.
The deserted appearance viii not last
long. American officers, whose duties
Will keep them in Havana for some
time, and who have been looking in
vain for homes, viii take advantage of
the opportunities, as will a number of
business men from the United States,
who are likely to change a short stay
into a period of permanent residence.
Some OF the Spanish officers are anx-
ious to secure their discharges and re-
turn to Cuba. They have property
which they do not want to sacrifice. 1t
would not do to inquire too closely how
they became possessed of it. That was
under the system by which they all
profted. As Spain viii not have need
of a large army n the future, it is
presumed that these officers will sue
coed in procuring their discharges.
Some Of them have Carlist connection,
and this viii be an additional reason
for enabling them to return to Cuba.
Civilian classes who are going back
TO Spain are taking their property with
them, or are arranging to have it con-
verted into cash and forwarded TO
them. They have plucked it to the last
feather. and all of them return veal
thy. To assume otherwise would be to
assume that they nave not taken ad-
vantage of their opportunities. No
Spanish official, whether he served I'M
der the old regime or under the regime
of autonomy, cares TO be placed in that
category. Whether he was in the Gus
toms house or in some other branch of
the government service, ne would con-
slider it a reflection on his ability
AMERICAN SALOONS.
The effect of the departure of so
many officers and army camp followers
on the cafes of Havana was a few
weeks ago, the subject of interesting
speculation. 1t was thought most of
them would be compelled to close for
lack of patronage. This viii happen in
some parts Of the city where the bar
racks We're located. But in the section
which is the center Of social life, tho
neighborhUod Of the Parque Central, the
theatres and the clubs, this will not be
SO. The proprietors have met the new
conditions by leasing their places to
-enterprising' Americans, who are con-
yrerGng the cafes into barrooms, with
faA the gilded attractions which go with
these institutions in the states The
barrOOns have annexes. where gam
bling of all kinds can be INDUCED in
after the most approved American
methods. The anneXes are, in fact the
main concerns. Their managers expect
10 do a rushing business. one of the
leading hackers is understood to be the
proprietor OF the game which is pat
ronized by wealthy New Workers, who
go to Long Branch or Saratoga in sum
mer. The Spanish pfoprietors were at
first in doubt about putting their places
IN the hands of the Americans They
thought trouble must arise with the
floating from MORO castle. They were
assured that all this had been ar
ranged The first business of the
American military commander of Ha-
vana viii be to show that ii had not
been arranged.
SPANIARDS WEI REMAIN.
When the details of the Spanish
evacuation We're first arranged some
anxiety was felt lest a large number
of the Spanish commercial and indus
trial classes should also repatriate
themselves. This fear has not been
realized. Whatever doubts the Spanish
business men may have had about the
security Of life and property under the
new order We're quickly dissipated
They found the guarantee of the United
States sufficient and they discover that
the transition period is fraught with
less disturbance than might have been
naturally expected. In few places in
the interior of the island where the
Spaniards were few in number they
dread to remain in the midst of Gu
bans who show an unfriendly spi,.ir
Some are coming to Havana and Others
are going back to Spain. At Aanzan
lilo the greater part of the Spanish col
ony is said to be starting for Mexico
But these are exceptional instances. as
a rule, wherever a Spanish commercial
house is closing up its business. thar
business has been dependent on the off, |
cial system With the. end of thar sys-
TEN no other course is open.
That vacuum exists in Havana is .
patent fact. More people are going
out than are likely TO come in for many |
months. The rcttenness Of the Spar- |
ish military methods could BE- judged |