The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-19
PEOPLE OF HAVANA.
THE LABoRER GIVES A WEEKLY
DOLE TO THE BEGGARs.

Funerals at the COlon-Thc Jewel
Iers Arc All PaVvnbrOllers and
None Tee ScrupuiOus-No One
Learns to Speak English.
From the New York Mail and Express
Havana, Cuba, March Almost every
jewelry store in Havana IS pawn SHOP
The traffic is done openly, there are no
side doors to dart in and out and the loan
is asked and made in the most matter-of-
fact way. An American from New Or
leans found himself FIAT broke the other
day. waiting for the remittance that never
came, and as his trunks were molding
away in one Of the leading hotels at s.
per day, he naturally thought of the loan
office, and went in search of one. He re-
turned in four or five hours, travel stain
ed and weary, with an immense diamond
stud and ring exposed to view. where
have you been?' inquired an acquaint-
ance. HAS your draft come YETI
"No; it has not" he replied. TN tell
you in confidence where I've been. I've
made a complete tour of this city by foot
in search Of the famous three golden balls
that Americans know so well, but bless
me if I can find single pawnbroker in
town"
"Well, you didn't really expect to find
the golden mark of trade here, did you?
Let me see. Where is the biggest jewelry
store? l know. Come along with me"
And he dragged the Louisianian off to
Gale Obispo, where there are jewellers as
wealthy as any to be found along Broad
way or the Strand in London. These jew
eiers when doing a pawnbroking bust
ness, like to deal with Americans, or for
that matter, any foreigners. What they
lend on the personal effects they expect
TO multiply at least five times. realizing.
as is frequently the case, that the chances
of the visitors ever returning to Havana
or being able to redeem his pledge through
a resident friend are very remote. In
fact, so cock sure are some OF the jewelers.
that the property left in trust will never
again. be claimed by its rightful owner
that there are Instances on record where
the very same goods have been exposed
for sale in the shop window the day fol-
lowing their arrival. What they do when
an owner suddenly reappears on the scene
TO claim the property that has been un-
lawfully sold can be imagined Since this
war broke out many wealthy Cuban fani-
lies have been compelled to sell their Jew
els, and in this way the pseudo pawnshops
have been enriched.
The custom of burying the dead IS per
haps one of the most striking features of
the city. Last Sunday, while out to the
Cemeterio de Colon, where the Maine vic
tins are inferred, visitor counted ~
collins enter the main gate inside three
hours time. Thirty of these were carried
there in decd xuQ 81 he
XIII and San Ambrosio hospitals. and
among them were ten cases of smallpox,
the average deaths from the last-nained
disease during the last few weeks being
SOS. The records kept by the United States
sanitary inspectors stationed here show
that the average death rate Is 81 per cent.
or equal TO that of the whole state of
New York. Havana has a population of
a quarter of million. This statement is
merely made to show what a busy place
the Cemeterio de Colon really Is
There are two degrees Of funerals. usu-
ally. the very Door or the most gorgeous.
Spaniard or Cuban must be in very strait
ened circumstances indeed when he has
TO dispense with the services of a hearse
and many did last Sunday. The cemetery
is on a HILL a really fine site, and. so far
as its elaborate and expensive ornaments
ere concerned. approaches the magnifi-
SttSS u ettHeT GREENWOOD or WoOdia Nn.
The hill is steep, and was quite dusty the
day mentioned, and the temperature was
about rs in the shade Altogether about
sixty bodies were carried up the hill to tre
big gates without the customary formili-
ties of a hearse or even a carriage.
The majority of the collins were white
and contained the bodies of children. and
In most cases these collins were siung with
an ordinary clothesliue with four dangling
ends, which were held by the relatives
who walked far apart that the coffin at the
other end of the taut rope might not Dang
against the ground more than was neces-
sary. Many of the mourners were In their
shirt sleeves and hatless. having walked
from the city. several miles distant, IA
that rig; but all. smoked long cigars. for
this is the city where even the women
smoke cigars as long as mans middle
finger in the street. and where there is an
unwrltten law that il is perfectly proper
to walk into the presence of even a King
with cigar, the longer and blacker the
better, between ones teeth.
Such jangling and hubbub as this coat
less and hatless brigade went up the hill,
Grief was unknown. and the tiny white
collins bobbed up and down between the
quartet of conveyors as the four ends of