The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-16
CITY OF PERPETUAL SIESTA.
JAMAICAN METROPOLIS "A LAZY
MANS PARADISE.


of Horses and WheeIs-Much of the
Work in the Telegraph Offices
Done by Negro GirIs-Ham and a
jug of Rum as a Present for an
Island King.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.
on Board the Associated Press Dispatch
Boat Wanda. in Kingston Harbor, Jamai
ca, June THE city of Kingston, wtthfits
narrow streets and picturesque people,
has a population of 10000, and of that num-
Der only 5000 are white.
The women fill the places of horses and
wheels by carrying most of the city's sup
plies on their heads. The buzzards are
the scavengers, and aid the street clean
ing department.
Just back of the city the mountains tow
er, and beyond the mountains lies the in
terror, with its ancient villages and sim
pie people, every inch of it interesting and
historic. 1t is an ideal place for dreaming,
and if the American fleet were not hover
ing about Santiago de Cuba, only $50 miles
distant one would be content to forget the
modern world and study for months this
picturesque corner of early American his
tory.
But the outside world is waiting for
news, and that is the one fact that the
native Jamaican cannot seem to under
stand. He cannot comprehend why there
should be such a delirious hurry about tell
ing the world what is happening down
here.
The government is English, and the
crown controls almost everything. 1t is an
excellent government, too; satisfactory to
the people and sure always to secure for
them the best of everything, but for
Amencan newspaper work the conditions
are trying.
The main Office of the cable line to New
York by way of Halifax is located here
On the north side of the island and much
nearer to Cuba, is Port Antonio
From Port Antonio to Kingston is a tel
graph line running over the mountains. 1t
occurs frequently that a dispatch boat
with an important piece of news runs
across from Santiago de Cuba to Port
Antonio with the hope Of sending the
story overland to Kingston. But if the
office has closed the news must wait I'M
til the next day.
If a correspondent knows, however, that
he is likely to have an important dispatch
during the hours the office is closed he
may make written application to have X
kept open and by paying fl Cor So, an
hour may secure the use of the office until
his dispatch is sent over the mountains
to Kingston. When 1t reaches the cable
office, however, it may be delayed several
days on account of matter ahead
The regular press cable rate from King
ston to New York is Is cents per word
The commercial rate is As cents word
That is the lowest given by any of the
cable lines from the West Indies to the
United States
Press dispatches sent over some of the
lines cost more than a dollar a word and
many of the stories of the war read by
the American people have cost thousands
of dollars for transmission alone, to say
nothing of the enormous expense of equip
ping the dispatch boats.
Much of the work in the cable and tele-
graphic offices throughout the West Indies
is done by negro girls, who are intelligent
and obhging in their manner, but, like all
the natives, cannot understand why it Is
necessary to hurry. The activity and rush
of the Americans is a source of never
ending Wonderment to them. All through
the burning days the girls sit Ianguidly
tanning themselves, working at the tele-
graphic keys wondering why the Ameri-
cans are making much fuss over
little thing like the war In Cuba.
The telegraph and cable offices are usu-
TO the Spanish era with matched roofs
and great palm trees shading them
But the writer's on the dispatch boat
encounter even more picturesque difficult
ties.
Last week one of the boats put into
port on the Haytien coast. The president
of the island and thousand or more ma
tives We're at the wharf to meet her The
correspondents had no other thought but
TO get TO the cable Office.
But of course, the government con-
rolied the cable, as well as it does every
thing else on the island, and the CORE
spondents had nothing to do but humor
the local officials caprices. The chief
executive of the city met the correspond
ents at the wharf and after a great show
OF welcome, invited them to go to his
house.
A concourse of natives followed. On
reaching the house the official, who is to
all tntents and purposes, the local king
forced upon his guests several presents.
All this time the correspondents could
feel the dispatches fairly burning in their
pockets, but they must await the kings"
pleasure.
The time lost, however, In the officials
company was not the worst of it.
There is a fixed rule of official courtesy
In Hayti that when the local ruler favors
guest with a gift the favor must az
once be acknowledged by a gift of equal
or greater value in return.
The correspondents had no articles of
value with them and were in great straits
TO know what to do. If they offended by
falling to make a present the Haytien Off
cial was likely to close the cable office to
them altogether
They went to the boat to talk over the
matter and discover if there was anything
aboard suitable for a gift. The only ar
ticle that could be spared was a fine, fat
ham
A jug of rum was purchased at one of
the shops and the ham and rum were
sent to the official
His excellency was in raptures. He felt
that he had been honored in a most ex-
uaordinary way.
Inc correspondents were given every at
tenton at the cable office.
The men who wear Uncle Sans uni
forms are not the only ones who are sub
lected to the dangers Of the Cuban war
Inc men on the newspaper dispatch boats.
without arms and without protection. are
IN constant danger Not only are they
likely al any time to be captured by the
b1Tt uyha text