The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-26
QUEER SANTIAGO WAYS
Where the BuIIfght Was
Once a Means of Grace.
NO COLOR LINE is THERE
Horrible Slaughter Pens
Solving the Dog Problem.
NO COLOR LINE is THERE


The misty geography Of Cuba has become
a matter of such consequence and interest
to the outside warld, particularly 10 the
people of our own country, that anything
in detail regarding This strange island re-
veals curious human conditions almost
unknown to the Anglo-Saxon race.
This country has been Sc long under the
domination of Spain-a domination Of ig-
norance, cruelty and oppression, combined
with laziness, idleness and filth-that any
thing in the way Of progress or knowledge
has been practically unknown for cen
turtles.
Take Santiago as an example. Santiago
has had nearly four hundred years 70
build upon. and yet it IS picture today of
Pompe:i, Palermo and other early Latin
towns. In all these years improvements
have been unknown, and the same crude
methods of drainage and sanitation are
pract:sed as if the world had locally re-
manned stagnant instead Of going ahead
as in other lands and other climes.
A short description of this ancient capt.
tai viii tell the story Of all other cities in
Cuba, with, perhaps, the exception of
Havana and Matanzas.
Santiago harbOr was discovered in 1902 by
Columbus, and the city itself was founded
by Diego VeIasquez in 1914. One of the
first structures erected was the ancient
cathedral. now weatherworn and pictur-
esque with age, in which services were
held by three renowned adventures be-
fore starting forth upon their various ca
reers of conquest and piracy in the new
world
Juan de Grijalva worshipped here before
his famous cruise to YuCatan in 1918;
Ponce de Leon, before beginning his search
for the fountain of youth in Florida; and
Cortez also asked a blessing on MS arms
as he was about to set forth on his cele-
brated EXPEDITION which resulted in the
subjugat:on and downfall OF Montezuna
and his Aztecs.
The cathedral is still in use, and not far
from it lies the modern bull ring, built on
the ancient site of former one establish
ed at the time the city was founded In
/ til the American occupation it was the
custom to adjourn after services to the
bull ring, in the rear of the sacred edifce
where brave animals were tortured MAIN
/ ed and slain, a large percentage of the re-
! ce.ps going to enrich its ecclesiastical cof-
! fers, and not one cent for intellectual i'm
| provement of the masses or sanitation Of
| the town.
The American occupatio saw an i'm
mediate suspension Of this ancient though
! highly religious sport, for General Wood,
! the American commander, too shrewd to
actually forbid a pleasure 50 dear to the
! native heart simplifed the problem by
merely raising the tax on bull fights to
something ike 5000 a game, the proceeds
to so for the benefit Of the city in the way
Of clean STREETS. schools and othar munic!-
! pal improvements, instead of to the
church. The consequence is there are no
more bull fights in Santiago, but cockfight-
ing has increased amazingly. Indeed, the
desire for bloody contests of some de-
scription seems to be so deep rooted in the
nature Of the average Cuban that the vii
lage or town is poor indeed which has not
its several cockpits in full blast at least
one day in seven-usuaIly Sundays
wherein crowds of men and women bet
their last real on favor,te BIRDS, and so
wild with excitement over the edifying
spectacle of two miserable ROSTERS claw
ing each other to death.
In the Cuban calendar there are more
than 200 holy days. dlr,ng which nobody
can be compelled to labor, and Domingo
or Sunday is the jolEest one Of the lot
With such an extraordinary Difference to
the saints and angels, Cuba ought to be
the most rel. gious country under the sun
but after hasty prayers in the morning
the native seeks recreation. usually sport
Of some kind. and consequently from child
hood to old ace the custom has been or
feast days TO employ The time in bull
batting, cock-fghtnE. the lottery, monte
playing, the "baile," or some other similar
amusement With the establishment o.
the American regime in Santiago all tn.
IS now changed. and such sports as ar,
forbidden can only be carried on olaudcs
timely or pracJced in he country, where
the rural sendarmie or police are sup
posed to suppress them.
You can't make silk purse out Of
, Sow's ear" and as matter Of fact Ii.
rural police do nothing Of the sort; for II
the districts they are supposed to watc1
over. cnCk-fghting stiIl flourishes glorious
iy, and bun fights would, too, could
sufficient audience he gathered to requit
Something had to be done. however. {
amuse the populance, and on s. Patrick
day last new system cf sports was IN
auguated under the auspices OF the san
tiago Jockey Club and Gymkana.
Down by the old bull r.r< race trac'
was laid cff, ami here was held n series O
4 foot and horse race-heartlv narrfcfnate
p i'm and enjoyed by the few Americans an
D foreigners present. hut observed WIKI dis
trust and d;sfave- by natives Of all classe
who clustered about tho walls of he ar
{ cieor amphithester as IL waiting for n
+, familiar believing Of bygo2e days. e- IN
q coming or going % cayly decorated Pita
$ DORIS and Natado~s. They eyed from ara
- sleek Jockeys and glean-cut athieteS read
b for tha trials of speed. but gave no iutica
d zion ot approval nor evidenced any ssh
ot excitement when the racers passed III
10 der The w-re
80 NJ, gar from the old hulI ring toward
IS the bay stands q series Of low. Gat-roofs
& structures which 1 would advise tourist
q, ana travellers 70 pass by on the vir.lwar
e side. These are The city sIausE.er per
% and the place IS surrounded by q heav
e ad Bee wall some eiEhc or ten Tesr
height. he whole painted q yellow. muto
color II was here ths- the v.rg;n.us pr
ouc~s were taken after thelr capture h
1 the S7a0iarrlS. placed kneelcS agaiust Il
wall and saor IN doath. DuTing Sra.is
uisrcle no one in Santiago dared tospea
CT ,nis outrage except i1 words 80 cor
mcnsia,5on. but since tse Da1s have d
, parted 81 large, oiJe ssErhoa-l a--oras =
wan exactly over tae spot whe~e the ~
- .ins were Sl8uehtered Which bears =