The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-03
INCIDENTS At HAVANA
SCENES DURING THE CLOSING DAYS
OF SPANISH CONTROL.
Americans to the FrOnt-SDecu1ative
Activity-RecISIess Shooting
Theme for n Novelist.

CHICAGO, Jan. 2-The Tribune's staff
correspondent at Havana. under date of
Dec. IS. says: Somebody is going to write a
great novel some time on the last days OF
Havana and the time viii be between
fallen dynasty The plot will be laid in
Havana and the time win be between
Christmas and the last day of the year
of grace 1888. There are all the vivid con-
trasts and shades that a novelist delights
in here. There is the glory of proud and
ancient race that is to terminate as sud
denly as candle is snuffed out There are
traditions and customs that have prevailed
for these hundreds of years that are diff
ferent from the manners and ideas of
new race that has suddenly became a power
in the land as is the difference between day
and night. Here is a palace with a throne
room containing the great chair in which
only the reigning sovereign of Spain may
sit, and outside American capitalists are
planning to run a trolley line. Grim fort
resses that have witnessed blood and earn
mage, and whose guns lave for fifty years
kept the people of Havana in subsection, are
regarded with great delight by spectators,
who intend TO buy up land as near them
as possible and lay out subdivisions. There
is no doubt that a row of suburban cottages
ranged along the hills back of the fortresses
would be much prettier than powder maya
zines and hidden batteries, but it is the con-
trast of the thing that is striking.
Here in Havana, too is the strong arm
of a great nation. Soldiers weighed down
with cartridges and their guns with fixed
bayonets stand everywhere The captain
general of the city, in a uniform of gray
and red and flaming gold, whirls by in his
carriage, with outriders thanking the vehicle
Down at the captain generals palace, in his
absence, American spectators are making
bids with the soldiers at the door for
pair of the captain generals boots, to be
exhibited in "the States" in some dime
museum. 1t is just, as well. The captain
general will not need his boots much longer.
His days in Cuba are numbered and with
in a week he is to pack his belongings and
quit the island, and his palace will so into
the hands Of the Americans who are not
able to respect traditions of the sacredness
of royalty and who will probably hang their
hats and Overcoats on the throne and fumi-
gate the palace with carbonate of lime.
AMERICANS TO THE FORE.
There are Americans here who have al
ready opened half a dozen gambling houses,
seven American bars, two American res
taurants an American undertaking estab-
lishment that has sent consoling cards to
Americans in the city telling them to live in
peace, as they may now die happy and be
buried by real Americans in an American
hearse and an American coffin, and if they
wait few weeks probably in an American
grave All of which is truly consoling, and
there is no reason why an American in Ha-
Vana should be unhappy Then there are
capitalists mere who are going to get, or
have already obtained concessions that may
be worth the paper they are written on, and
again may not be, to run trolley lines
through the city. Narrow and ancient
streets that existed before the first street
car line was ever thought of will have to
be Widened and ripped up and its venerable
landmarks destroyed to permit of the new
improvements, but it will be done.
Change is going to be the new order of
things, and as the captain general and the
soldiers, and the armorial bearings, and the
paintings of kings, and the dust of the illus
trlouS dead, will soon be gone from this
place there will go also much grandeur but
more dirt ancient landmarks but also an
clent smells SplendOr will go and also
cruelty. The mailed hand is soon to be re-
moved and then the spirit Of Improvement
as well as that of speculation will burst
forth And 1t will all happen in the twink
ling of an eye.
Concessions for railroads, for franchises
OF every description, were being granted
right and left by everyone who had a YES
tige of authority. when Captain General
CastellanOS suddenly brought down his
grants another concession goes to Jail"
The rejoicing Cubans and Americans in
the parishes that have been evacuated by
Spanish troops have strung the streets with
flags and some have put flags even on the
buildings along the Prado. The Spanish
flag still waves over Havana from the har-
Dor to GalianO street, and there is not room
for anv other flag there, though they are
continually being put up and as often torn
down.
SPECULATIVE ACTIVITY.
So conditions are at present much as they
have been for a hundred years-all except
the atmosphere that the spectators and
investors have brought into the old town.
There is all the nervous excitement here
that is to be found in new Western boom
town. 1t is hard to tell whether Havana is
at present more like a Moorish town of the
sixteenth century or Coffeyville, Kan, in its
boom days. There are cathedrals here hun
dreds of years old, ancient fortresses ana
streets built before America was a nation
and then there are the gambling houses the
American bars, and the restlessness and the
recklessness Of q new mining town in the
Black Hills. Men who laid out towns in
Alaska and dealt faro in Cripple Creek and
located the best mines in the Klondike are
here, and the solid capitalist who sees the
possibilities of a land that for hundreds of
years mas been tied hands and feet is here
The people whose concessions may amount
to something or may not, who have great
plans to work out as soon as the mailed
hotels day after day or walk about the
streets counting the hours that are to pass
until New Years day. when one flag goes
down and another goes up. 1t reminds one
of the boomers ll7ed UP on the border line
of Oklahoma leaning over their horses
necks with their whips raised ready to dash
forward as soon as the soldiers gave the
word that the land was at last opened to
settlement and civilization. There are
scenes here like those that happened in
Cripple Creek, in DeadWood and In Guthrie
The man out looking up q location for half
a dozen green-cOVered poker tables meets
at the door preacher who is searching for
place to establish church.
Il had great place picked out" a man
with black mustache and a habit of saw
ing Seer after every few words said last
week. 1t was right in the heart of the
OF rooms l wanted for stud and roulette
only sky pilot beat me to it, and now he
Is going to have a church there"
Il had q nice place picked out" said
Methodist minister who is q chaplain IN the
volunteer army. 1t was right in the shadow
OF cathedral, and a good place for mis-
sionary work, but Baptist preacher got
In ahead of me; but I'm glad he got it. for
l got ahead of an American bar with
poker annex"
An American liveryman is also hunting
Tor location in Havana and every one
joins in fervent prayer for his success
There are cabs enough in Havana TODAY
The street-car lines only touch the business
district at remote points, and everybody
rides in the cabs Tile fare is cheap: ONLY
20 cents in Spanish silver, but 1T is dfsco1lr-
aging to try to climb into a cab and shout