The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-02
EVERYBODY RIDES; STREETS
NARROW AND MUDDY.
THE FAsClyATloNs OF TIE PtSAr0
Mr. BsgIey Gives Graphic Picture Of the
Conditions Of life in The Fair Metro,
polls Of he Queen Of the
Antilles.

readers:
This week has begun with the arrival
of the largest number of Americans for
any week since the LIST of January, eX-
cepting, of course days when United
States troops arrived in the city. Ameri-
cans are focking here by the score seek
ing soft berths for their money and
looking for investments that will bring
in a rich harvest. 1t is needless to say
that in this one thing they have been
disappointed. The majority of the adj
venturers have small capital, and 1t is
only the man with heavy rolls of Uncle
Sans money that STANDS Il chance OF
surviving the fight for fortunes.
In one respect the Americans, all
that I have seen, have been pleasantly
surprised upon their arrival. Stories OF
starvation, restitution and distress have
been ringing in the ears of the people
of the United States until the belief has
become general that Havana is pest
hole where there is only disease and star
walton and where the only two things
that are surely to be met are death and
taxation. The filth that one hears of, the
narrowing stories of plaques that I'LL the
yellow journals of the North, the agon-
izing pictures of sore stricken people
supposed to be within the city of Ha-
vana, are, in so far as one sees, myths
that even the people themselves laugh
at. | do not mean to say that there IS
no good ground for some of the stories
that have gone the rounds of the press
for outside of the city, in the byways
and hedges of theProvince and in the
other Provinces of the Island there is
a deal of suffering. such as is never
known in our native land.
The people of Havana, like those of
New York, represent every class and
condition. Here one sees tho same hand
some equipage that is used in the cities
of the States, the women are dressed
in the same style, and in the evening
when the Cuban Band gives its daily
concert, there is grand promenade
about the Pesado, in which the leading
social bellies and beaux take part, and
the scene is one of rare beauty.
You asked me to write about the
things that seem peculiar to me. l find
this difficult because everything seems
peculiar, but there are. some sights
that present themselves before one oc-
casionally that | think would amuse the
people at home, some funny and ridicul-
GUS. others sad in the extreme.
The streets of Havana are narrow.
and after rain are very muddy and
disagreeable. even if one is riding-and
everyone rides here. The weather now
is similar to our May and June weather,
and the people, natives and Americans,
dress accordingly. There are many
kinds of Cubans, the fair skinned, the
dark eyed. dark comploXloned, Spaniard
like, and the blacks. The blacks are eX-
actly like the colored people of the
South and take the same relative posi-
ton in society. They are nearly all
poor, living in dirty, filthy adobe houses
near the harbor and on the suburbs of
the city. They dress in filmy gauZe
clothing, many of the children going on
the streets naked, not because they
have not clothes to wear. but for the
sake of comfort. They speak only four
words of English, and these are spoken
to every American at least once or twice
every block he walks The four v-o~dS
are: Give me one cent" The present
health report for Havana is SUPERIOR
to that of New York city according to
the claims of the Health Officers, and
beggars here, that is beggars who make
a living by that practice, are fewer
than in the majority of the cities of the
United States.
| had the pleasant duty of paying the
first employe Of the new Government
his salary, and there is n little story
connected with the man and his purpose
for getting his salary at this time. 1t
has become known generally that the
idea of the United States Government
is to give as many of the positions MS
possible to native Cubans, and that
every Spaniard that is now i'll the en-
rlov of the Government is to he let 60
The man who received the first payment
for salary is Sraniard. He believes
it to he the best interest Of all concerned
for every Spaniard and Spanish SYM
pathiZer TO leave Cuba as soon as possi-
bic. so it was that on last Saturday,
when his salary had reached the amount
necessary to take him back to Spain,
he presented his resignation and was
handed the amount due him for services
since the first of January. His name is
Tongurin Cahanero.
The Texas is here, Cantain Sigshee,
former Captain of the battleship Maine,
commanding. and it is safe to say that
with the Cuhans he is the most popular
man on the island.
General Brooke. Governor General Of
Cnha. is also popular with the people,
but he has been too busy to give much
attention to them personal V. and for
that reason he is not understood by all.
He was cheered as he entered the theH-
ire last Friday evening. and as no took
his seat in the Governor Generals box
many cheers "Viva Brooke" We're heard.
In the hotel with me is Captain T. IL.
Robertson. of Charlotte. He is chief OF
police for that district, and mavhe that
accounts for n number of North Caro-
lnians living in that vicinity. ! never
asked about it. but / have my own ideas.
Good cigars here are more difficult to
find than in America. The best can be
bought for about seven cents american
money!
There is little romance in connection
with n member of the First North Caro-
lima Volunteer Infantry that WILL If It