Gilpin observer., 1899-05-18
INTERESTING LETTER FROM CUBA
Giving Description Of the Plantations
and Life of the People.

Giving "a Description Of the Plantations
and Life of the People.
| The following letter was received last
week by Prof. j. G. Kenwell of the Ne
vadaville public schools:
PINER DEL RIO, CUDA, May l.
We left Savannah, Ga, April 6, on the
transport Thomas for Havana, Cuba.
We landed after twenty four hours OF
delightful sea experience. None of us
were sea sick. In Havana we saw Moro
Castle and all the Notifications as we en-
tered the harbor. We saw the wreck of
the Maine and the place where the dead
were laid for identification.
We spent week in the city. Good
accommodations can be had for 81 per
day. Breakfast at $3.50 a. m., dinner at
$50 p. m.
We saw the famous bone pile (Havana
golgotha) 50x60xl0 feet. 1 took picture
of it and also got skull as relic. We
saw the graves of the boys who went
down with the Maine. 1t is beautiful
spot, each grave being marked with a
monument and decorated appropriately.
The Christopher Colombo cemetery is
the finest l ever saw. The finest monu-
ment is dedicated to the firemen.
Ialso visited the quick lime house."
This is where the poor people who can
not afford funeral, have their bodies
packed in trays and then covered with
quick lime. One body is then laid on
another and after three or four days is
taken and put on this bone pile. The
United States authorities do not allow
this any more and they are having these
bodies buried. l cannot begin to de-
scribe on paper how one feels at seeing
these strange, inhuman customs. had
pointed out to me the tree under which
Columbus had his first meeting, and
where he planted ahe first flag.
visited the Havana cathedral where
Columbus is supposed to be buried. His
tomb and monument which are cut out
of solid marble are simply grand. also
saw the oldest church on the island 400
years old and because the Protestants
held a meeting in it, it was desecrated
and is now used as custom house. The
Catholics are the only people here,
l was offered S125 per month as inter
prefer, but not having mastered Spanish
could not accept it. The quartermaster
wanting forty carpenters to build bar
racks for the soldiers, and we being good
workmen in that craft, we got jobs at $50
per month. 1t will last three or four
months. We pay $40 month for board
We are getting along fine, it not being
very hot as there is fine sea breeze
The boys perspire freely but are quite
comfortable
The Spanish maiden is quite good look
ing. Some of the boys have married.
Several of us took trip to the coun-
try and visited banana, orange, lemon
and other tropical fruit plantations. 1t
is simply wonderful.
We are going to the mountains, about
1S miles from here, next Sunday and see
what we can. There is a sort OF back
bone running the length OF the island,
and it is said there are rich mines wait
ing for development.
The Spanish and Cubans are very hos
pitable, taking US into their homes and
treating us to fruit and the best of every
thing.
So far 1 have been very favorably i'm
pressed with the island. There are good
openings but it requires money to get
started. A. j. KENwELL.
Parkers Lucky Curve Fountain Pen