The times., 1899-07-09

Cienfuegos. June This newest city
of Cuba, founded during the present cen
tury, is much more Americanized than any
other on the island. 1t was created by the
sugar trade and includes large number
of American and English planters, mer-
chants and shippers. think it was in the
year 1915 that its name was bestowed-not,
as is generally stated, because OF Colum-
bus remark when he sailed this way and
saw many Indian fires along shore-'Mi
ra, Glen fuegos." nooki hundred fires)-
but in honor OF Senor Don Jose Cienfuegos,
a Spanish hidalgo who was then the gov
ernor general OF Cuba. Instead Of the mar
row, crooked ill-paved cow-paths that dis
tinguished its three-century- -and-odd old
neighbors-Hayana, Matanzas, Santiago,
and T-inidad-Cienfuegos streets are
broad, level and well-payed, laid out at
right angles with the regularity of a
checker-board and illuminated with gas
and electricity. To tell the truth, the very
newness Of the town, its freshly painted
two-story houses and commonplace mod
ern improvement" are somewhat disap-
pointing to the traveller, who feels that he
did not come so far to see what he has
everywhere at home, and considers him
self defrauded of the musty picturesque
ness Of Nueya Espana which he had a
right to expect.
Bright, clean, and progressive, with its
population now reckoned at AZ, ,00o, the sea
ward outlet of the finest sugar-producing
province OF Cuba and the terminus of the
most important railway line. il is by all
odds the best business town Of southern
Cuba, and is, therefore, bound to attract
the greatest number of Americans. Its
harbor-a deep inlet behind the sheitering
Gays OF Doce Leguas Qnnumerable wooded
islets stretching along the south coast
which Columbus named THE Queens Gar
dens''-is the safest, deepest and cleanest
If not the largest, that indents Cuba 1t is
one of the few in Spanish America which
permit vessels Of largest tonnage to come
up 10 wharf and land passengers over a
gang plank. as In New York. without the
aid of the troublesome, but omnipresent,
small boats. All the steamship lines that
ply the Caribbean Sea and Spanish Main
make this a frequent port OF call, and the
wonder is why Spain left II SO compara-
lively undefended, while ports OF far less
consequence and more difficult OF eccess
have their Moros and long lines OF forti-
fcations- l suppose the reason was be-
cause flush days were over in the mother
country before Cienfuegos was born, and,
being short of cash, she adopted her usual
manana plan of thinking about securing
the stable door after the steed had been
stolen.
La Opinion" the leading local news
paper asserts that before the war the an
nual export Of sugar from Cienfuegos was
SOC, 900 hogsheads, and that tobacco was
not far behind. Some Of the richest plan
tations OF the island lie little way back
OF the port, and connected with 1t by rail
or water; and what 1t will become in the
radiant future. under American fostering
and with abundant capital to develop the
incompatible resources of the surrounding
country. it requires neither prophet nor
the son OF prophet TO foretell. The three
considerable rivers that empty Into Glen
fuegos Bay-the Canudo, Saludo, and Dan
ale. each navigable some distance inland
are OF great consequence in land SO des-
titute of good roads. Bride paths run OF
in all directions, toward Santiago on the
east, Trinidad on the west. and villa Clara
on the north, connecting with the robber-
infested trails OF the Central Mountains.
II is a matter of history, too frequently
stated to need repetition here that since
time out OF mind banditti have made these
trails useless for any business purpose but
their own. Even since the war and
American occupation, travellers have been
captured by knights OF the road and held
for ransom. and a few years ago II was so
common an occurrence as hardly to cause
comment. Terrible tales are told Of tor
lures inflicted by the robbers upon those
whose friends failed to pay promptly the
sums demanded. Perhaps a finger. an eye.
or an car OF the captive would ar
rive by special post. as a gentle hint TO his