Evening star., 1899-02-09
FlOCkING TO HAVANA
Americans Go There to Get Soft Berths
and to Invest
Description of Conditions which Ex-
list in the Cuban CapitsI-Good
Weather Prevailing.

a letter has been received in this city
from an official of the Treasury Depart
ment. now on duty in Havana. which con-
tains interesting references concerning mat
ters of which but few persons are in
formed. The letter is dated January 81.
ard, an part is as follows:
This week has begun with the arrival Of
the largest number of Americans Of any
week since the beginning of the year OK
cept, OF course, days when United States
troops arrived In the city. Americans are
hooking here by the score, seeking soft
befths for their money. and looking for in
Nestments that will bring I'm a rich har-
vest II is needless to say that in this one
thing they have been disappointod. The
majority of the adventures have small
capital and IL is only the man with heavy
foils OF Uncle Sans money that has a
chance OF surviving the night for forum IS
IN one respect the Americans. all L
nave 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 are
oIliy alsease and starvation, and where the
ohiy Two things that are surely 10 Toe met
are death and taxation. The nlth thai enc
hears Of; the narrowing stories OF plaqllss
that MI the yellow Journals Of the n..rth.
wv HbpHilllS pictures OF SOrelN stricken
people supposed to he within the cftv ~
havana, are. in so far as one sees myths
that even The people thems Ives laugh M
20 not mean to say there is no rood
ground Tor some Of the stories that have
gone lhe rounds of the press, for outsi le q
the city, in the by-ways and hedges OF ths
province of Havana, and in the other rro,,
lnces OF the island, there is a deal of SUI
leflhS, such as is never known in cur
native land.
Every Glass and Condition
The people of Havana. like those of New
lorK' represent every class and condition
Here one sees the same handsome eotlinape
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 a grand proyns-
made ABOUT the Psedo. in which the leading
social pelies and beaux take part. and the
scene Is one of rare beauty
he streets of Havana are narrow and
Itef ram. are very muddy and disagree
abie' even II one is riding-and every one
rtGes mere. The weather now is similar to
our May and June weather. and The people
natives and Americans. dress accordipply
Ihere are many kinds OF Cuhans tho fsir-
skinned, the dark-eyed dark-complexinn.d
opahlard IKE and the blacks. The blacks
are exactly Ike the colored people. Of the
souih ana take the same relative position in
society. They are nearly all poor living
IN dirty. hlthy adobe houses near the har-
S'i anu pH lllt SUBURBS OF the CITY They
dress IN hlmy gauze clothing. many Of the
children going on the streets naked not he
cause they have not clothes to wear. but
for the sake of comfort They -ne.E ,,i,,
four words of Eng-is and there are snol[a1
10 every American at least once or twice
every block he walks. The four words are.
Give me l cent"
The present health report for Ha,-,,,, -
superior TO that OF New York city accord
ing 10 the claims of the health officers and
inesgarS here. that is beggars who make
IHlhs pS mat practice, are fewer than in
States.
First Salary Paid.
had the pleasant duty Of paying the
first employe OF the new government his SAL
airy, and there is a little story connected
with the man and his purpose for gettins.
his salary at this time. 1t has become gen
orally known that the idea Of the United
states government is to give as many of
the positions as possible to native Cubans
and that every Spaniard now in the emDIov
OF the government is TO be let go. The man
who received the frs, payment for salary
is a Spaniard. He believes il 10 he for no
best interests of all concerned for every
Spaniard and Spanish sympathizer to leave
Cuoa as soon as possible. So il was that
on last Saturday, when his salary had
reached the amount necessary to take him
back 20 Spain, he promptly presented his
resignation and was handed the amount
due him for services since the 81 of Iapu-
ary. His name is Tonguin Cabanero
The Texas is here. Captain Sigsbee. for
mer captain of the batlle shin Maine COM
manding. and it is safe to say that with
the Cuhans he is the most popular man on
the island.
General Brooke. governor general of
Cuba, is also popular with the people but
he has been too busy TO give much atten-
ton to them personally, and for that rea-
son he is not understood by all. He was
cheered as he entered the theater a few
evenings ago, and as he took his seat in
the governor generals box there were
heard many cheers of Niye Brooke,
Good cigars here are more difficult to
obtain than in the United States. The best
can be bought for abcut7 cents American
money"