The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1899-03-09
BACK FROM THE SUNNY SOUTH
.~ AND HAVANA.


M. F. Moore of this town and Lawyer
D. E. Leary of Springfield returned Feb
uary 25th from a three-weeks' trip
through Florida and Cuba. Mr.. Moore
writes as follows of the trip:
We left New York Sunday, Feb. 18th,
at II O'Clock, some twenty hours after
schedule leaving time, delayed on account
of the storm. We went by boat from
New York to Charleston, S. c., some 725
miles. and the trip will be remembered
for many years to come When we were
off Cape Hatteras the boat was rolled
sideways and fore and aft. and the funny
feelings of the passengers cannot be ex-
pressed by me, as was not sick min
ute, and could not talk from my own ex-
perience.
Upon arrival at Charleston, S. c., we
were surprised to see good sleighing and
mutfied policemen, although the mercury
was as high as 25 degrees at 6 a. m.
Two passengers on our boat five minutes
before leaving time changed their minds,
and left the boat and started by rail. We
reached Charleston at 12 O'Clock Tues
day night, and intended to leave on the
6.13 train from New York. The train
was SO hours late and arrived at O'Clock
which made our wait only seven hours
Our. friends who left the boat for raj
were on the train, with a sorry expert
ence. The train was snow bound neal
Richmond for 48 hours, with five engines
attached, but could not move.
We went by rail to Port Tampa, dis
tance of 558 miles from Charleston. Por
Tampa is coaling and freight station
and was the point of delivery of goods
etc., sent by rail by the government dur
ing the war In Cuba. The city of Tamps
is about eight miles from Port Tampa
and is the city freest from Negroes, anc
more northern push and spirit is showr
there than anywhere else we visited. Yor
will remember the city dam was blown uI
with dynamite some little time since, ant
the city is badly handicapped. The water
is blocked and the several hundred EN-
ployes idle. There are rewards to the
amount. of several Thousand dallars fol
information that will lead to the arrest O.
the guilty parties. We left Polt Tampt
by the steamship Olivette, and reached
Key West Friday afternoon We Learned
In Port Tampa that we would have to b.
vaccinated before we could land in Ha
wanna, so we bought tickets to Key West
hoping to learn the true condition o
things. Lawyer Leary had some bust
ness in Key West, and when he completes
it and we went to the ticket office for
ticket to Havana to continue on the sam
boat, we learned that while we live il
"the land of the free and the home of tn
brave" we could not go, because the shi
had been cleared and the manifest sealed
We went back to the Key West hotel
which is operated by the Plant system
and the rate is $5 per day.
Key West is city about II miles Ion
and mile wide. A New York concer
has built short electric car service, an
Fpperates two cars. The population
18, 900, but when the tobacco trade
good we learned that 10000 people liv
on the island. The government is teal
doing wn an old fort and building up
modern one, with disappearing guns, etc
also new coaling stations. The only bus
ness places are cigar and sponge fact'
Eries, and considerable fishing is done nes
by. We left Sunday night for Havan'
having cleared ship in the meantime, al
arrived early Monday morning. We wei
up bright and early, and. the picture
the entrance to Havana, the land bate
les, block houses, Moro castle, and nea
by in the harbt the wreck of the Main
. all brought to our mind at first q beautlf
scene, TO be changed in minute to tn
of sorrow and pity for the good, tr'
Americans whose lives were hurried
dispatched to their Maker by the hand
some treacherous person. We cast a
= chor in the middle of the harbor, on
4OuA tA AAOhA OAOAOS anu OONOAoA s'e
2 boats came alongside, with jabberil
6 something similar in sound to what ,
. hear in New York upon alighting from
train in the New York Central dept
. We finally got aboard and were row
. ashore, paying 25 cents each but il
% dollar was proffered more would be aske
We took dinner at the American clu
and after some experience with the Ing
terra hotel, we registered with friends
the Pasoje, where the rate Is SIS per ds
Upon arriving, If before 10 O'Clock, y
's will find in the dining room long tab
)6 and upon it several dishes filled w
oranges. These, with coffee, are sery
from to 10. From 10 to 1, breakfa
made up you would Judge by the bill