The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-16

west in sufficient bulk to make q paying
through business. A through line from
Villa Clara or Placetas TO Santiago might
be encouraged for governmental purposes.
somewhat as the original Pacific railroads
were in the United States. and in the
course OF time the development Of the
country adjacent to the lines would pro-
duce remuneratiys business
Claims Against Spain.
The railroads in Cuba suffered severely
during the war from loss of business and
destruction OF property. Most OF them
have large unsettled claims against the
Spanish government for transportation.
They are In a condition which cannot he
better described than in a report made by
Capt #. c. Hand respecting the railways
In the province OF Matanzas. from which
the following extracts are made
1T may be said that the railroads in
fairly equipped. The roads are Of good
width and well drained and the main lines
and more important branches arc laid with
srI, rai's more or less worn. OF weights
Gross ties are mostly OF the hard woods ~
the country. and are spaced ~ the rate OF
2.o0 10 2sto TO the mile. The masonry for
the bridges and calverts Is OF stone or
cement, all the bridges noticed being of
short span. with either iron sirders or
wooden stringers for saperGructuree. The
are mostly Of concrete. with tile roofs.
Nearly all sidingx are in very poor conds-
iton- rails beng worn Out and cross ties
rotten Water stations ssaen to be ample
In number. and corAst OF iron tanks. rather
small in size, supported on concrete pill
lars, and supplied from weus which are
saF.ously run by steam, horse power and
hand pumping. VS. for turning trains are
provided every few miles along the line
Rates OF pay: Trackmen, 50 cents
day. tirsnen. s25 TO 50 month. engineers.
S9 a month: conductors. $50 TO $40
month; foremen. Is to 80 a month: brake
men. S25 IA SO a month, in Spanish gold"
Capt. Hands estimate for the COS. OF
putting the limos in tho province OF Ma
tanzss in ssrS,- class condition wss about
s,asa a mile. including the additional rolling
stock required for a cons:dera bio inorease
in business All roads are provided with
telegraph or telephone lines. which are In
fair working condition.
The Entire System.
In the entire railroad system OF Ciha
there Is abou, I.i0 miles of line In opera
ton. There are two routes from Havana
TO the east: One by ferry 10 Regia, and
thence by rail 10 MatanzaS, Cardenas Col
on. villa Clara. Sagua and C1enniexos. the
otAer route from villa N9eva station In
the hear 81 Havana. and running south
10 k1goan. and thence eas, through Ia
Union 70 Colon. where IL joins the first
named i'ce. Both roads At Havana belong
20 the same company. the United Railway
Company. CT Havana There ss a connect
ting line around tie brad of The bay but
= IS used only fer freight
TIE United Company owns the line from,
Eegla through Matanxss - Jovelianos
where connection Is made with the Car
d"nas 4 Jucaro railway TIE main line %
iris yca3 extends frorn Car*ensss through
Jovellaros ard Colon 20 Sanso pouasnxo
ard Via Clara. reaching the latter over
,he tracks - th- sTenfuegos A. villa Clara
railway from Esperanto AZ SangS Do
r.!Ggo conrsctlo- IA made with the Sax i
Railway for Sagga la 5rsnie 10 the north
ard for Cruces On Ira srSsH. Al Cruces
the Sag7za railway connects with the Csen-
fueyua 4 Vita Clara srr Sssneuegos Tire
United Railway Company also owns the
sne f~sFr Villa Nssvs - la Union Tina
rpsin ilse - THE M2SArezas railway rTsns
from Gatanx&s through La Csscn ~ cci
81. vhs-e correettra - rsase with ire
Ea.&s.ss A. sucarc Ars tss connections for
the points beyo<la the ros'e s.st men
TONED