The times., 1899-04-02
AMERICAN ENERGY
IN CUBA'S CAPITAL
The Tremendous Influence of
Modern Enterprise.
New Business Methods Revealed to
Sluggish Native Merchants.
Substantial Qualities of Hnvnn's
Trndesmen-Women's Chances
The Pawn shops.

Havana, March 22-walking the streets
Of any Cuban city today one is reminded
OF the old war song:
We are coming. Father Abraham,
q Three hundred thousand more
In Havana alone there are upward of
Ten thousand civilian Americans, of both
sexes, and all classes and conditions, and
still they come by every boat. OF few of
this peaceful army of invasion can it truth
fully be said, Thou hast no speculation
in those eyes that thou dost glare with, -
for, after the manner OF Americans, each
has some special scheme in view. The ho-
tells are crowded with wouid-be investors,
and the millions that are every day repre-
scented in the dining rooms OF the Pasaje
and Ingleterra would buy the island three
times over. Some Of them contemplate
building railroads and tramway lines, fac
tories, and big hotels, buying plantations,
opening cmporiums, and establishing busi-
ness OF various sorts on gigantic scale,
while the impecunious are pursuing the
same old occupation as at home Of looking
for a Job, or waiting, Micawber-w for
something TO turn up. Most of the heavy
capitalists, who rushed in as soon as the
blockade was removed in order TO get
ahead OF everybody else in the field and
thus secure the best investments. are yet
undecided where 10 put their money.
To this dog -in-the-manger policy may
be traced the false reports OF unusual
sickness in Havana which occasionally ap-
pear in the Northern newspapers, the OBJ
iect of the disseminators being TO discour-
nge people from coming TO Cuba until their
own schemes here are perfected. As a
matter OF fact, there is never a day in
the year when some cases OF yellow fever
may not be found in Havana, but the dis
ease is not greatly TO be feared before
the end of August, and from that time on
10 the middle of November. With proper
living and the observance OF few simple
hygienic rules, one may stay here the year
round with comparative impunity. He
must be temperate In food and drink, eat
sparingIy OF fruit avoid undue exercise In
the mid d-day sun, and, above all, be careful
of the night dews and miasmas. Lord Byron
may have had this climate in mind wheI
he wrote
Tie dcyiGs in the noon for mischief.
Cuban Nights.
No sleeping on housetops here, as in
dewless Mexico, or love-making on Juliet
balconies, or lettering in the hallowed ben
ediction of the moon. One must hurrs
home from ball or theatre, keep moving
If listening TO the music on the fashionable
promenade. or. better still. HE himself tC
bed with the birds and rise with them a.
the first peep OF dawning. Fresh all
cranks, too, would better remain away
from Cuba. The windows of these thick.
walled casas. extending from floor TO cell
ing, are mostly without glass, but provided
with doors Of solid wood, in each of which
is small lattieed square. The native!
keep their bedroom windows tightly oloset
at night They have been wide open Il
sun and air all day long, and the great
lofty, uncarpeted. uncurtained apartment
contain enough cool, sweet air TO suppl!
the sleeper til morning, with far less dan
ger to health than 10 admit "the pesti
lence that walketh in darkness" When
Northern man gets sick here ii Is almos
impossible for him 20 recover his heaitl
In Cuba. IL takes more than one visit L
the island 10 become thoroughly acclimat
ed and foreigners who purpose making
q home here should arrange to spend lar