The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-02-01
An Anderson Boys Impression of Cuba.


Our fcllowtownsman, Mr.. J. w.
Trowbridgc, received the following
letter few days ago from his son. Joe,
who is one of the leaders of the Band
of the End Regiment, S. C.. V, now
stationed in Cuba. Knowing that it
would be read with interest by Joc's
many friends, we have been granted the
privilege Of publishing it:
HAVANA, CrBA, Jan. 20, 1899
DEAR FATHER: We received the first
letters from you all last night that we
have gotten since we reached Cuba.
Sam was sick all day yesterday. but
when the letters came in he forgot all
about it. He is up and all right this
morning. We have all been hard at
work cleaning up the camp for the last
few days. have been out from camp
for mile or two, and have seen II
little Of Cuba. expected to find Il
very fiat and sandy country. but i'll
slead it is hilly and fertile. From our
camp you can see for seven or ten
miles, and the prettiest bottom lands
l ever saw. In some places it is rather
rocky, but could soon be cleared up,
and Il good farmer could make lots Of
money. They raise two crops of some
things a year. Potatoes. tobacco and
sugar-canc seem to be the chief pro-
ducts. These people are so lazy that
they won't half work Il crop. You can
find royal palms, cocoanurs. oranges,
pineapples and lots of other fruits
growing wild. The palms arc beauti
full. They look very much like Il pal
mctto tree, only about thycc times as
tall. 1t is said that one cocoanut
ripens on Il tree for every day i'll the
year. We can get all we want i'll short
distance Of our camp.
In the mornings from 10 until II the
weather is as hot as the mischief, but
the evenings and nights remind me OF
the first of Spring ut home. have not
heard but two or three mosquitoes since
we got here. We are troubled lots
with lizards and tree frogs. Most
every night some fellow will run out
of his tent, shaking either one or the
other off of his clothes. We hang our
clothes on rope stretched across the
center of our tent. Eugene reached up
to get his shirt and touched one Of
those frogs. lIccamc very near knock
ing down the tent getting out He
swore snake had bit him.
Most of the Companies and officers
have small Cuban boys living with
them and arc trying to learn Spanish.
Major Wannamallcr has one that stays
with him all the time and rides behind
him every where he goes.
There is big park here that covers
about ten acres. At night thousands
of people sleep there on the ground.
Two Of or crowd went down down TO
see the sights and drank too much
Cognac brandy. They got lost and
wound up in this park. They went to
sleep on one OF the benches. The next
morning one of them found that his
pistol had been taken out of his pocket
and some one he'd taken the other fel-
lows shoes and hat oft.
All kind of people live trrc-Chinese,
Negroes, Indians. and asl go together.
They do not object 10 the color. The
Cubans and SpaniardS are rather dark,
but as il rule are very good looking,
those that are not Scared up by small
pox. The poorer class of men and
boys wear very thin and cheap cloth
ing. \ large straw hat. !. gallze shirt,
linen pants and cloth slippers are about
all they wear. They do not wear un-
dcrclotllcS and son.
The stores are all small and dirty. !
believe yon could buy o,ll most of the
stores in Havana from ten dollars up;
not ovcra thousand for Tie largest one.
believe farmer or carpenter would
do well here now. but | think it will be
next fall before business opens up Ill
good shape.
AS soon us we get to go up town
can tell You more about the place.
They still have yellow fever small
Dox and lcprosy uptown. and am not
too anxious to go there very often. |
believe the country about ten miles out
from the city is as healthy us Anderson.
All thc sickness is caused from filth.
Write soon. As ever your devoted
SON JOE.
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