The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-04-29
Modes of Travel On the Island
Difficulties for Stranger In Get
ting AbOut-Trains Slow, Fares
High, Coaches Crowded with Bag
gage-In the Interior on Horse
back-COmfOrtabl VOlantes-Cab-
men like Those Elsewhere-Dead-
wood Coaches. 5


Pinar del Rio, distance of 40 miles. A
railroad also runs from Havana to
Guannajay, 35 miles out, in the north
eastern part of Pinar del Flo province.
These two lines traverse the Vuelta Aba 10
tobacco region and also part of the Parti-
Havana. Coasting vessels make trips
from this city along the north coast west,
touching at, eight or ten fishing villages.
From these villages Journeys may be
made to the hills of the interior on horse
back. AT some places there is passable
road, but it is usually a short one. On
the south coast of Pinar del Rio there is
nothing to see except keys and swan1ps.
The only port, which is entered by light
draught vessels, is Colona. From it a
very good macadamized highway ira
verses the fifteen miles to the town of
Pinar del Rio. -... IT,. 49,. -. -. s.
The railroad system extends east from
Havana $50 miles. BY this road it is pos
sible to visit the coast towns without
the inconvenience of sea trip, for there
are branch lines running both north and
south. At this season there is not much
L
mills are grinding, says an Havana let
ter to the New York Sun, but agricul-
ture generally is recuperating. slowly.
or the tourists the most interesting town
is Matanzas, with the hills of Cumbre
and Monserrate, the valleys of Yumuri
and San Juan and the caves of Bellamar:
which run out under the sea.
Railroad travel in Cuba is not luxurious
yet, considering that the distances are
short, it is fairly comfortable. Fares con.
ttnue to be very high, averaging seven or
eight cents mile in gold first class, and
half as much for third class, with the
second class midway. Americans natural.
~ prefer to travel first class. The pas
senger coaches on some of the lines are
relics OF bygone. periods. On Others they
are modern and adapted to the climate,
smokes wi hout first asking
Spernaissi ION Of the women who may q be
passengers 1t is a custom of the coun-
not be appreciated. Everybody piles his
baggage in the spaces between the seats
or In the aisles. Often the regular pas
senger coach might be mistaken for the
baggage car. The reason for this is tina
baggage is not checked free. The charges
Tor carrying 1T are quite heavy. Nc
limitation is put ON the number of pieces
which a passenger is permitted to carry
With him In a passenger COACH So he
usually slows away all his BELONGINGS
and perches himself on top half dozen
valises. Live luggage is also permitted
chickens travel either first, second O,
th1rd class without paying fare. Gen
the legs and thrown carelessly under the
seat sometimes they get free from their
fastenings and then there is a lively time
IN the car. The story of the hen which
paid it's fare in eggs is rot fiction in
CUBA. That has been known to happen.
The railroad lines which do not have
regular eating houses along the route
have buffet on the train. It is common
~ located in the car given over to the
third class passengers. A hungry ira.
Weller who finds his way there
can have choice of poor wine.
poor good bread and cold baked
fish. There is also a case of graciosos
or pop, with little fruit. Beer is sold
Cubans who have occasion to travel gen.
? orally carry their luncheons with them.
Inc practice is not good me for Ameri-
can visitors to initiate. Three Americans
VINO were going on days journey had
their hotel proprietor prepare luncheon
LOT them. 1t consisted of a skinny chick
en-, two leaves of bread and two bottles
of cheap wine. When they came to set
tel their hotel bill they found charge of
$13 for railroad luncheon. Others have
mad similar experiences. It is better and
ocheaper to go hungry than to have a FIa-
vana hotel keeper prepare railroad
luncheon.
Most of the railroads now run what are
called trens de cargo. or mixed local
fre1ghts. These give an excellent chance
TO see the country. A good walker can
ing at ordinary speed. With the stops
for switching it is possible to take an
occasional excursion into the fields and
oack again. The locomotives are always
very thirsty, for every other stop appears
to be at a water tank. At the stations
the start is announced by the primitive
method OF handbell. A porter walks up
and down the platform and rings the bell
Two minutes before the time for depart
ure. Five or six minutes later the train
pulls out. No train in Cuba is supposed
to start On schedule time. The line out
OF Havana which has most Of the subur-
pan travel has time schedule on the
exact hours. No Cuban or Spaniard
thinks of getting to the station on the
hour. He allows himself five minutes.
to spare. The manager Of this road was
once asked what would happen If he
were to start the trains for three or four
days in succession at the advertised time.
NO passengers, was his laconic re-
sponse. 80 $3.50 =,
One morning at Matanzas an American
had left word with the hotel keeper to
nave cab to take him to the train
which was due from Havana at half
past .. The cab was ready quarter
after 8. just then party of friends
arrived direct from the train with re-
proaches for the failure to meet them.
1t was all the landlords fault He smil-
1ngly explained that while the schedule
time of the train was O'Clock it never
arrived until haH-past 8. How it hap
pened to get in on time that morning he
did not know. but he was sure the mis-
take was not Intentional. The Cuban
railroads are passing into the control OF
American capitalists, and within a year
or Two + Is likely that there will be some
In their management
For the travellers who want to leave the
main lines of travel and go into the in
terror, there is only one mode Of con-
veyance. This is on horseback, or, II
there be party OF prospective land buy
ers, q pack train is easily organized. A
good Cuban horse which travels steadily
all day at the .'spudging'' gait, OF the
country costs. 1925. To be QUILTED after
the Cuban manner, with saddle boots
scmbrero and other accessories, takes an
other $125. Thus prepared it is not diff.
cult to get over a good stretch of coun-
try In given time. A guide is neces-
sity The roads, according to the maps,
are base deceptions. They are usually