The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1899-03-10
HICKMAN BOY IN CUBA.
The Country, Social Conditions, &c.

LA UNION, CUBA. Feb. 20, 1899.
Dear Editor While alone tonight,
with nothing to bother me but parrot,
dog and few mosquitoes, my thoughts
have wandered back to the many friends
far away in old Kentucky. We left
Columbus, Ca, on the nth and landed
in Savannah ON the 18th, and started
across the Big Pond that night on the
Transport Minnawaska. The first day
out was very nice. the sea being as nice
as could be expected. The second day
being n little monotonous, for every
where we looked we could see nothing
but water. We passed the Florida KEYS
the second day, and struck out across
the Straits for Matanzas, arriving there
about o'clock on the morning of the
2ist. Everybody enjoyed the trip i'm.
mensely, there being not much sea sick
ness, only u few got sick, and l was one
of the few III any of you were ever
sea sick, you know how we felt We
were too sick to eat, and when a soldier
gets too sick to eat, he certainly il bad
OFT.
Matan2as is q city of 10000, but Won
would not think so, it covers suCh
small space of ground rs compared to
an American city of that size. ItH a
very dirty city, but the government Is
having it cleaned up as fast as possible,
preparing for the hot season. The
streets are not over 25 feet wide, and
the side walks are 80 n.rruy~ thsa Two
cannot walk side by side ON them. .--..
1t is very hard matter 10 tell the
residences from the business houses, rs
all the houses are built up to the side
walk, a yard being thing unseen.
All the houses have bars owe the WIN
dows. and any one that an afford n
Carriage invariably mas itsetting m the
hallway. The Lord knows what
they do with the horses, either put
them ON the roof or in the cellar.
( 1t is a sight never TO be forgotten, the
poor and destitute standing around the
mess room begging us for the scraps ~
searching the slop cans for something
to eat.
/ While at Matanzas, we camped near
old Fort Sansayerna, a grand old struct-
ure, placed there some 800 years ago. IL
has a good command of the Bay, and
the six inch brass guns, set upon the
! ramparts would have been no match to
our 10 inch guns or miles at sea.
This old Fort has history that | will
not undertake to write now.
The cruelty and barbarism perpetrated
upon the poor unfortunate Cubans with
in these walls is too awful to mention.
1 stood upon the stone which the Span
iards used for chopping block, and
was told by Cuban that 800 Cubans'
heads were chopped off on that stone in
one night.
spent four months in Porto Rico,
last summer but find Cuba Is far ahead
of her, for in Porto Rico there is moth.
ing but mountains, the people live on
fruits and are a thousand years behind
the times. Here it Is different the lay
of the land has palms, oranges and ha.
mana groves The flowers and vege-
table gardens, the lovely valleys and
bahbling brooks make one feel that he
has found a Paradise on earth.
All that l can see that is needed here
Is a people of our kind, then this could
be made a great country. In La Union
find the town full of interesting build.
ings, many of them bearing signs Of
grandeur and elegance of a more pros
porous day. The town has no doubt
been one of wealth and culture, but the
war has left its imprints, and every.
thing points to neglect and poverty.
Many Of the residences or palaces they
are called here, have marble floors, mar
BILE base boards, walls elegantly fres
coed and courts in the rear where trop-
ical plants grow and bloom IN great
The white Cuban girls are very intel.
ligent people and generally good-look.
ing, and some are real pretty, but all Of
them are just as vain as the KenturNy
girls, Judging from the lavish hand with
which they apply powder to their coun.
tenance, which looks as If they had
applied with a white wash brush. They
come out 10 the camp every MONDAY
eve which Is SUNDAY IN this country. all
diked out in their best and they don
look bad either. but the children are
dressed very scnntily, and yard of cal
leo would make dozen dresses for the
Piccaninies las the children are call
ed
l have seen the rosy side of life
among the natives who seem to live IN
ease and luxury. They rise at O'Clock
and taking breakfast at . O'Clock, then
they sleep until when they have lunch
and dress for the afternoon ride around
the city until $50, when they have din
ner and on the other hand have seen
the bitter life, led by the unfortunate
ones, many of whom are half starved.
/ saw women and children sleeping IN
halls, doorways, alleys and on the side
walks, just any old place that will az
ford temporary lodging.
was told by native who speaks
English very plainly that Young man
in counting young lady was not allow
ed in the parlor under years time, but
has to stand ON the side walk and talk
to her through the iron bars H. front Of
the windows, and then with .ao old Ia.
dy near by. After he has carried II on
in that way for year he Is allowed to
talk to her alone in the parlor for sir
months. Then he must marry or quit
and make room for another one.
The feature Of this place that strikes
me more favorable is that one of our dol. /
lars is worth a dollar and forty cents Of
their money. fellow could come over
here with THOUSAND dollars and get it /
changed up and be millionaire, but I
he would have to get wagon to carry
the change off, because in changing /
dollar, one gets hatfull in return, some
OF their largest pieces being worth only
2cents.
IL there is anyone on earth the Gu
bans hate it IS the Spaniarls, but the
Spaniards are all very nice ~ us, but Of
course it is policy for them 70 be so.
Respectfully
jim ROBERTSON.