The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-09-30

the height OF the sickness an average OF
1,OOo men9a day were taken on the road
to the hospitals. Some of these would
die, often as many as twenty on the trip.
and they would be buried along the route.
This is why the Western railway Is called
Atle graveyard route. SS4 Z
The once prosperous city Of Pinar del
Rio, having population of 5000 people,
was much changed when 1t was made a
United States military station, although,
things have been put in fairly good order
since that time. The railroad and wagon
bridges have all been blown up by .dyna-
mite and the earthworks that were de-
signed to protect the city have fallen
into decay. The insurgents came within
half mile Of this fertilization during
the latter part OF their struggle for lib
4erty,z and the Spanish soldiers were badly
frightened by the fear that they would
be captured. q u.
At the time Of Col Falk,s visit to the
city Father Craft who is a quarter-breed
Indian, was conducting hospital for sol
dters who desired admittance; and he was
assisted by four Sioux Indian women VINO
belonged to the sisterhood. Father Craft
Is well known throughout the Northwest
from his experience in the Wounded Knee
Indian uprising, when he was stabbed
seven times and left Tor dead. One Of the
thrusts was with a cheese knife and the
weapon was run entirely through his
body. Soon after the outbreak OF the Gu
ban war he Joined the insurgents and was
OF SO much aid In caring for the wounded
that the Spaniards used every means to
effect his capture. They even offered a
reward OF 5000 for his arrest, and some
OF the treacherous Cubans seriously dis
.cussed the plan of turning him over to
the enemy in order to get the money.
While the social conditions OF this Prov
ince are not Of the best, they are said
y =, 0ft $1,n
ISOLATION with American vigOr and enter
prise. Some of the methods in vogue We're
exceedingly strict and others were un-
usually lax. The chaperone system was
one which Americans would be likely to
.construe as Overdone, as a senorita would
never go into the street
without a ChaperOne.
After the wives of American officers
came to the city and ventured out on
ghopping tours unaccompanied, the ma
tives took the cue and It Is no uncommon
sight to see bevy of senoritas out for a
walk without schaperone.
Since the arrival Off people from the
United States the color line, which had
been entirely obliterated, has been drawn
In some instances with as much rigor as
1t is in this country. The people of Cuba
were quick to see that a distinction was
made between the white man and the
negro or mixed blood, and, as other
things, they copied this tendency. .-szeet
Had. Gen. Miles brought his famous bath
tub to Cuba 1T would have been an object
of even more comment, for bath.tubs are
exceedingly. scarce in Cuba. Even the
best hotels do not have them, and the
only public bath is the sea or the river.
The rivers are all fed from springs and
the water is excellent for any purpose.
The government has been greatly ham,
pered in it's building operations by the
lack Of suitable material. In Cuba the
roof Of building is the most expensive
part Of it as the ordinary materials used
in this country will not stand the test.
Shingles decay during the rainy season,
owing to alienation of excessive rains
and the fierce heat of the sun. Slate has
not been used to any extent and thing
costs a great deal. The natives use
thatch made
From the Royal Palm,
and this tree Is very scarce. It Is re-
garded as unusually valuable because
every part Of the tree can be used. The
palm-like top is used for roofs, the body
Of the tree is squared and the center
is used for posts while the outside slabs
are utilized as boards. Near the point
where the branches begin Is I. b>rrcl
shaped enlargement Of the trunk ard
this is cut OF, followed out and used
for barrel. Further up lie trn:lls Is the
new growth and this can be peeled OFF,
furnishing leathery bark, not unlike the
birch bark used by the Indians. rh,s por-
ton Of the tree will unwind like a rcll
of paper and the Cubans find it very ccn-
venient In patching the hoes IN their
primitive huts. Just under i.io branches
are clusters Of berries that are excellent
for fattening hogs, 30 that none of lie
tree is allowed to SO t, Nsstr IN this
country mahogany Is counted as one OF
the most valuable woods, but the Cubans
burn it for firewood and in the eastern
part of the island immense trees are cut
for fuel.
The thateh roofs are used exclusively
for tobacco sheds, as any other material
would burn, owing to the intense heat
caused by the curing Of the green leaves.
The native planters do not cut tobacco
the way they do in the South, put strip
1t from the stems In the fields, and after
1t has been allowed to wilt it Is strung
on long poles and the workmen carry It
to the warehouses by placing the poles
on their should ers. The leaf Is there al
lowed to cure and Is then readily prepared
for the market. The Cuban gets along
with as little labor az possible.
q Mr.. Trowbridge was greatly impressed
with the clean streets at Havana. He
said that excellent work had been done
cupation and that the town was in seally
good condition. even better thar. most
American cities. When he American
troops arrived on the ISLAND al. the
streets were In a terribly filthy condition.
on the surface the cities are all ncw
clean, but the soil is saturated with fifth
and this cannot be ren,eai..d until new
sewerage system is put In.
Further ideas Of the conditions that ex-
ist on the island are embodied in the re-
port that has been submitted to the war.
department. Among other things 1t says:
elm Havana the only signs visible that
there has been war are the American
flags that are. flying everywhere si.d
American soldiers going about the SIT cts.
At night the i.3a
Life OF the City
centers around Central Park and the
Prado Thousands of electric lights iilu.
inmate the place At night the regi.
mental bands play and the populace
gathers there to listen to the music. Fac.
ing the park are the clubs. the Ingleterrs
and other hotels and numerous Cafes, all
brilliantly lighted, and the whole makes
q picture bright and gay. It reminds
ono very much Of tho Midway at the
Worlds fair. Beggars are found every.
low you and they
well know the Americana Is always
ready to give up.
One cannot help but notice the great
humber of people dressed In mourning.
which tells the horrors OF reconcentra-
ton under Gen. Weyler.
SCORES of Americans are here await
ing opportunities to make Investments
many coming here to pick up the choice
concessions However, these gentlemen
have been bitterly disappointed, as the.
Foraker resolution, passed during the
last congress, forbids the granting Of
concessions; and wisely SO, for It would