The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-12-29
A. ]. CAMPBELL
WRITES FROM CUBA.
Canal Fulton Man Gets a Letter
From His Son.
HIS IMPRESSIONS OF HAVANA.
Thinks It Does Not Compare Favorably
with the cities In This Country
and Mentions His
ReaaOns.
HIS IMPRESSIONS OF HAVANA.

William Campbell, of Canal Fulton,
has received a letter from his son, who
is in Cuba. The young man writes well
and his letters are always of interest.
The epistle follows:
Havana, Dec, 13, 1899.
My dear Father: 1 have intended
writing several times since l arrived in
Havana, but 1 have been so busy get
ting settled up till today. What / have
seen of the place 1 like very much. OF
course II cannot be compared with cit
les in the states. In our cities there Is
so much similarity, while this is differ
ent from any city ] ever saw, and for
change like It very much.
OF course Havana is very old city
and some Of the buildings are begin
ming to show their age, but that only
adds to the beauty of the place. The
buildings are so substantial looking, all
built of stone and with stone floors,
stairways and everything. The ceilings
are very high (for good ventilation, and
they need it in this climate) and the
doors only reach about half way to the
top, leaving it all open THf windows
in the houses are conspicuous by their
absence and in their place are great
iron bars like JAIL so that everything
can be left wide open with perfect safe
ty. The houses all have the appearance
of jails and more so when you walk
past and see the people sitting behind
the bars. In luxury or poverty, 1t is all
the same.
The streets are very narrow and avn
ings are hung right across the street.
You have no idea how pleasant it is to
have the bright sun shut out from be-
ha Of CT
and under these awnings there is al
ways a breeze blowing. Besides the
awnings the streets are hung full of
signs of every description, giving such
a very picturesque appearance. 1t is
a change from what we are used to and
you cannot help liking the oddity of it.
The streets are all paved with stone,
but are very rough and a single vehicle
makes almost as much noise as you
hear from all the traffic that passes
along Broadway, street cars and all. Y
/ haven't been much taken with their
mode of living-two meals a day, which
is quite a drop from five on board the
ship. In the morning you get a cup
(smalD of coffee, biscuit and some or
anges. Breakfast is served from ten
to IL and dinner from to 8. 1t seemed
rather hard at first, but 1 am getting
used to it gradually.
We left New York City week ago to-
day, during a heavy snow storm, and
came ashore here in Havana the follow
ing Sunday, with very light suit and
straw hat. which was quite a change
in four days.
I went out and got some pictures of
the Maine, or what is left of it, yester-
day. 1t lies at the bottom of the harbor
while the foremast and some of the
plating stand above the water a mon
ument to 1856 American sailors who lost
their lives through the treachery of
some spaniards Chat doesn't deserve a
capital letter)I will send you post
card that has very good picture of the
Maine on 1t, as a souvenir It is just as
she looks today, but was taken the 18th
of February last, year after it was
blown up.
I don't think that will try to get
back before the 1st of April, when the
good weather sets in don't like March
weather in Michigan or Ohio either, so
/ think I will spend that month here
on the island, unless something unfore-
seen turns up.
have to learn the Spanish language,
for my work, and although it is slow
to it, and take a lesson every day from
a fellow that is working for me. He
speaks English quite we'll and is a big
help to me.
The climate down here Is perfectly de-
lightful at this time Of year. The days
are quite warm, but the nights are just
right. One end of my room, which Is
long and rather narrow, is enclosed in
bars only, and even the curtain that
hangs in front Of 1t is pulled aside at
night. All the rooms in houses or hotels
are open to the outside of the building,
or into an open court around which
the building is built. In this hotel the
open court is filled with palms and all
kinds of tropical plants and the birds
fly about among the palms just the
same as they do out in the woods The
dining room is on the second floor and
is located all around this court and all
open like one big balcony, which 1t is
in reality, so you can imagine how
pleasant it is.
Old Morro Castle is a very imposing
structure, now that the American flag