Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-03
Around The World In Yacht

III Uuuu lHU "
Note to our readers. Acting upon a
suggestion, this newspaper engaged the
we'll known writer, George Alfred Ed
wards, to start upon a tour of the world
In a small private yacht, touching at all
points of interest and specially visiting |
our new territories. Mr.. Edwards found
that it would be possible to completely
circle the globe in a comparatively small
boat, at the proper seasons. So he care
fully mapped out his course and set sail
from New York on May l. His first stop
was at Havana, from which he sends us
this interesting letter:
5 Havana, May 1S.-A beautiful city is
Havana, San Cristobal de la Habana.
Like SO many tropical towns, it exerts a
fascination over the senses that is al
most irresistible. But beautiful as it has
always been, it is MANIFOLD more attrac-
tive now that the American officials have
taken charge of affairs and rave LEANED
the streets.
When I landed from my little yacht,
after an almost uneventful trip from Key
West, this was the first thing that at
tracted my attention, and as l sit in my
window tonight and look out upon the
plaza, where the band is playing, the air
is SO fresh and clean and invigorating
that 1 can scarcely believe that this is
the same city that I knew little more
than a year ago. Then the streets were
full of filth. Garbage and dead animals
were to be found at almost every turn,
while the lack of proper drainage added
to the unsanitary condition of the city.
Everywhere there were disagreeable
odors and nauseating sights that tended
to make one forget the natural beauties
of the place.
Today everything is different and there
is no exaggeration in the assertion that
the streets Of Havana are now almost
as clean as those of New York. When
the weather is pleasant they are as
clean as could be desired, blu when the
rain comes the black mud exudes from
between the stone pavements in a man.
ner to remind one of the old days before
the war.
When you assigned me to visit the new
colonies, to describe things exactly as 1
found them, I had no idea hat a few
short months could have made such a
change in the appearance of a city, and
if the improvements that have been
made in the other stands are as great
as those in Havana, our colonists will
have reason to bless the day that put
Uncle Sam in charge of their affairs in
the place of the Spanish official whose
idea of public welfare went no further
than his own pocket.
You would scarcely believe me if I
should tell you of some of the horrible
'ohco euoC commonplace 11ClOCAlS
in the life of Havana a year ago, but
that is passed now, and as the citizens
are becoming educated to a dislike of
foul odors there is every reason to be-
lieve that it will not be many years be-
fore this is a comparatively healthful
city.
TO accomplish this was no simple feat
and it speaks volumes for the ability of
the American soldier who could lay aside
his sword of war to seize the broom and
the hoe, and who could handle one just
as successfully as the other.
In other respects Havana is practically
unchanged. The Spanish soldiers nave
gone, but the American soldiers have ar
rived to take their place, so that they are
not missed by the black-eyed Cuban
damsels, who still look down from the
balconies, and walk, properly chaperoned
of course, in the square at night. There
the bands play, and if the airs are differ
ent they are not less pleasing to the peo-
pie who throng the park. When the
transports sailed way, carrying with
them the last of the Spanish soldiers, the
Cuban turned with a smile to greet the
newcomers, and he is being American
lied so rapidly that we need have no oc-
casion to anticipate trouble unless some
fanatical leader arises who is eloquent
enough to fan his passion into flame by
unreasonable charges against the new
authorities.
Another feature of Havana life that is
still unchanged is the method of cooking,
and if it were not for the canned goods
that may be obtained at fair prices the
American visitor would fare badly. The
soldiers do not suffer from these condi.
tons. They have been supplied with as
good food as they would AVE received
If they had been located at a military
post in the United States, and, what is
more to the point, it is prepared by men
who know how to cook. To the civilian
however, the matter Of eating is the most
important problem of life, but it is sc
miserably cooked that the American
stomach soon rebels against it.
For instance, the Cuban cook has ar
inordinate love of garlic, and every disf
he prepares is seasoned with it, some
times to u c an extent that the origina
flavor is completely destroyed. Oil j:
used with an unsparing hand. Often i
takes the place of lard. especially in thu
frying of meats, and when one has eater
Of u preparations for a few days h
begins to dream of the humble tabl,
d'hotes at home, that had once been re
garded so disdainfully. In one or two
Of the hotels an effort is being made tt
remedy this constitutional defect of tn
Cuban kitchen, and I sincerely trust tina
they will be encouraged to continue theil
good work, but for the man who Is com
PEELED by circumstances to put up witt
life in a boarding house existence sool
becomes a hollow mockery.
The milk problem is another matte
that should receive the immediate atten