The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-13
WHEN YOU GO TO CUBA.
What Capt. b. f. Ravens Has to Say
About the Island.
Washington Post.

If you go TO Cuba 10 not listen to the
stories you have heard about Cuba-what to
90. Go there as you would go anywhere
have drunk water in every province, and 1
know II was not boiled. There is not a
venemous reptile on the island. l never
thought or locking in rooms or beds for
scorpions and centipedes. and ran across
none. A little whisky won't hurt you there
any more than In America. Great quanti-
sies s sTwa Sans eool' s y Ssgt to ap' your mne h nlsa!s
hurt you. Think of the pleasure of an
American smoker in Cuba who Is not a i rich
will be often useful. You want no really
heavy clothing. From morning till night
after sunset wear heavier. Do not stay in
the night air until you have tested your
capacity to stand 1t. In the early morning
you Will always need a blanket or thick OK
summer, yet never hot, on account OF the
breeze that prevails
"Keep, clean and observe the same rules
of health and care of yourself that you do
at home. and you will get along all right.
The improvements in the cleanliness and
sFess Of q the Ines eo pe1pve IS SINCE Verv we ar t9Tk a pUdis rs-
marked on every hand in every city.
travelling on the trains you Will meet
many queer customs. AT the various sta
lions where the train stops. men and boys
board the train with most everything to
sell. Many offer you cocoanuts and Will
open them on the end for you to drink
the milk. They bring In chickens, quails.
doves. bananas, oranges, .guava jelly, and
many kinds Of fruits to sell the passengers.
On the hotel bills Of fare they say the pas
sengers' will be charged extra. for fruit car
ried from the table or for meals served In
passengers rooms in the house. Queer
name for guests in a hotel:
THE banditti stories are largely magma
tive or fakes. AT Cardenas. a snort time
ago, / noticed quite a crowd rush out OF the
hotel to the street. and l Joined it. and saw
tr-o ,rrro1 r,n1ioaroan on thar Monies and in
front of them marching afoot were two
negroes handcuffed together. asked a
spaniard who could speak English what or
banditti;' they had been arrested and
brought to be placed in confinement fol
trial. I inquired further az 20 what they
had been doing, and was told that they
had been stealing chickens. l aughed, and
said. In our country we never arrest a ne.
gro for stealing chickens or watermeions
These poor, half-staryed fellows caught
stealing chickens are a fair example or the
'banditt!' OF Cuba. do not mean 10 con-
vey the idea that. the men there are saints,
their country deserve the continual misrep-
resentation they receive at the hands OIL
nearly all the papers.
AT the railway stations. when the train
stops. passengers make a rush for the door
to get out. Outside. they find always a
stand where they get coffee, mild and wild
get drunk. Sundays churches and cafes are
all open. The people go to the church and
the cafe. and all seem TO drink, and they
never get drunk. / was on the island about
six months and over II every way, and have
kept a look upon things as i passed. and L
saw but one solitary native drunk. and ne
was a Cuban. Drinking is a national habit.
but drunkenness Is almost unknown. the
people who go as representatives or our
government and those that go for pleasure
and stop a few days in Havana, then run
down to Pinar del Rio, Matanzas, Glen
fuegos and Santiago, and return home are
well paid for all their troubles by what they
see, but they learn but little of Cuba. its
people, or their condition and habits. 1t Is
q lonesome country to one who does not
speak the Spanish language. but to one who
does, / cannot see how they can fail to en-
joy themselves in an innocent way with the
greatest satisfaction.
ITO sum up, Cuba is. to use the good old
Methodist song my father used to sing.
a land where every prospect pleases' and
II want to say in conclusion that the
American methods of doing things have been
applied to two departments In Cuba. The
towns. and the Postofice Department there.
The work of cleaning the cities and towns
under the direction of American authority
has accomplished very great results already.
The deaths from yellow fever in Havana in
only two. The greatest exhibit and change
to our methods Is shown by the improve
ment in the mail service throughout the
island.
Il saw the first postofice (American)
opened in Havana, and upon leaving the
city on the 18th Of May 1 was In the present
~ofice-looking at what IT was and what 1t
Island. seeing the great Improvement in
the service in Havana and throughout the
island. too much credit cannot be given
General Rathbone. Mr.. Briston. of Havana.
and all the force connected with the depart
ment there and also at home 1t Is a great
Illustration of the American way Of doing
SOmefhippn