Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-01
on it with hoes. None of the family of the
deceased comes to the graveside.
Laundry Work Poor and Expensive.

From the subject of funerals the writer
drifts to that of laundry work. Laundry
work" he says, lis very expensive and
correspondingly poor in Havana. 1 inclose
you a business card of one Garcia, who told
me that he spoke English so perfectly that
he hoped to get much American custom.
His English was f~unny-about as funny
as my Spanish: and you can judge how well
cents; con-, 5 cents, undes-shirt. 10 cents;
henkeschife, 3 cents"
Concerning the beggars Mr.. Austin says:
There is one thing here quite noticeable,
and that is that the beggars are decreasing
very fast. As you go through the streets
you may notice some of the faces you saw
first. but most have either died or been dis
tributed around among the hospitals. The
professional besgars are still with us:
condition; there is one man who is sleeping
every time l pass him; | have never found
him awake but once; he looks as though
fever and starvation would soon finish him.
Among a crowd of beggarS the other day
was a woman carrying a baby and she
held up the poor little things wasted leg
to show how poor it was from starvation.
Yellow Fever Scare Over.
1.-THE yellow fever scare seems over and
many people are coming here. Several
have told me that they came here with the
idea that they could do well. but they would
have to get jobs or 80 back to the states.
About the wharf there are many of the
poorer Americans and | fear there is suf-
fering among them. for yesterday when the
steamer arrived with rations for the starv-
ing CubanS l heard one say that there were
many Americans who needed the food
more than the Cubans.
The town at this time is very dirty and
as the Spaniards are going away soon il
does not matter to them whether it Is kept
clean or not. Still many changes are TAX
ing place. h larger establishments are
being painted: Spanish signs are being re-
placed by American ard those stores pos
Sessed of a clerk who can speak English
post a notice of English spoken, although
when you go in you find that they speak
SO little that they might as well not speak
any,
in this hot climate: there is very little
drunkenness and when a man does have an
attack it does not seem to go TO his legs.
but puts him in the best spirits and when
In that condition he is always anxious TO
express himself upon the questions Of the
Gay.
pews. and If one wants to sit down., he
may go to the back of the church and
hire a chair for a real 90 cents in
Spanish silver.
As you know, the streets here are very
narrow. Obispo, which is to Havana what
Main street is to Kansas City, runs from
the Prado down to the bay. Obispo and
OReflly run parallel, and both are so mar
row that guards used to be stationed at
the head of each to make vehicles go down
Obispo ard come up O'Reilly. Lately this
rule Is not being adhered to. and it is not
an uncommon thing to see two wagons
caught between the curbs. The streets are
paved with cobbie stones. and as they are
always wet. both horses and wagons slip
a good deal. TIL name of Obispo street
was changed by General Weyler. For
fear. l suppose, that the people might
forget him, before he left he had all the
signs with the name of the street torn
down, and new ones substituted with
General Weyler' On them. This was Tor
remembrance.
One Of the odd customs here is that
when you go TO the theater you can buy
a ticket for one act. and, IL for any rea-
son, you cannot stay or do not want TO. YOU
may, IL 1t suits your convenience, finish
up the play in installments of several
nights.
THE street cars here are all hauled by
three horses and instead Of the driver ring
ing the bell for people to get out Of the
way the conductor stands on the rear
platform and keeps up an incessant ring
Ing. whether there is anything in the road