The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-06-19
THE ROCHESTER OF CUBA
4 DESCRIPTION OF S1GUA L4
 GR.iNDE.
Its Prosperous Past, Depressed Present and Future Possibilities-Such Known in the Place.

Thing as n Mercantile Failure Never
 Known in the Place.
 Sagua la Grande, May 20, 1899.
 The best place I have found in which
 to study the conditions and prospects
 of Cuba, Its prosperous past, depressed
 present and future possibilities, is this
 so-called seaport, which lies a dozen
 miles or more from the sea. There is
 no other town quite like it on the is-
 land, its air of trimness and aristocratic
 aloofness rendering it as different from
 Habana, Matanzas, Santiago, Cienfue-
 gos, as a New England town differs
 from a Colorado mining camp. Its
 streets are wider and better paved, its | buildings as fresh and unpicturesque as
 those of Yankeedom and its business in- | terestS,, though slow going and behind
 the times are apparently on unshaka-
 ble financial basis. Such a thing as
 mercantile failure has never been
 known as Sagua la Grande, The con- , servative little city took no part in the
 recent war, and consequently suffered
 less than any other portion of Cuba;
 and although, like the rest of the coun-
 try, 1t now feels somewhat the pressure
 of hard times, it's 10000 population in-
 cludes several milionares, many well
 to do families and none who are really
 suffering.
 Somebody has accurately described
 Sagua as "a skyblue picture framed in green" The slSy-blue effect is pro- | duced by the preponderence of that hue l in the paint which is annually lavished | upon the buildings, both public and private while the natural surroundings
 are green as the greenest of tropical scenery. Even the central plaza, from which the orderly streets radiate like the spokes of a wheel inlpresses the
 stranger as sky blue, being divided in- to four equal sections, each enclosed within an ornamental wooden fence of cerulean tint, outlined with blue paint ed benches; while all the environng structures their arcades and balconies, are painted the same color. Each div- sion of the plaza has a towering palm in it's outer corner and a white statue in the mddle-of Ceres, or Flora or some other mythical female, standing waist deep amid the flowers. Promi- nent among tropical blooms are seen the homely, good natured faces of our nOth- ern sunflowers-a comparatively recent importation into Cuba and regarded with extraordinary favor. One whole side of the plaza is occupied by the sky
 blue cathedral, it's great doors and tow cry and belfry painted bright green, yr-itl tol at n terior of this sanctuary is unexpectedly beautiful-all pale blue and pearl gray. Above the slender marble colums of the main altar, the Blessed Virgin appears soaring aloft in a gown of heavenly blue. Behind her the royal mantle of Spain, or richest crimson and ermine, it's gathered into a golden crown; and overhead, in a blue sky studded with stars, hovers a great white dove, ra- diating golden light, each ray tipped with a cherub's head, floating amid feecy clouds. The side altars, contain- ing the usual images and gay with pa- per roses, are each backed with simu- lated drapery of Spanish crimson and ermine surmounted by the royal crown. The central portion of the church is di- vided by double rows of pillars, bearing pictures of saints and angels, painted on sky-blue panels by a masterhand; an dthe walls are hung with quaint old prints, above each wooden crucifix.
 Perhaps the most picturesque sight in Sagua is it's rambling, one storied mark ct house, where products and Commodi- ties unfamiliar to northern eyes are eX- posed for sale under a series of blue and yellow arches. In the early morn- ing the square is thronged with sin zapatoes the barefooted populace) )-the aristocratic classes of Cuba being never seen in the markets, but delegating the purchase of household supplies to the servants. An American woman, with a camera, clad from hat to shoes, was such an amazing novelty that when your correspondent ventured forth one morning in search of snapshots and curiosites, she found herself the em- barrassed center of groups of half clothed men and women and wholly un- clothed children, from whose good nat ured attentions she was fain to retreat under the wing of friendly policeman
 A trip down the Sagua river to the sea is an experience to finger in the memory. The outer "BOca" mouth is thickly strewn with wooded islets each Ian emerald gem in the ring of the wave" Most of them are dense green uninhabited except by sea- fowl, awaiting the coming of some Robinson CruSoe. A few are occupied by fishermen, their nets drying on poles beside their thatched huts and their boats drawn up high and dry on pebbly beeches. From the outer bay into the inner, the intricate channel, ! winding through shoal water between | the islands, is indicated by stakes driv- en at frequent intervals, the most dan gerous places marked with flutterng | verted on them. The boca proper. or inner bay, where the river really dis | charges, is surrounded by an impassa- ble mangrove swamp, with a trouble some bar in front, and between the | scylla and charybdes of marsh and | sand, the inexperienced mariner has a | hard time of it. Such is the northern | port of Santa Clara, the richest sugar | province in Cuba. Of course | only the smallest craft can make it. Once inside the bar, you emerge into what seems continuous cane-field far | as the eye can see, through which the ' narrow river runs, an indistinguishable streak of silver.
 For several days before we started on this tour of the island, telegrams liter