The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-22
FOUND 4 HALF DINE
Rough Rider Rhodes Locates
a Now Obsolete u. S. Coin
WITH HOLE PUNCHED IN IT
That Method Employed inCuba
to Keep Foreign Coins There

to Keep Foreign Coins There
Especial Correspondence to the Eagle.)
Matanzas, Cuba. April IA receive
every week several letters asking
information in regard to this coun-
try. 1 am filing to answer ques-
tons of general interest through the col
umns OF the Eagle. and am thankful to
receive them, as it gives me a subject
about which to write. But for these let
tiers TO reach me it is necessary to place
five instead OF a two-cent stamp upon
the envelope. This is a foreign country,
and the rate Of postage is five cents
per o1e-haf ounce. If letters art not so
stamped they are held IN Matanzas for
postage As am at present located nine
miles in the country and only receive my
mail once week. Many times instead
of letters there comes a green card in
forming me that there IS a letter which
1 cas- have upon receipt of six cents. 1t
is then another week before / receive
that letter. The amount lacking is al
ways double in price. Many OF these
letters state that the postmasters told
them that two cents was all that was
required. Every American in Cuba re-
ceives bis mail in the same way, and
those green cards with ''due six cents"
are too common to be kept as souvenirs.
As mail is received here from every state
in the union, it shows woeful ignorance
on the part of the United States post
masters as to the foreign postal regula-
tons This might be excusable in fourth
class offices, but certainly the large sal
aired men in the first and second-class
officers should know better, or else the
president selected a very ignorant lot for
such responsible positions. All sealed
matter is the same rate-five cents for
one-half ounce. One person received a
tie box costing in the states % cents, on
which postage to the extent of 30 cents
had been paid and then had to pay "a
cents before receiving it. Another -eceiv-
ed two shirts worth so cents each on
which 80 cents postage had been paid,
and for that it Will cost him $2.70 more
before obtaining them. I one day receiv-
ed a letter with a clipping of two col
UUlUS from TIC I<S15 4S lliNlpSSh, oNeAA w.
with two cents, and it cost me Sc cents.
The entire paper could have been sent as
unsealed matter for two cents.
The free silver advocates could learn
more in a few months here than listen
ing years to theories as expounded by
Bryan and his followers. The Spanish
silver dollar is heavier than the Amer
lean and contains no alloy. and being so
much purer should be worth % cents
more. Such is not the case, however
On the contrary an American dollars is
worth in Spanish coin $1.29.
The first question asked by faborers IS
if the price is American money, and ev-
cry time an American enters Cuban
house to purchase anything they invar-
iably demand of him American money at
the same price as quoted in Spanish. The
money changers gladly exchange Sl29
Spanish for American. but reverse It,
and while they will exchange small
amounts grumblingly, will absolutely re-
fuse for large amounts, saying they don
want to, as the value f1uctuates so much.
When the Americans first landed an Am
erican dollar was worth 81 10 and again
in Nav and June of 1899 Il was but s12D,
and in November s1.9O. In consequence a
person owning Spanish money never
knows what 1t is worth
The Spanish 2-cent piece is Of copper
and the size Of the 5o-ceut piece Ameri-
can. while the penny is equal in size -
our quarter. There IS yet a smaller coin
A. - hraG Aha
value Of which is 80, 2-5 and 1-3 Of
coints above cents are of silver, con-
coints above cents are Of silver, con-
sisting Of 10. %. 10. 50-cent pieces and
800. All denominations above that are
in gold All small change OF foreign
countries pass current here at its face
value Owing 10 the scarcity Of small
change an order was issued so far back
that it is now but tradition. making II
a felony for any one to use such money
without first making a small hole through
it This was done to reduce it's value
at home so that it would not leave Cuba
The American silver half dime that has
been out OF COMA ge 50 long as to become
rarities are very common here: as are
also the Canadian 10-cent pieces. Al first
Americans refused 10 accept these mutt
lated coins, but finding that they we're
accepted by the Cubans as equivalent 70
the Spanish money Of same amount, II
is only newcomers that now raise an Oh
lection.
AS all custom duties here are payable
in American money, as also are all Ia
borers and soldiers by the government,
the Spanish money is gradually disap-
pearing. being shipped TO Spain and ex-
changed for London exchange Thou
sands Of dollars have also been taken 70
America by the soldiers and visitors
here 10 be kept as relics. Quite a fad
here Is 70 have a cane TUNED out Of ma
hoFanv With a knob az ore end for
handle. in!aid in which Is q spanish
peseta. or 20 cent piece. a few here p1t
IN gold pieces. usually the csntenne.
worth IN America 9.4a J asked one re-
turning soldier Il The ce1tsnne WASH
rather extensive for 4 salary o; $500.
and received TIE reply thai as the ccin
was rot riutilatel s. would impress The
folks a: home. and Il Re went broke It
was but little trouble 70 cut Il Oft
J. D. RHODES.
To~r Por g5 sfatanzas, Cu1a-