New-York tribune., 1900-04-15
CUBAN RAILROADS.
DILAPIDATED ROLLING STOCK AND ROAD
BED AND sLIPsHoD METHODS

BED AND sLIPsHoD METHODS.
To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir; In view Of the report OF the purchase by
Canadians OF all Cuban railways and their union.
restoration and operation in system and under
modern methods. 1t should be OF interest know
what these railways
With the exception of some seven or eight short
lines In Santiago and Puerto Principe Provinces.
they extend from about the centre OF the island
In Santa Clara Province westerly in Santa
Clara. Mata2zas Havana and Pinar del Rio
Provinces, and In this territory form net
work OF main and branch lines apparently cross
ing each other in most crazy manner. All OF
them. however extend through a wonderfully rich
territory, capable of producing much traffic and
large revenues. Indeed. Cuba. end 10
the other. has wonderful capabilities for revenue
70 railroads. With the exception of a few minor
or private lines its gauge is the American stan
dard four feet eight and half inches.
The railroad IS almost universally bad. owing to
lack Of maintenance. Even the most hardened
traveller but have doubts his future
when the Cuban engineer puts ON a burst or
speed, laboring under the deluston that he has
struck a good piece of track The abandon with
which he turns things loose occasionally is try
Ing 10 the strongest A Western stage
coach a mountain road IS cradle in com
parison. for apparently the law Of gravitation Is
temporarily suspended that the engineer may be
gort1ed- But Notwithstanding this horrible burst
OF speed the of speed travelled during the
entire day, including stops. is something less than
twenty miles hour But the stOps-their dura-
ton seems to be regulated entirely by whim OF
the conductor the engineer, man who rings
the dinner bell. the universal notice OF starting
The rolling stock is something never 70 be for
gotten. The engines are all of American con-
struction. and are of the brass trimmed type OF
Centennial Exposition days. They apparently
much admired by the Cubans and think are
among their proudest possessions.
There three classes Of psssengers-frst. sec
ond and third-and the relative costs Of transporta-
ton about one, :wo and three An army Off
told that only army officers and Americans
travel first class; officers because they travel al
one-third the usual fare and Americans because
they Americans Really, I could see no DIFF
ference between the first classes excepting
that the in the first class coach were of
cane and those in the second class usually OF per
forated wood; the third class coaches have benches
without backs All of the cheapest and
lghtest construction Smoking is permitted every
where. : il is almost all occasions in Cuba
No baggage IS checked. but is charged for extra
by bulk On occasion II took baggageman
just forty minutes my trunk. calculate
its contents and the consequent tariff Had there
been another piece there would have been a ueces-
sary delay in starting. but. of this would
be OF consequence in Cuba. I do not think
there is a record of a train starting time. On
the day I had this experience three times
in travelling hundred miles and paid an ad
ditional charge each time
After had purchased my ticket found II was
third instead Of first class (beng Amertcan),
which I had asked for in pure Castillian. l
informed that I could pay the difference to the
conductor. as It would be much trouble to
change. had three conductors IN the two hun
dred miles. The first pocketed the diference-no
second gave me receipt. and before left the
train collected ii. and the third allowed me TO
travel in 4 first class coach a third class ticket
He looked quite anxious several times when no
passed me, but am poor at Spanish
Freight nearly all In dilapldated
diton. I several with oophoies cut into the
sides for shooting. Switching is usually done with
bullocks
Railroad stations substantially built OF stone
with cement platforms, but usually dilapidated
Block houses of varied architecture mainly stone.
every station and all along the line OF
! road. They serve dwellings.
II your journey Is all day you start In the morn
about II or p O'clock but usually considerably
after you stop for breakfast. not for twenty min
meal Of several courses. innumerabe clean plates.
Wherever one may travel he cannot but be i'm
pressed with the wonderful natural resources OF
| Everywhere is seen the effect Of many years Of
war war mgr IN grass grown plantations and ruined mills
advent OF capital II Will be but few years until
earth, and her railroads under modern manage
ment, most profitable investment.
| Nor is the wealth of Cuba confined to agri-
| culture. for its mineral wealth is varied and
tensive, although but slightly developed II would
be rash to predict how extensive this wealth is,
but l believe It Will pe source of surprise
/ The great need of the island is capital Natural
but qnProductive wealth Is everywhere What
should be pSs5l3iy the most prosperoGs people on
| poverty and tradition. With a good government,
% the advent Of eapa it WIFI be but few ysara
! until cuba will be permanently peaceful and pros
| porous. Even the tobacco crop is OF the
fruit and Vegetables for tbe lilies ~ me Fastsrn
/ States for anything viii grow there She has
/ superb grazing lands hundreds of thousands Of
Guaiit- can BE, be gr9wpi Copper: lead iron man
| Of the island 10 the other great undeveoped
/ wealth exists awaiting the advent OF capital and
! largely Of railroad construction
FRANK c. LORING-