The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-03-28

large orchards are now being planted
with the very finest varieties aud will
soon be bearing fruit. saw plenty of
watermclons and Strawberries. The
sweet potato crop is also immense, and
the potato, cooked in any form is most
delicious.
The climate and soil of Cuba cncour-
ages Incidence among the natives in
the country districts especially. They
are ignorant and dirty. Their homes
are fiOOrless, with thatchcd roof of
palm leaves. the sides OF the little hut
being composed of pieces Of boxes or
any scraps of lumber they can pick up.
Lumber there is very high. This class
OF people have to work very little. If
they can squat on an acre of round,
was told, get a half dozen banana trees.
a little sugar cane, Il goat or Il jennie
to supply them with milk, they are hap
py. They can raise three crops Of veg
ctables year without scarcely any
work at all. The moss from II couple
of palm trees will fattcn a pig. In
these homes you can see the donkey,
hogs, dogs and chickens under the
same roof with the members of the
family.
While the Island has been CONNER
cially prominent for the products of
her soil, was told her mountains arc
rich i'll copper, manganese, iron and
other minerals. Already prospcctors
are beginning to explore the territory,
and rich finds are reported. In some
sections there are millions of feet of
magnificent mahogany timber standing
Ill forests which have never heard the
w0odnan's axe. The country districts
are sparscly settled, land is cheap, and
the people look hale and hearty and
evidently enjoy the best of health.
The climate is most delightful, the
temperature remaining almost the same
the year round. The thermometer
never goes above 0G nor below Sc. The
extreme heat Of the summer months is
tempered by the Gulf stream winds,
and several of our soldiers toldmc that
they did not feel tho heat there any
more than they did III the United
States during the Simmer months.
Havana is quaint city of 2SO,00O
inhabitants, according to the last cen
sus. 1t is dotted with small but we'll
kept and beautiful parks, which arc
radiant with many beautiful flowers
and shrubbery, with large water foun-
tains, and containing anumbcr Of large
and beautiful monuments erected in
Nf ~.
vigorous laws and discipline OF the
United States officers the city is
model of cleanliness. The streets are
very narrow, barely wide enough for
vehicles to pass one another. The
sidewalks arc practically useless, being
only wide enough for one person to
walk upon, the people generally walk
ing in the streets. All the sidewalks
and streets are substantially ravess.
There is very little evidence of power
ty on the streets. The poor people are
apparently well fed, and on account of
the delightful climate need but little
clothing. There are many evidences
OH all sides of wealth. The better
class of people dress most elegantly
and i'll the latest styles. The women,
rs q rule, wear no hats, but adorn their
heads with the beautiful mnntilla;
many of these mantillas, / was told,
were worth as much rs $500.
The buildings in the city arc hand
some structures, and the architecture
is of the old Grecian style. The cell
ings are 30 to % feet high Oh the first
floor, and only n few feet lower on the
upper stories. Nearly all the buildings
are two stories and none higher than
three stories. The outside windows
and doors reach to the ceiling. The
windows have iron gratings but no
glass, and inside is blind the full size
of the window. They arc nll built of
brick and stone and are very mncil
alike. The floors are of marble or some
hard substance like thing or asphalt.
The storerOOms are very small, and
tho only large places of business one
sees are the cafes and saloons. All
saloons have cafe, where you can get
something to both eat and drink. You
Will find one on almost every corner
and in almost every block. and they
arc literally patronized. These places
are never closed. On Sundays nearly
every other place of business is closed
except these cafes.
There is evidently very little religion
in Cuba. The Sunday our party spent
in Havana was the Inst day of the mar
di gras festival, which is always cclc-
brated there during the. Lentcn season.
During the afternoon there was a grand
parade with bands Of music playing,
and the prominent streets we're packed
with people. At night several grand
masked balls were given.
OF the many points of historic inter
est in the city. there is none more in