Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-03-10

A&
~Centuries-A General Talk IN the
City and Its Interesting Features.
Mr.. George House, of the big firm
of House & Hermann. is just home
from a winter trip to Hanava, Cuba.
In an interview with a Register re-
porter, he Interestingly spoke on his
observations in the Cuban capital.
During his stay he said he was most
favorably impressed with the clearly
appearance OF the streets. Under the
governorship of General Wood not
only the streets, but all public places
about the city are worthy OF the
cleanest city in America.
However, the streets cannot shield
the utter ilthyness of the court yards
Of the residences and the business
houses. Even at this late day, it is
no uncommon sight to see public dis
infectant wagons distributing through
the meauer thoroughfares, which have
not as yet received as much attention
as is necessary.
I'VE noted" continued MI. House,
when out alone or in a party that
there is a great deal of feeling against
Americans. This sentiment is evil
denced only, of course, by the plebeans,
but at times dit is ever perceptable
among the better class of Cubans. The
better class of Inhabitants who are
for the most part full blooded Span
iards, are heartily in favor of United
States rule, and are pronounced in their
advocation of that policy"
He said that of the two English
newspapers. the Havana Post seemed to
him to be the most modern. The pa
| per was surprisingly good when, OF
the 250, 900 inhabitants, the small per-
centage of English speaking people was
considered.
was in Havana the Sunday before Ash
Wednesday. On this day a masque
carnival is always held. The masquers
peraded around the parade" in Cen
trail park, to the point where General
| Wood has started to build a sea wall.
The costuming was in many instances
lavish and the colors generally adopt
ed were very bright. On this occasion
the percentage of ~intoxication notice.
able among the lower classes was es-
pecially noticeable.
General Wood will build a sea wall
which will run along the harbor line
opposite Moro Castle for seven miles.
On the retaining wall will be con-
structed a magnificent driveway. The
new electric line in Havana will also
run along this wall. Some of the
tracks are already laid.
The governor is about to let the con-
tracts for sewering the city. AS soon
as the sewering is completed a big
pump station, located seven miles out
in the harbor will be erected to carry
the sewerage out to sea- Eventually
this system will do away with the
stenches so Objectionable to travellers.
The harbor is very filthy, but the new
| sewerage will also help to make this
clearer. Owing to the fact that the
city has always been void of any sys-
tenn of carrying off refuse, cess pools
have been forming for centuries and
positively honey-comb the city.
The police system instituted by Gen
eral Wood lis n of the few really
metropolitan departments OF the city.
The service is excellent. The officers
are all Cubans, for the most part of the
better class, all very carefully selected.
The uniforms are metropolitan. They
carry a baton and wear a belt with two
HOLSTERS encasing large revolvers, one
on each side, exposed to view. The
officers are very civil, especially to
Americans. The prisons are one of the
most curious sights on the island. In
one visited by the party there were
about four hundred prisoners working
in the different departments. There
were not more than six guards on duty
in the institution. The prisoners were
the most contented of mortals mag
Unable. 1t was amusing to see each
man with a cigar in his mouth smok-
ing while he worked. The cigars form
the most important part of the days
rationS.
Since General Wood assumed con-
troll of affairs there has been a de-
cided change in the criminal courts.
An examination into the conduct OF
one of the biggest jails in the city re-
vealed the fact that some men had been
held for six years, arrested on petty
offenses, who had never had even a
preliminary hearing. This state of af-
fairs lead to an inquiry into the man.
ner of conducting the criminal courts
when it was found that the judges
were the most corruptable imaginable.
New Judges were Immediately appoint
ed, but just recently n of these was
removed for bribery.
The city contains many beautiful
the two main business streets
are Vispero and O'Reilly streets. The
sidewalks are about two feet and the
streets proper about nine feet in width.
There >are some few merchants who
cater to foreign trade, and at these
houses American made goods can De
bought. But for the most part very
cheap native manufactured commodi-
ties are offered. When asked if in his
opinion an American could conduct a
business with any success, Mr.. House
replied in the negative. giving as his
reason that the natives, on whom a
tradesman must for a great extent rely,
would not %patronize an American ow-
ing to the bitter feeling they hold
against us.
The markets are very attractive.
Fruits form a large proportion of the
produce. Most of the fruits and pro-
duce for the city markets are raised,
principally. by Chinese, who have tiny