The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1902-04-09
THE PEARL or THE ANTILLES.
Mr.. T. A. Ferris Tells Of His
Trip TO Cuba.

Editor Daily Light:
Agreeable to promise viii give
you brief sketch of our delightful
trip to Havana and vicinity.
Forming one Of party of fifty
who accepted the excursion rendered
the members Of the Texas Bankers
Association by the Southern Pacific
Co., we boarded the train at Calves
ton on the evening of March q, ar
| riving at New Orleans the next
morning, and after partaking OF
breakfast took the ferry for Algiers
and the docks. The Southern Pa.
cific employees were most courteous
and obliging, and our enquiries were
met in a spirit that left us
':nothing to wish for.
SO 1t was on the morning Of March
- that we stood on the quarter deck
of the steamer Chalmette and
watched the company docks at AL
giers, and the spires and chimneys
of New Orleans fade into the dis
tanee of the river and then disap-
pear as we rounded the bend at the
I'D Chalmette battle-ground. We
rapidly slipped down stream and the
good and swift steamer was fully
enroute to the gulf and the Pearl
of the Antilles"
1t was lovely day and we lounged
about deck and watched the chang
ing landscape of the river banks,
saw the historic forts st. Philip and
Jackson merge their outlines into
the background of foliage; the low
buildings of the quarantine station
come and go, as the ship plowed
ahead, and just as the sun dropped
behind the western horizon we
passed the pilot station and Port
Eads, and after swift passage of
the celebrated jetties entered the
gulf and were at sea. The two days
voyage proved remarkably smooth
and enjoyable.
On the morning of the oath about
10 o'clock the outlines of the island
came into sight. All were on deck
eagerly watching the view unfold
itself TO us as we rushed nearer and
nearer. MORO then attracted our
attention, the grim old fortress of
three and half centuries, with the
stars and stripes gently waving at
the top of the flagstaff beekoned
peaceful welcome. Before us was
the famed city Of the West Indies
tabled Havana. On we went head
ing for the narrow passage between
Moro Castle and La Punta, past
Cabanas, the gigantic prison-house
of thousands during the momentous
past, and then all the beauties of
lovely Havana harbor flashed into
sight. To the left caught sight of
beautiful green hills, capped with
tall, graceful palms, and dotted with
the dwellings of Guanabacoa. To
the right the city itself seemed like
a series OF water colored sketches
The spires and belfries of score of
churches pointed skyward, towering
above world of low buildings,
which seemed to extend as far as
the eye could reach. In all it was a
beautiful sight ,one that must be seen
to be appreciated. The Chalmette
was nov rounding the rusty rem
nants of the Maine, water-wasbed
and forlorn, and was securely
moored In the harbor within about
one hundred feet of the Inflated YES
sci. The hustle began when, joined
by my fellow tourists, we entered
the lighter which attached itself to
the side of our vessel, and served to
convey the passengers from ship to
shore. Landing on the weather
stained quay we were halted by the
custom officers. The ceremonies
completed, we entered carriages and
were rapidly driven through the
narrow streets to the Hotel Ingle-
terra English Hotel whose impos-
ing front faces the central park of
the city After the formality of as
signing us to our rooms we repaired