The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-30
HOTEL LOBBY GLEANINGS
CAPT. w. :. SCOTT FAMILIAR WITH
RAILROADS OF CUBA.
Rond Now Being Built VIII Accom-
pIish Great Things for the Island
Hotel Visitors.

Capt w s. Scott, Of the United States
army. who is staying at the Hotel Eng
lish, waiting for orders" from the de-
partment, paid special attention TO the rail-
road system of Cuba while stationed there
and IN fact. was general manager OF one
Of the roads while the island was under
military rule. The railway system of the
island consists of the following lines:
United Railway of Havana, Western Rail
way of Havana, Matanzas Railroad, Car
denas & Jucaro Railroad, Cuban Central
Railroad, Tunas & Sancu Spiritus Rail-
road. Puerto Principe & Neuvitas Railroad.
Guantanamo Railroad, Gibara & Holguin
Railroad Sabanillo y Moron Railroad.
Jucaro & Moron Railroad, with aggre-
gate mileage of 1.15S.
Captain Scott last night gave an inter
esting description of the manner in which
railroading is carried on there. 1.-The
larger part of the mileage" he said. lis
in the western end of the island, from
Santa Clara west through the sugar belt
There is very little change in the towns
of the island Of Cuba to-day from forty
years ago, due to the lack of means of
transportation.
"A description of the towns in 1902 would
vary little from a description of 1850. The
means of travel were the same. the build
ing of railroads was a slow process. The first
railroad was built from Guines TO Havana
within a few years after George Stephen
son was being quizzed by a parliamentary
committee. The present ownership OF the
Cuban railway is chiefly in London. The
backbone railway has been an inviting
project to English and French capitalists
cd
what they supposed were government con-
cessions, but through legislation were al
ways defeated by the shipowners.
1.-The Cuban Company. organized in the
United States, of which Sir William Van
Horn is the president. the late John w.
Mackay and other influential men inter-
ested, has at last accomplished the under
taking They have built railroad from
Santa Clara (the present terminus OF the
railroad system leading from Havana) 10
Santiago de Cuba, with branches leading
TO Nipa bay, Santiago province: The raii-
road was constructed as a private road,
franchise or concession could be grant
ed by the military authorities on account
of the Foraker amendment. This project
has two eastern terminals, one at Santiago
de Cuba and the other at Nipa on the north
coast. Nipa bay is one of the finest land
locked harbors in the Island OF Cuba, has
the advantage Of being nearer New York
than any of the other ports, has a greater
depth of water and an easier entrance.
The land surrounding Nipa is known all
over the island for it's fertility The man
agement and operation Of the railroads in
Cuba is thirty years behind the times.
Rates, freight and passenger, are based on
charging all that the traffic will bear. One
of the last acts of the military government
was to pass a law reducing the tariff and
putting into effect laws and regulations
based practically on the same laws as our
InterState-cOmmerce Commission. The
roadbeds of the various roads are inferior
to our second-class railroads. The cause
of deterioration was the inability to keep
up the track on account of the insurrec-
ton. The rail is good. running about
eighty pounds to the yard. and have hard
wood ties and stone ballast. The rolling
stock is very poor and antiquated. The
/ passenger coaches, with the exception of
known as the Santiago Railroad, are about
equal 10 our second-class passenger
coaches. The through billing of freight is
not understood. In order to ship goods
from Havana to Cienfuegos-one of the
large ports, on the south coast
it is necessary to have an agent
at the two junction points to rebil
the goods, the shipment having to go over
three different lines. One or two of the
roads check your baggage, the others fol-
low the European custom, and make no
Time spent at stations is of no import
ance. The latest order issued by the Penn
| sylvania railroad, forbidding kissing and
| farewells, would drive the Cuban to man
| slaughter. Travelling by rail in Cuba is
] an undertaking to the inhabitants and an
| event that requires long consideration and
many ADDS, and much embracing must
| be gone through before passengers en-
| bark. At all interior stations the in
| habitants bring fruit, cake live chickens,
/ etc, which can be bought by the travellers
/ The passenger travel in Cuba is the same
/ as in Europe-frst, second and third class;
the second and third class are the more
/ popular. The train crew consists of a con-
| ductor, brakeman, engineer and fireman,
| and on the woodworking roads of two
| firemen. The engineer is a Spaniard, while
the hremen are colored. The engineer, on
arriving at stations, leaves the engine in
/ charge of the fireman, to do any shifting
and oiling If necessary. This class of work
is beneath him! All trains are started
| from the stations by the ringing of gong
or hand bell Upon the operation of the
Cuba Company line, there will be I'M
| doubtedly a great change in the present
| of the Cuba Company to offer every in
ducement to the producer and prospective
| settler.
Land the fertility Of which there is no
| question to it's superiority for fruit and
| vegetables. which means land which the
small fruitgrOwer is looking for, will be
! opened up. The new road CUBA Com
parry is going to be the great developer
| of Cuba. Its operation will be on the
American system, and the tariff will be
| based and made up TO help the shippers
not what the tariff will bear There is no
| better place at present for the fruit grower
with small capital to make an investment
| In lands than tnat part or the Island OF
| Cuba from Santa Clara province to the
| east end of the island. This part of the
| island is sparsely settled, lacking trans
! portation facilities. but when the Cuba
Company makes the announcement that il
! is a common carrier. there will be a great
/ influx of settlers. The Cuba Company ex-
pect 10 deliver freight from its port in
1 Nipa bay TO New York in two and one
| half days. The best time to-day is from
three and one-half to five days from
/ Havana"