Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-12-20


here is where three-fourths of your
Havana cigars are made, by an army
of nearly 5000 cigarmakers, one firm
employing 700 hands; and lately two
of the largest firms undertook to
mUnopoIize the Cuban tobacco crop,
but went under. This has thrown
over 1000 hands out of employment
and affected the business of the whole
island.
The city of Havana, Cuba, lies on
the banks of a spacious bay, about
625 miles sail from New Orleans. |
find the change during the past so
years within the then old city to be
very trifing. y large portion of the
buildings, and the same streets 20 to
80 feet wide, their two to three feet
sidewalks remain just the same, but
square stone blocks imported from
New York have taken the place of the
then earth roadways. Those narrow
streets are only of sufficient width
for two teams to pass without collid-
ing, yet a vast amount of business is
transacted on them. In the more
modern portions of the city the width
of both streets and walks has been
increased. and their roadways are
mostly macadam.
The city contains 100000 inhahi-
tants, % per cent of whom are Span
iardS. There are six journals publish
ed in the city, all in the Spanish lam
guage. The city is lighted by gas
manufactured from English coal, and
is supplied with an abundance of pure
water from vast springs in the noun
tains. chain of which runs through
the island. The altitude of a portion
of it rises 5000 feet above the sea.
Many of the coffee estates are on the
mountain sides. The city has street
railroads and many expensive and
massive hotels and public buildings.
NO building, public or private, has
chimneys, except kitchens. heat not
being used at all. Hotel beds. even in
the best hotels. charging 81 Il day.
consist of an elevated iron or wooden
frame called cot. over which a
piece of canvas is stretched: some
have fine woven wire instead of can
vas; none have mattresses; a single
sheet. blanket. and pillow is a full
outfit, and many do not possess
even these. as they are considered
an unnecessary luxury.
The sugar crop of the island
amounts to S50.OOO.OOO annually. and
the tobacco. raw and manufa ctured.
over 25,OOO.OOO. Logwood. braseIete
wood. mahogany and fruit swell the
exports 10 over $SO.0OO.OOO. and not
over one-haIf of the island is under
cultivation; and without doubt the
sun does not shine on a more pro-
ductive land. Eighty per cent OF this
vast crop is produced through slave
labor. but there is gradual enamel
patton act now in force.
Il observed more native Africans
here than were to be seen in Louisi-
ana in my day. They are mostly of
been imported from Africa during
the past fifteen years. The island
varies in width from 40 to 40 miles.
and is 700 miles in leIgth and has
over $500 miles of railroad.
The autocrat governor general
procures from the Spanish crown,
through taxation of the people of the
island. over 100000 900 annually The
debt created through the late rebel
lion is all charged to the rebelIious
island. and has to be paid by it
through taxation on her products.
not by the nation at large. Spain's
program differs slightly from that
of Uncle Sans: the taX-paying ma
tives, being feared. are seldom if ever
permitted to hold Office
'AIl religions have been tolerated
for the past three years through
out Spain and her provinces, but
there are no congregations or
churches there except Catholic. There
congregations are principally com
posed of women and children, with
few old men who expect to die
soon. The government builds and
supports its churches and pays it's
preachers. Missionaries of various
creeds occasionally hold services at
the hotels.
I'VE foreigners on landing here. do
not inquire where the voting is go
ing on, that we wish to help our
friends at the polls in carrying the
personal liberty ticket. or in elect
ing Jackson, as has been done on
Uncle Sans side of the gulf. The law
permits no man TO vote, even at a
city election, who does not pay
tax of S25, and no man can vote for
member of the cortes or congress
who does not pay Il tax of $500.
IF you desire to visit Cuba you
must get a passport from Spanish
consul, for which you pay 81. No
vessel will carry You. nor can you
land without one, and before you de-
part you must go to the Palace Grand,
pay % cents for stamp, and 80 cents
to cancel it; without this you cannot
purchase a ticket to go with, and an
officer boards the vessel to see that
you depart.
mo vessel is permitted to come to
the shore. but must anchor off and