Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-16

the city IL the cheapest thing one gets
here; you ride anywhere over the city in
these rickety Affairs for 2 and 4 cents, or
you can take a one-horse chaise for 20
cents. Spanish money. by the hour. Amer
lean money commands a premium Of 40 per
cent. that u TO ear, you receive 81 Spanish
for IS American currency.
A visit to the ancient cemetery Of Ha-
vana should not be neglected by the tour
list. In this old graveyard three hundred
thousand souls have been laid away since
1858. All funerals take place in the morn
ing or evening, no women are permitted
to attend, and the men walk TO the grave
In a very disorderly manner, smoking,
chatting and arguing politics. An aristocrst
or noted parsonage is laid away with great
pomp and attention; usually the hearse is
handsomely decorated with colors Of yell
low and red, with a statute in gold on top,
and drawn by Eve OF six gaily caparisoned
horses, tandem style, covered with gor-
geous. plated harness, led by Wallets in liv-
cried uniform.
The poor class are buried Eve and six In
a grave, laid on boards OF planks; they pay
for the privilege of interment. or space
In the grave, by the year; II the rent be-
comes due and unpaid the remains are ex-
humed and carried to the bone yard and
tneT6 cast lnIO = Qeep ClSteTu OF TeSeTNOlT.
Rates of Transportation.
The price of travelling by rail in Cuba Is
five and six cents per mile. and poor &C
commodations at that; there are now eleven
hundred miles Of railway operated. with
several new roads projected and under con-
struction.
We were conducted through and around
MORO Castle by an American soldier, who
/ ahoWeH ms many p0fnta NJ fRfaFaaf In Onr
perambulations one surprise followed an
other; one becomes confused and amazed at
the knowledge Of ancient engineering and
mechanical masonry practiced hundreds Of
years ago by the Latin race. Mammoth
walls Of stone twenty to fifty feet high and
three to six feet WIDE. perforated with port
holes at intervals Of every four or FIVE feet.
with secret passageways and venues, al
most bewilder a person. Fifty years ago
these battlements and their environments
we're considered impregnable, and at pres
emit could Withstand a powerful siege or
onslaught. Our attention was directed to
q round iron CRATE laid in the stone floor
covering a vault one hundred feet deep
that was used during the Spanish regime
for the burial of convicts and criminals
who could not live and would not die. Along
the side of q high wall we were shown a
prominent mark, which was used as a dead
line, where prisoners were stood up to be
shot down. A light house Is erected above
MORO at the entrance Of the harbor, where
all visitors obtain a splendid view of Ha-
vana and the country around. Situated OPP
poslte Moro. on Havana side. is Fort Prin-
cipa, the guns OF which also cover the en-
trance to the harbor. Its general construc-
ton is similar to MORO; one submarine
tunnel, two miles in length connects this
orffAraff0n With fha ola cathedral and
nuDnery on San Agnicio.
Trip Across the Island.
A trip across the island by rail to Bata-
bona was participated in by q jolly crowd
Of excursionists. Batabona is situated on
Z the west side Of the island. overlooking the
caribbean sea; It is celebrated for It's pro-
duction of sponge. which is taken from the
Z ocean and shipped to all parts Of the world.
Last evening the American Military band
gave an exhibition in Central park, prin-
cipally for the edlhcation Of American
tourists, Of whom hundreds were present,
giving vent to their admiration Of the
I Yankee airs played in their usual manner
Havana is adorned with some Of the hand
soonest parks and plazas to be seen any
where, while a few OF it's prominent streets
notably the Prada. are paved with asphalt,
and shaded on either side with beautiful
trees, natural to this tropical region.
In this city, as In Mexico, all buildings
are OF stone, stucco and concrete with
, large open spaces or courts in the center,
massive columns in front and galleries all
3 around; doors and windows are Of double
thickness and width, firmly secured with
3 iron bars and bolts. One would naturally
: conclude that in the last century the whole
r place was overrun with brigands and out
I laws.
r In the most ancient house Of worship IN
Cuba, the old cathedral on San AgniclC
street, Is where the remains Of Christophel
Columbus lay buried since the fifteenth cen
fury. until recently. when his remains were
: sent to Spain in accordance with a stipula'
tion In our treaty Of peace with that coun'
try.
Inauguration of New President.
. General Wood informs me that Estradt
= Palma, hrst president Of this new republic
: will be inaugurated and take executive con
! troll about April 10. / find that many citi
zens Of Havana sadly deplore the ~departur,
Of American troops. especially the Spanish
: population, who seem to be the most prom
Z inent in commercial and agricultural pur
: suits. The question of self-government o
annexation Is a much mooted one and man
misgivings are freely expressed concernin
the final outcome Of the new experiments