The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-18
Havana, Cuba, January 80.

Havana, Cuba, January 80.
Editor Messenger:
I have Just returned from a delight
full visit to the city of Pinar del Rle
at the terminus of the Western Railway
of Havana The train leaves here al
8 o'clock a. m. and returns at pm. In
passenger station for this road Is some
two miles from the Thrower hotel where
am stopping. / was Up at 500 O'Clock
this morning. walked three or four
blocks TO the street railway and reached
there in good time costing me only 5
cents, while the carriage man wanted
one dollar.
A more interesting and pleasant day
I do not expect to enjoy till l reach
home than L have had today.
Mr.. A. P. Livesey, the general mana
ger; Mr.. Don E. Vandana, the trafic
inspector; Sir William Z. VanHorn, OF
the Canadian Pacific, and others went
down.. Mr.. .Livesey's private a was
attached to the regular train for this
occasion. The train consisted of en-
CINE, baggage and mail a two third
class, one second class, n first class
and the private car of the general man.
ager. The track OF this railway is
standard gauge and in fairly good con-
dition, and, altogether, the train was
q very respectable one and the riding
very pleasant. The distance down to
Pinar del Rio is ITO kilometres, n the
reader may know how many miles that
IS. but don't, and there are twenty
seven stations in all.
As / mentioned in a former letter,
this railway is owned by English capt.
talists. so 1 was told, and they propose
to extend it soon to lear the coast.
The route followed by the railway Is
through the most picturesque rural
scenery. For the first few miles the
road runs through rolling countrS
where may be seen many varieties OF
fruits and vegetable under cultivation
pineapple and banana groves. cocoa
and royal palms in emu and grace
full groups. coffee bushes, orange groves.
and on every side the bushy mango,
Nancy, sapote and many other fruits
too numerous to mention.
For fully half the route the line skirts
the picturesque mountain range. La
Sierra de los Organas. the stronghold
of the Cubans during their war with
Spain.
We had two hours at Pinar del Rio.
reaching there at HOO o'clock a. m,
and leaving at 100 o'clock p. m, tax
ing dinner at the hotel Ell Globa, where
If ii a not been for my English
speaking friends, l would have a Il
hard time of it ordering my dinner.
Nearly all OF the Western Railway
of Havana is in the Province OF Pinar
del Rio and my guide says: This pro-
vince has by the north, the gulf of Mex
leo; by the east. the province of HaV-
ma; by the south, sea of the Antilles,
and nv the west the (estrecho) narrows
of Yucatan. The most important
city is Pinar del Rio, capital of the
province of her name; il has about 2O,-
900 inhabitants. is situated close to the
river Guiana, with a very good road to
the port Coloma, and about zoo miles
from Havana. 1t is the place of mill
tary civil and governors with a pro-
yincial deputation. 1t has a criminal
audience court q governor building, in
stitute. and hospital; private and pub
lie schools, and nice buildings; the city
IS famed for the exquisite tobacco rails
ed in the surroundings called in Span
ish vuelta Abajo; the leading
are: the Hotel Ricardo, Hotel de-
Hotel las Tullerias.
1.-THE most important cities are: a
Cristobal about IS miles from Havan
with about 4 700 inhabitants: 1T is con-
nected with Havana by a railroad. and
good road walk: San Diego de los
Banos Guanajay, about 40 miles from
Havana; Bahia Honda, first class port
about 100 miles from Havana; Guane,
Ranes. Mariel. Cabanas. Con-
del Sur, Artemisa formerly
named Garden OF Cuba for its nice cof-
fee planta tions; Alfonso RoiaS. Consola-
cion del Norte. Baja. IA Juan y Mar
tinez. San Luis, Whales, Candelaria
Mangas, Pal1cios. Paso Real. Santa
Cruz de los Pinos, Cayajabos Guayabal
and Sal Diego de Nunez surrounded
with beautiful tobacco plantations"
On this interesting trip 1 saw many
fine cattle and various other kinds of
stock. as well as a great variety of soil
and vegetation. There had been TO
rain for some three months. 1 was
told. and the crops. where they could
be- watered. were being rafneo.
On this railway NJ felceS-eXcept n
low etoaewall or a cactus hedge now
and then were seen. as !nere ~ scarcely
any timber along the line. except IN"
royal palm. The stock generally Well
being minded or tied TO something. not
being allowed tn ruI. at large. Some
places 7 saw ever the pigs tied up as
the cattle were.
The tobacco was gaI' rally very thick
the ground; some peing cut. some
young and some being planted. 1t
seemed. The tobacco barns are thach-
small places. and I vas told
instead of having to have hues
in the barns TO cure The tobacco. it was
nut in the barns to protect it from the
Instead OF ringing : bell for h train
to start. as was the case On the United
Railways of Havana, On this road the
blows a whistle similar TO 8
policeman's. ] never saw a beu-cord
touched.
All along. places of interest were
pointed to me. '.fien where soni-
battle had been fought the
Spaniards and the Cubans where at
tacks had been made on n railway
train or some sugar mill had been oe-