New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1904-06-08
CUBA RAPIDLY DEVELOPING
Paymaster Beecher Describes Pro-
gress of Republic.
Says American Ideas and Infiu-
ence Are Paramount.
Cubans do Not Take Kindly Il
Yankee Game of Politics.

Yankee Game of Politics.
American capital and American en-
terprise are accomplishing wonders in
the way of developing the resources of
the island of Cuba, is the declaration
of Paymaster James S. Beecher, O..
S. N, now visiting in the city with
his brother, FL. L. Beecher. The naval
officer recently Travelled across the new
republic and he talks interestingly of
his observations. He describes Cuba
as a wonderful country, fabulously
rich in natural wealth, and sees before
it a great commercial future.
Paymaster Beecher cruised in south
ern waters during the past winter with
the training ship Monongahela, but
some months ago the vessel was or
dered to Guantanamo. At this point
occurred the first engagement of the
Spanish-American war, clash be-
tween the American marines and a
force of Spanish soldiers, and here the
United States government purposes
establishing a naval station. The ap-
preparation for this depot does not
become available until July 1st but
after that date the work of erecting
buildings will be commenced. AS a
preliminary step three war vessels
have been ordered there and when the
Monongahela was converted into a
storeship it left Paymaster Beecher
and his brother officers without billets
They were ordered home to await as
signment and on May 2lst he left the
ship and proceeded to Santiago de
Cuba.
Santiago, he says, is beautiful
city. 1t is grandly situated and the
sanitary work prosecuted by General
Leonard Wood has had lasting eff
feet. From the vile and fifty condition
permitted under the lax laws of the
Spanish regime it has been completely
upllfted and now presents a contrast
which is extremely striking. Six
years ago Santiago was hot-bed Of
yellow fever but the Improvement of
it's drainage facilities and a regular
system Of collecting and destroying
garbage have practically eliminated
the scourge. Today the place has
many miles of asphaltum pavement
and it's streets are models of cleanli-
ness-more money being spent by both
Santiago and Havana to keep their
thorOughfares free from dirt than is
the case in either ST. Paul or Mime
apoliS.
This state of affairs is a direct leg
acy Of the American occupation but
there are other traces to be discerned
upon entering the harbor Effects of
the Yankee shell fire are still to be
seen and one of the forts at the en-
trance Of the roadway, which was de-
stroyed by the guns of Admiral Samp-
sons fleet, has never been restored.
After examining the channel where
HobsOn sank the Merrimac, Mr. Beech
er says it seems incredible that the
crew were able to take their ship in so
far. Their feat was heroic in the ex-
IRENE and the crdit due then should
not be detracted from.
After leaving the port which played
so important a part in the short strug-
gle of 1898, he travelled almost the en-
tire length cG the island to Havana,
distance of $40 miles, on the Ferro-
Carril de Cuba, or Iron road of Cuba.
This railway was constructed under
the personal direction of Sir William
Van Horn, one of the promoters of
the Canadian Pacific, and the funds
required were furnished by an Ameri-
can syndicate headed by j. Pierpont
Morgan. 1t was completed about a