Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1904-02-05
1.-THE PEARL OF THE ANTILLES"
Our Friend Enos Is Now Visiting the Is
land and Writes "a Few Notes for The
Record Readers.

am now in Cuba, and in that city Of
ali cities for grandeur and oddity-Ha-
vana. Upon entering Havana harbor,
MORO Castle is the first that strikes the
strangers eyesight and it is the wonder
and admiration OF all. 1t stands on the
left of a narrow entrance into one OF the
best harbors in the world. This narrow
channel is one half mile long. and be-
fore reaching the main harbor, and upon
each side are strong forts. we'll equipped
with heavy ordnance.
Upon passing into the harbor, our
vessel sailed close by the wreck OF the
Inflated United States battleship, Maine.
1t lies quite distance up in the bay,
over mile from MORO CASTLE.
From Key West to Havana it is 80
miles. We had tempestuous voyage,
the angry waves pounding against the
ship so that she rolled and tumbled I'M
til everything was in a mess of confus-
sion. When coming through the Gulf
Stream the waves ran so high that they
washed over the decks. Ii the boat had
not been good strong one, we would
undoubtedly have been wrecked.
Havana is strongly built city of 450,-
600 inhabitants and covers small era
in comparison to the population. The
streets are "a feet wide with two foot
sidewalk, all made of stone. The build
ings remind me of the Worlds Fair
buildings at Chicago. They are covered
with plaster of Paris and ornamented
with unique designs. The oddity presents
an attractiveness that is unsurpassed in
decoration. There are but few buildings
that are four stories high from the fact
that they are 30 feet betwee floors.
haven't seen a building in the city but
what is covered with plaster of Paris.
Many of the floors are marble. IL must
have taken an immense amount Of
wealth TO put up such mammoth struct-
ures. | saw the stone vault where Column
bus bones rested until the United States
sent them to Spain The people all talk
Spanish and l do not believe there is one
in fifty who can talk or understand |
They have boulevard that
eclipses anything of like nature that
ever saw. 1t is in the center of the city |
and four miles long by ten rods wide
with two driveways in the center, en-
closed by rows of shade treee. Statues |
of different design and an endless varie-
ty of flowers decorate it the entire dis
lance. The buildings along this thor
oughfare are the finest in the city.
This is better climate than Key
West on account of the Gulf Stream.
1t is the most expensive place TO live in
that ever visited Provisions do not
seem to be so dear, but they stick il to
the tourists in great shape. A person
cannot land on the island if he has ever
been in the poor house and he must have
$50 in his pockets. The place is full of
beggars. The milk dealers peddle their
milk from the back of a mule where the
cans are strung. In Key West the milk
peddler leads his cows through the
streets. When customers desires the
milk the cow is stopped and the Tactical
1ued is drawn direct from the animal
At price of 20 cents per quart.
| have arrived at the conclusion that
Michigan Is the best place for either the
rich or poor, and is good enough for me.
h. III, KIMAIEL.