The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-07
THE AUTOMOBILE IN CUBA.

true as regards the distance which may be
covered, the smoothness OF the roadbed
and the general piotureequeness OF the
scenery. There are many localities In the
United States whose scenic beauty would
make the Cuban landscape by comparison
seem fiat and insipid but not many OF them
can be visited with comfort in touring
car. There are areas In New England, New
York State, Pennsylvania and the Blue
Ridge country where the scenery, with
hills and streams and woodland bordered
roads, giant oaks and STATELY elms, and
broad expanses Of pasture land, surpasses
that OF the environs of Havana, but an au-
tomoble trip through those areas Is about
as comfortable as ride In the caboose OF
freight train on a back country railway.
For visiting them blackboard and steady
horse are the most suitable means OF con-
veyance.
The exact figures Of the total length OF
what may be called the good roads leading
out of Havana are not Immediately avail
able, but a general estimate indicates more
than 200 miles Of such highways. including
only those which are macadamized and
kept in general good condition by the con-
slant work Of the cdmineros, or permanent
force OF road repairers. 1t may not be
said that all of these highways are at all
times kept In perfect condition, but the In
tention and effort is to keep them 40, and
the occasional lapses serve only to empha-
size the general success. Usually little II
any less than 90 per cent. Of the total might
be traversed with the greatest comfort, 30
far as smoothness is concerned, at a pace
Of forty or fifty miles an hour That speed
calls for good roadbed.
The longest of the possible automobile
runs follows generally southwestward
course, into the Province OF Pinar del Rio,
to San Cristobal, where it terminates very
abruptly in what is, during the rainy sea-
son. mudhole. At some time in the near
future this road will be continued to the
city of Pinar del Rio, a hundred miles from
Havana From there another road will
run northeastward to Bahia Honda, where
connection will be made with another road,
considerable part Of which Is already COM
pleted, by which Havana may be reached
via Cabafias and Mariel. Barring few
isolated bad spots, the present road to San
Cristobal may be traversed with az much
comfort as the roads OF Central Park, and
at much greater speed than is possible in the
/ Park.
The route is out Of Havana by its seaside
ward, ell Vedado; across the Almendares
River on pontoon bridge; and up the bill
to the plateau used as a camp site by the
American troops in 1899. Beyond this lie
the closely Joined towns of Quemados and
Marianao. On the western edge Of Ma
somewhat steep hill, with a sharp turn to
h-,J 70 tha villa 81
La Lisa. Here, at about ten miles from
the center of Havana, the real country is
reached. This is no new road, The Span
iarls built it years ago. They built it. az
they did most Of their roads in their colonial
possessions, as a military highway to ia
cilitate the movement Of troops. Before
the war of 1895 1t was an avenue along
which rich planters built their homes The
section was once an important sugar area,
but exhausted soil and the cultivation Of
new areas in the middle section OF the island
have 80 crowded it by competition that IL
shows to-day no more than small part OF
its former greatness. But it is. and doubt
f, less always will be, fruit producing dis
! trict, and the source of supply Of the worlds
| finest cigar tobacco. the famous Vuelta
| Abajo leaf.
At the time Of the American occupation
the area showed something OF what 1t had
been. The evidence appeared in its ruins.
Where there had been a mansion. an es-
tate, there were only fire wrecked walls
and devastated fields. To-day many OF
these walls are not even disoernible, while
| those which do remain visible are only
weed and vine covered masonry, whose
piles OF crumbled wall, with occasional
unbroken columns and arches, make pic
turesCue subjects for the tourist with a
camera. Not one Of the great houses has
| been rebuilt. The work OF Antonio Maceo
and the Spanards, the rivals in the process
of destruction. was done thoroughly. But
| the old Spanish highway along which Cam
nos and Weyler and Blanco sent their troops
against the insurgents, and along which
Antonio Maceo and his daring band swept
their reckless and fiery way. ia still there
and. unless too much delayed by the huge
country wagons whose drivers will per-
sist in going to sleep, the automobile driver
/ may cover it. II he wishes. in a couple OF
hours from La Lisa to San Cristobal.
From La Lisa to Guanajay, fifteen miles
/ or so, the roadway is level except for two
or three short bits where it climbe or de-
sends some gently rolling hill. Beyond
( Guanajay it enters a section, around Ar
tcmisa. which has long been known as "the
! garden of Cuba an area OF marvellous
richness and fertility of soil. Beyond that
! there comes belt in which the palmetto
the indication of poorer land, takes the
: place of the ralma real, the evidence Of a
superior soil. Then comes the good land
again. Through it all there runs the road
for about thirty-hve miles, with hardly a
perceptible rise or dip, smooth and hard
At Guanajay branch road strikes Oh to
Mariel and Cabahas, fifteen miles or so dis
tant, on the north coast This roadbed ia
excellent, hut it crosses two or three ranges
of hills, though none of them is at all difficult,
Two or three other roads branch from the
main route at points along Its way. but they
F, are short spurs and Of no special interest.
In other directions from the city there
are runs of from ten to forty miles, to Coli
mar, to Managua. to Bejucal, and to Guines
Each has it's special interest or attraction
and all of the roads are good. The Bejuca
road runs through Santiago de las Vegas
a small piece where a vast number OF dogs
will do their best to get under the wheels
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