The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1905-06-17

from their pleasant experience at
Thibodanx, were all in a good
humor. The delightful weather,
the calm sea, the exhilarating
breezes, the broad expanse Of
water, seemingly as iHimitable as
the skies overhead and even more
blue, the absence of the dreaded
NAL de aaer, all contributed to
cause them to readily fall in love
with
A life on the ocean wave.
A home on the rolling deep,
Where the sparkling waters rave
MI the winds their vigils keep
and they were loud in their praises
of the great company through
whose generosity they were en-
abled to take such an outing at
so trifing o cost. Not only did
that company make liberal con-
cessions to their guests in the
matter Of rates. but they detailed
one Of their most trusted, popular
and courteous agents, Mr.. j. NJ.
Lee, Jr., to accompany them and
look after their comfort and safe
ty, and he and the genial travel
ing passenger agent, Major Gabe
Filleul, left nothing undone that
could condnce to the pleasure and
enjoyment Of the trip.
Havana, once pesthole. is now
one of the llealthiest cities in the
world, thanks to its cleanliness
and to the sanitary methods in
trodnced during the American oc-
cupation subsequent to the war
with Spain, which methods are
frigidly adhered to by the Cubans
OF today. 1t is compactly built,
and looking ut it from the deck
Iof the steamer one wonders where
| its 240, 900 inhabitants are slowed
away. Most of its streets are
narrow and crooked, some being
So narrow that no other vehicles
than street cars are allowed in
them, and from the windows of
these cars passengers may touch
with their fingers the houses on
either side. In such streets, as
we'll as in others where there is
barely space for two vehicles to
| cross each other, the sidewalks
are scarcely three feet wide. but
being we'll paved, every inch of
space is utilized. A number OF
lother streets are wide and beauti-
full, so wide that cosy little parks
are scattered about among them,
leaving spacious driveways on each
| side. A considerable number of
larger parks, cool, bright and
beautiful with the luxuriant
growth of the tropics, afford COM
Portable breathing places for the
teeming population who gather
there in large numbers each even
ing and listen for hours to the
music Of the bands. The city is
prosperous and is growing rapidly,
The new streets id the suburbs
being wider and straighter than
the old ones.
There are no skyscrapers IN
/ Havana. Most Of the houses,
even in the heart Of the city, are
i Of only one story. Houses of three
stories are comparatively scarce,
and there are probably not dozen
four-story buildings in the city.
They are built Of rough bricks
! and plastered over with some
substance resembling staff, COM
monty of q dull white color, but
frequently stained pink or blu
| ish shade. All look neat, how
/ ever. While the architecture
1 might be improved upon, it would
| be difficult to surpass in rich.
ness and elegance the art and
4 fancy goods the stores contain.
These are nearly all imported and
| sell at high figures. Fruit is vsrJ
1 cheap, and ssgenuine Havana ci.
1 ears cost d good deal less than
4 IA Opelousas. Bat you can't bring
back more than 30 Of these; and
j while the Cuban officials make 9
/ merely perfnnctory examination
! of your baggage when you land,
i Uncle Sans revenue watch-dogs
4 make q rigid search for contra
band goods when you return
/ Our party spent only one nlgh1
| and the best part Of two day
ashore, but during most OF thai
/ time they were very busy light
. i seeing The famous old cathe
/ dral. built Id the 10th century