The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-12
n II AVANA, Cuba, Feb. e.-Amer-
leans need not feel &timorous


stration to the Spanish people of what
is wanted. If you show policeman
an addressed envelop and make show
of mailing it, the officer will never sus-
pect you want TIN postofice, but will
try to read the address. Altho it is
hard to "show' the Cubans, some
self-interested English speaking native,
or floating American who knows some
of the language, is always ready to
lend aid. %
After inhaling for half an hour the
soft land breeze and watching the
strange flying fish, as the pilot boat
drew near historic Moro castle and list
ening to the still stranger cries Of the
hotel runners aboard the Munson
line 9 lighter boat, he stepped onto the
dock almost into the arms Of portly
man.
"You are. from Minneapolisa said
your correspondent.
The impeachment was acknowledged
with smile. It was J. M. Bison, the
land man.. AS we walked thru the
customs pier uniformed Cuban adj
dressed me in jargon which seemed
| to come, after the Spanish custom, from
Wanted Ten Cents. $50,
Mr.. Bison explained to his bewilder-
ed fellow citizen that the Cuban wanted
| ten cents for carrying his grip. AS
sistance of this sort will be, found ev
erywhere. Surprises are very frequent
for the American traveller, proving the
old saying that the world is very small.
While the guests of the Alton road,
who had come over from Mobile in the
Prince George, were posing for photo
graph in front of the "dead line' wall
of Fort Cabanas, the photographer sud-
denly called out for "Smith.'' It
proved to be o. J. Hubbard Of Mime
apolis, who was anxious that no one
from his home city should be left out
of the group.
Anyway it is not hard for the bright
American traveller to concoct free
translations of the Spanish inscriptions.
Of course "Prohibe hablar con ell mo-
torista,' on the street cars, means,
"Don't josh the motoneer,' and the
American refrains. emo fjar carteles''
means, "Don't stick any bills on this
wall.' When one wearies Of the purely
Spanish he may see about him, any
where typical American billboards with
the familiar faces that adorn talcum
i powder and infants food ADVERTISE
ment in the United States, only with
inscriptions that fit the Spanish eye, to
say. nothing of a well-known Chest -
-four sign, I<j., ea,., -e... p -..-..... '"'
The Alton party, headed by General
Passenger Agent G.. J. Charlton, was
fortunate in being conveyed for three
days by w. B. Mcdonald, freight anc
passenger agent of the Mobile Havana
service Of the Munson Steamship line
at Havana. Mr.. Mcdonald has lived II
Havana fourteen years, leaving onl.
when General Lee withdrew from tn
island before the war. It is whispered
that he was connected with the famou
Cisneros rescue incident. He was look
Z ing at the Maine when it was blown vi
4 and has seen thrilling incidents unde
three fags-Spanish, American an
I Cuban.
Board "Particular' Car.
Mr.. McDonald's thoro familiarit
with the island made the stay Of tn
: newspaper and railroad men on tn
island very pleasant. 49,. T..
The guests on arrival in Havana wer
s placed aboard a car marked "particr
; lar This would mean "Tom Lowry
( carr in Minneapohsese. Wicker ar,
{ chairs and carpets added touch {
{ luxury. The trip about the city, owe
4 nearly the entire system Of 100 mile
was revelation.
The cars have twin trolleys instea
of single ones, but otherwise resemb
the American cars. Motormen, CO.
ductors, inspectors and employees gel
orally are Cubans. They are thoro]
alive to their work and would stan
well in comparison with the crews
Minneapolis cars. - -.
Another familiar sight is found
the piles of the American creosote bloc
similar to that used on Tenth street
and elsewhere in our own city, all reat
for laying. The "white wings" fore
established by Colonel Warning Of Ne
York. makes one feel at home and
the same time emphasizes the fact tn
the dirty days Of old Havana ha'
passed.
Another Minneapolitan.
The car carried the party thru t
vidado, or rich mems district, to Ma
anao, a suburb near the estate Of
J. Whitfield of Minneapolis. This d
trict gave the visitors an idea Of
beauties of the rural districts with the
royal palm trees, omnipresent goa
| strange foliage and odd-looking gra
| queer corn fields, etc. -.
| The harbor approach should make e
| cry American feel at home. He W
| probably at once spy the Olivette
some other steamer Of the Ward lii
| all Of which were used as transpol
| during the Spanish war. He may 6
glance at the famous side-wh'
Is steamer Gussie, which is intimately ce
I nected with filibuster history and su
{ names as that of Stephen Crane. I
harbor is also the graveyard Of ma
81 a blockade-runner of the civil war
the United States. @7 ,..-..
i Many Automobiles.
- q Once ashore the visitor has caue
frequent glimpses Of American mo-
cars whisking about. IF any one shol
attempt to 60 out Kenwood .parkw
at the speed the Cuban chauffeur
4 serves on .Obispo or O'Reilly stree
. avenues only fifteen feet wide, he wo,
expect immediate arrest. The nis
e your correspondent arrived in the
ban capital a full-fedged automot
J, club of $50 members was formed, p
II = II -