The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1907-03-15
FROM THE LAND OF FRUITS AND
FLOWERS.
Robert Bruhn Writes of His Trip to the
Isle of Pines

Isle of Pines
| SANTA FE, ISLE. OF PINES, w. l.,
Feb. %, 1907.
| EDITOR REPORTER:
| l thought your readers might be in
| terested to hear something from this end
| of the world, 1900 miles from home I
left Edgerton Feb. 18th and reached
Mobile Feb. 10Th and left the same day
by steamer for Havana, Cuba. Mobile
still shows the effects of the great storm
of Oct. 18th last I counted five three
mast schooners and large river steamer
beached by the storm. Our boat was a
slow one and did not reach Havana har-
| Dor until Feb. q. where we anchored
within twenty rods of Moro Castle. In
the harbor were two U. S. men of-war,
and the cruisers Columbia and Dixie.
Landed at the custom house Feb. %
at a. NJ. We found the hotels in Ha-
vsna filed with Americans and the rates
from So to 81 per day. Being Washing
toms birthday the warships in the har-
Dor were gaily decorated on the occa-
sion. Found the service at the hotels
much different than at home. At a. ~.
you are served with coffee and rolls-no
meats; at IL a. m. lunch of fruits and
from to s o'clock. The rooms are all
high and about 10 feet square We Wis
tied the parks which we found filled
with flowers in full bloom, tropical trees,
all very beautiful
30 miles south, by rail, where the steam
er left for the Isle of Pines on the ar
rival OF the train. The trip was made
| h linh III ~ l2k ho
boats bound for the same port, Jucoga,
was an exciting one. We landed Feb. "a
and reached Santa Fe an hour later by
drive over fine road built by the U. S.
government during the Spanish war.
We passed many settlers from the states
who have the land cleared and planted
to grape fruit, orange and lemon groves,
all looking good and thrifty. At the
Santa Fe hotel we found quite delega
ton of Americans, among them several
Wisconsin people. The weather is ideal,
the temperature being about IS to 68 de-
grees in the morning, 50 in the shade at
midday and cool and beautiful in the
evening. The moon is much brighter
than in the states. Ladies sit about the
hotels in summer garments and l am
writing with the door and windows all
Opeu IuoTo are 40 STOVES n0oU0u uoro
except for cooking. We see some ele-
giant orchards of citrus fruits and tobac-
co fields in this locality which give prom
Use of being very productive. The land
is largely owned by Cubans but if the
American flag is established here prices
will soar. Now it can be bought at from
$50 to $40 per acre and planted to four
year old grove at total of about $500
per acre. There are some wonderful
springs of curative waters near here
which are claimed to be the best in the
world for rheumatism. [ am impressed
that this is great country and has
fine future as resort and for citrous
fruit growing. They are building large
bath house at the sprinrs to accommo-
date the Americans ard Cubans who
come here for their health, both winter
and summer. While the birds are few,
they have most beautiful plumage and
many varieties of parrots are seen.
am leaving for home Monday, expecting
to stop over three days in Havana, then
take steamer for Mobile.
Respectfully,
ROBT. BRUHN.