Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-03-30
THE PEARL OF THE ANTILLES.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS FROM
TOURISTS NOTE BOOK.
The Garroting Machine. 4 Spanish Heir
loom. The Female Prison, Where
Hayana's Joan of Arc Escaped. The
Municipal Police. Etc.


Municipal Police. Etc.
HAVANA, ONCE A WALLED CITY
The Americans. cleanly by instinct
and with regard for health, began
to set about 10 make Havana rank
with the healthy and wholesome cities
OF the world, and to this end they
sought tho aid OF Colonel Waring as
the man best fitted by owledge and
experience 10 undertake the then stu
pendous task. Colonel Waring came
TO Havana in the fall OF 1898 under a
commission to investigate the sani-
tarv condition of the city and to for
mulatc a plan for its bettcrment.s
lie offered himself as n martyr to the
cause, for he contracted yellow fever
winch caused his death. There is
scarcely any good thing in this world
that is accomplished that does not
cost at least one human life. The
cleanliness OF Havana today is its
pride and glory and IL ranks among
the cleauest towns i'm America.
In the heart of Havana is the beau
tiful Botanical Garden, which con-
tains numerous specimens of fruits,
trees, tropical plants and flowers.
There are whole avenues of royal
palms here, and artificial grottos and
miniature cascades. The gardens are
enclosed by massive iron fence.
A car line passes the main entrance and
the botanical gardens are n favoritte
resort not only of the viistor but the
natives. Cuba's native flora, II is
said, comprises over 3,s5O native
plants, besides thoss which have been
introduced, and il seems Go the tour
list that nearly all of this number are
included in the beautiful tropical
specimens seen In these gardens.
A feature of the Botanical Gardens
that strikes the visitor as unusual is
the railroad that passes through u
beautiful portion. Upon inquiry we
ascertained that this is another of the
many illustrations of graft with which
the beautiful city is cursed. For a
stipulated sum this railroad was per-
mitted to run through portion of
the Botanical Gardens and to accom-
modate the railroad company n por-
ton of the palace of tho Captain
General was actually torn away.
''What shameW exclaims the
stranger, but the Cubans, to whom
graft is second nature, think nothing
of this outrage.
Perhaps there is nothing SO un-
American in Havana as the theatres.
Included in its love of gayety and
rondness for life and pleasure is the
city's love of the drama end the
opera, to which il Is ardently devoted.
Some famous artists and players have
been seen on the stage here. The Ma
tional Theatre Is the largest, and its
seating capacity is said To be 3,OOO.
II is located sfacing Central Park, is
built i'm the Italian style, with FIVE
horseshoe tiers of boxes, rising one
above the other around the pit, and
separated by gilded lattice work of
graceful design. This theatre is said
TO be the third largest in the world.
Bernhardt has acted here, also salvini
and Patti and Nilsson have sung here
in opera. French and italian operas
are the favorites.
Ths Tacon Theatre, as the National
was once called, was built in 1887 and
cost $500, 00O. Governor Tacon gave
the contract for twenty years TO the
builder Marti, that no competition in
the way of another theatre should be
permitted. In 1905 the Government
purchased this theatre for $500, 900.
There are several other theatres, some
of which are devoted to Spanish
PLAYS only. The method of selling
theatre tickets is unique. They are
sold in booths on the sidewalk in
front of the theatres, and at most of
the theatres you buy ticket for one
act only. After seeing the FIRST act, If
you are pleased, you may go out and
purchase ticket for the second act,
or YOU may 60 10 some other theatre
and see an act.
We were reminded of home by see =
inc at the theatre at MarianaO the
HEADQUARTERS of the Army of Cuban
Paeifieation, the famous but rather
worn out play "Florodora.' IL was
by an American company, and they
spoke in English. Probably the
Cubans present did not understand
a word, but they applauded vocifer-
ously. The entrance to the theatre
is we'll, we are ashamed to tell 1t, a
bar on small scale. Here in the
foyer. or whatever answers for that
in Cuba. is sold drinkables. No one
seemed TO be drunk, but the loud
taking as the barkeeper delivered
the goods" certainly interrupted the
play and interfered with those in the
boxes (looiS like stalls in stable)
we occupied near the entrance. Men
smoke anywhere in the theatre here,
and il seems to- be liberty hall. At
this theatre our tickets were bought
for the whole show, and as they
usually cost 81 a piece for n box seat
we did not go out after the first aef,
hnf anlurad In tho end even il il
wasn't the Original sextette'' that
had to do its stunt of "Tell Me
Pretty Maiden n" number ~ times.
HavaAA n. verul fine Libraries.
The largest Is ihe National Library
and contains lJ,U10 books, chiefly
works on the history of cuba. Some
Of the volumes are fine examples of
early printing and bear dates l49G,
1882 and 1886. There are 1000 volumes
which cost SEQ. 900.
IA