Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-28
.HAVANAGOOD TONEBRASEANS
Hugo Brandeis Finds Them Popular
in Cuba's Capital
lark POLLACK DOES BIG TRADE
Omaha Boy Has Become chief To-
bacco wholesaler in Gladstone
Features of a winter
visit.

Havana city OF wealth, beauty and
natural commercial advantages, offers a
splendid field for enterprlsing young bust
ness men.
That lie the way the Cuban metropolis is
characterized by H. Hugo Brandeis, who
has just returned from a pleasure trip to
that city, which twelve years ago was the
most interesting spot in the western hemi-
sphere.
America offers such great advantages
to the enterprising young business man to-
day that It seems needless to look else
where for spots that might offer a field
for young men of energy and business
ability, but the longer one stays in Hav-
ana the more one sees how great the op-
portunities are there" said Mr.. Brandeis.
1T Is noteworthy, too, tina Nebraska men
are held IN particularly high esteem be-
cause Of the achievements of Nebraska
men In the past. since Governor Charles
Magoon carried out his policies that were
Of such benefit to Cuba, men from this
state have been looked upon with much
popular favor.
"One Of the largest businesses in Havana
is conducted by an Omaha man, Mark
Pollock. Both Mark Pollock and his
brother, Edgar, who 10 with him in Hav-
ana, were born and reared in Omaha.
Their mother and sister reside in Omaha
and the Pollock brothers always regard
Omaha as their home. Mark Pollock now
conducts what 10 probably the largest
Wholesale tobacco leaf business in Havana.
Ho took me through his warehouse, which
hs spoke OF as empty at the time OF my
visit, In spite Of the fact that It then had
5000 bales Of tobacco stored in It. This
warehouse is probably four times as large
as the Brandois building and often stores
as much as $1,000 bales Of tobacco. Mr..
Pollock exports tobacco to every country
on the globe.
Charley MnROOn's Railroad.
In speaking Of other notable achieve
msnts of Nebraskaus in Cuba, Mr.. Bran
deis mentioned the road from Havana to
Matanzas, \ distance of fifty miles, which
was built by Charles Magoon. This road
Is smooth asN a floor and makes an ideal
automobile run.
Americans are very popular in Havana,
although, when compared with other ma
tlonalities, there are only a few actively
engaged In business in that CITY," said Mr..
Brandels. "One unfortunate circumstance
tends to mar the otherwise cordial regard
OF Cubans for this country, and that Is the
unsightly and dangerous wreck of the bat
tleshlp Maine, which still remains unmo-
Tested In the beautiful harbor. Americans
who live In Havana speak of It as the
national Disgrace Cubans generally regard
1t as an open act of dlsoourtesy on the part
OF the United States, bearing with It the
~insinuation that Havana itself was respon-
sible Tor the demolition of the war vessel.
The sooner this wFeckaSe is removed the
better the relations OF Cuba and the United
States" ...,..r5 s...
Mr.. Brandels visited the Hote de Mont
Grey cigar factory. whlch turns out the
highest grade cigars made on the island.
He watched one operator whose sole work
Is rolling the cigars for the personal use
Of King Edward of Great Britain. The
craftsman who has the Distinction of min
istering to the kings enjoyment takes his
task very seriously and consumes nearly
three-quarters of an hour in the making
Of each cigar and lie as careful as II he
were setting a diamond. King Edwards
cigars, by the way, are the large banquet
size, very heavy and dark. One a day
would make the ordinary smoker dizzy.
"They say that nine-tenths OF the fine
cigars In the world come from Havana"
said Mr., Brandeis, land many men come
there to make their personal selection. l
saw one Englishman pay $1,000 for 1000
cigars for his own use. Every one of the
better cigar factories in Havana is scrup-
ulously clean and appears as we'll ~crubbed
and sanitary as a hospital. u skilled cigar
maker gets about 80 a day. In each factory
ia a reader, WHO reads Ggoud all day from
books and magazines TO the silent men at
work. Many Of the clgarmAkerS are Hitter
ate.
"The Cuban climate Is mild the year
around. In Havana 1t is like June all
winter and the hotels and dwelling houses
have no such a thing as window glass. Bv-
erything is open. Many houses are modern,
but do not appear 30 because OF their lack
OF windows. Hotels are first class, notably
the new Plaza and Sevilla, which are thor
oughly modern. The prices In Havana ho-
tells are higher than In hotels Of similar
class In the United States.
improvements Are Many.
My first trip to Havana was made
eleven years ago and 1 was aGnaEed al
the changes that nave been brought about
In the intervening time. Eleven years age
the city was simply filthy. Now the city
IA clean and wai1 kant THE pradn In thf