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wore loyal to the government largely escaped.
It Is estimated tb,at the lands of the Island are
mortgaged to more than sixty-five per cont of
tholr presont market value, the mortgages gener
ally being glvon for money with which to stock
and improvo tho farms. During tho strugglo for
liberty tho improvements were destroyed, hut tho
mortgages escaped unharmed.
Tho Cuban pcoplo aro as a rule docile, do
mestic, well-meaning and temporato. There Is al
most an entire absonco of drunkenness. Amori-,
cans admit that about tho only ovidonces .of in
toxication they havo seen on tho island havo
boon oxhibited by tho Amorlcans.
Tho education of tho children was much neg
lected during tho numerous insurrections,. but In
no respect has tho island shown mora marked im-.
provomont than tho attention given to tho in
struction of the children. During tho period of
American Intorvontion tho numbor of children in
attendance at schools has Increased several hun
dred per cent. Tho governor of tho province of
Matanzas told mo that in tho city of Matanzas tho
number of children in Bchool there had. Increased
from twonty-flvo hundred to over seven thousand
within tho last fivo years, notwithstanding tho
largo mortality among tho children during the last
war. Ho pointed with some prido to a largo build
ing which under Spanish rulo was used for a jail
but is now occupied by a public school. Thoro is
at Havana, also, a Jargo building until recently
used for tho storago of ammunition, which Is be
ing converted into a great university.
RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
The religion of the island is Catholic, and al
mpst all of the inhabitants have been baptised in'
that faith. .Thi.piiurch has splendid houses of
worship and many largo institutions devoted to
charity, vanrt. beneyoiqnce There is absolute free
dom ot religion, and most of tho prominent' Pro
testant denominations UaVd representatives 'here;"
On Sunday 'night preceding the Inauguration of
tho president a union patriotic service was held
in the building occupied by the Congregational
church, and the pastors of all the Protestant
churches took part. Somo of these churches havo
established private schools; and these have a
very- satisfactory attendance.
Tho. difference between tiio country and tho
city is very marked. In the country many of tho
people live in small and scantily furnished houses,
each family cultivating a small tract of land,
There are, however, some very large plantations,
and those, of coursoj have commodious houses
' and expensive jni& for tho extracting of BUgar
tromcJMae.'' In tho cities the houses are built In
'solid blocks and havo no yards. In the bettor
houses thoro is usually an open court inside, "but
the population is crowded very closely together.
Those who have not visited Mexico or somo
other Spanish country will bo struck by a custom
which prevails in Cuba. Tho family carriage is
usually kept in the front hall and tho stable is
generally a part of ,the house. For instance, you
will find a house costing from fifty thousand to
one hundred thousand dollars, with marble floors,
ceilings twenty-five feet high, and with largo
rooms, filled with elegant furniture, paintings and
statuary. In the centre- will bo a beautiful court,
with all kinds of tropical flowers and plants,
watered by a costly fountain. On the first floor
will be tho living rooms, in the basement will be
the kitchen and tho servants rooms, and adjoin
ing a perfectly equipped bathroom will bo found
v the carriage room and tho stable.
Havana is, of course, tho city of tho greatest
size and interest. Tho Cubans call it Havana, al
though tho English-speaking people of the world
substitute a "v" tor- the "b." It means a. haven,
and. th.e. tnamo was first; applied tp jl qity on, the
southern coast and afterward given to the present,
city.' It lies on the south shore of Havana bay;
ono of tho best harbors in tho island. It Is en
tered by, a deep but narrow channel, and is so
The Commoner.
large and woll protected that an entire fleet can
ride at anchor.
WRECK OF THE MAINE STILL VISIBLE.
The wreck of tho Maine is still visible in tho
harbor, and is an object of intense interest to
both Americans and Cubans; tot to 4ho former It
recalls a great national bereavement, while tho
Cubans recognize, that, horrible and lamentablo as
it was, it had an important influence in the secur
ing of their independence. Morro Castle guards
tho entrance to the harbor, and it Is admirably
situated, as well as admirably constructed, for
defence. It Is built upon a cliff and Its massivo
walls made tho Spaniards feel secure from any
foreign attack. Near by is' Fort Cabanas, which is
equally well constructed, and, having been the
sceno of tho execution of many Cuban patriots,
is equally interesting to the visitor. Tho formal
transfer iof tho government from the United StateB
to tho Cuban republic gave the Cubans scarcely
less pleasure than the raising of tho Cuban flag
over Morro and Cabanas. In fact, it is said that
when, on tho 11th day of May, the president-elect
landed at Havana and tho Cuban flag was lor a
short timo raised over Morro, tho veterans of tho
prolonged wars were so affected that they shouted,
wept and hugged each other by turns.
Fort Principe, which crowns a natural emi
nence just back of the city of Havana, is said to
bo tho strongest fortification on tho Western,
Hemisphere. It was constructed for the deience
of Havana and will accommodate a garrison of
many thousands.. Tho city of Havana is built
upon the Ashore of the sea and of .Havana bay,
tho groundfadiially sloping back from the water's
edge toward 'Fort Principe.
The 'Streets aro narrow, like the streets of
Moxican cities, and show a reckless disregard of
the points of .the-compass. Tho residences aro
nearly all one story,--and havo a- window and
door opening upon ttkostrebty'the formed 'invarra-.j,
bly protected!',by.ir.an.1barfj orgrating; iln themid-,f
die of thq window, is a gate which is unlocked in
the cool, of the evening, and the young ladies
stand at tho opening-and watch the passers-by.
The presence of so many beautiful faces at the
windows enhances the pleasure of a drive through
tho streets at this hour of the day, The casual
admirer must be content to talk with! tho senorita
through tho bar's; only an accepted suitor is ad
mitted to the pallor, and even then, he, must do his
courting, in the' presence oLsome oider inember of
the family. Until the period of intervention tho
young ladies never went upon the street alone.
Though this custom has relaxed somewhat, it Is
usual oven now for the mother or a chaperon to
accompany the. daughter.
THE PRADO HAVANA'S FINEST STREET.
The principal street of Havana is called tho
Prado, and leads from the point opposite Morro
Castle back into the interior of the city. It. has
been very much improved under General Wood's
direction and is now the most beautiful part of
the city. While a considerable sum was expended
upon this improvement, tho Cubans are very proud
of it and it is the place most frequented in tho
evening. On Sundays, about sunset, tho Prado is
crowded. A contract has been given to an individ
ual to furnish seats for those who desire to rest,
and the city receives four thousand dollars a year
for the concession. Thousands of people line this
street, while every one who has a carriage or can
hire one joins in the procession. On the Sunday
preceding the inauguration tho carriages were
sometimes four abreast and the travel was so con
gested that it was difficult to drive faster than a
walk. Hero one can see Havana life in all its
phases. Tho wealthy are out in splendid equip
ages, and those of more moderate means mingle
with them, white on the sidewalks will be found
a promiscuous" Crowd, all neatly dressed, and so
peaceful and orderly that no ofllcorof the law Is
necessary? to .control them. . , ,.,
Not far from Havana, about twelve miles to
the southwest, at a beautiful littlo cove, is situated'
the house of the Havana Yacht club. It has a
large membership and furnishes a delightful placet
for rest and recuperation. The road leading from
Havana to tho yacht club passes by the cemetery
and Columbia Barracks.
Tho cemetery is an object. of interest to thoso
who are not acquainted with burial customs in
tropical countries. Tho private vaults of tho
wealthy are made of cement and "stone and are
waterproof. A marble slab covers tho grave and
artificial flowers adorn the lot. Those who can
not afford to own a private vault are buried in
vaults rented for a limited time, and' when, tho
time is up the remains are removed to tho bone?
pile if further rent is not forthcoming. Tho verytt
poor -are carried tojthe cemetery. In a rented box
and buried, mother earth furnishing them their
only coffin. There are a number of beautiful j
monuments in the Havana cemetery, the most ela-
borate of which is one of! white marble, erected to
tho memory of forty volunteer .. firemen who lost
their lives in a disastrous explosion which oc
curred some years ago. Next, to tho firemen's
monument in size- and even surpassing it in. inter
est is the pile of granite and marble reared l.n
honor of tho eight students who .were shot by
order of ono of tho Spanish generals.
Columbia Barracks is tho name given to th.o
place where the American troops were, encamped
durlng.vthe intervention. General Lee's army
corps 'located the camp , upqn a beautiful knoll
overlooking, the sea. It proved, tp be a healthfu.1
place, and our soldiers suffered . far less than it
"was feared they would when.hqy embarked for;
Cujra.u.' ;J .,
From General Wood I learned that the island
has been entirely purged of yellow fever and ha;t
the death rate in Havana is.;now lower than in
Washington; D. Gi ;j, , .. .
Major" W. C. Gorges of the .United States -army,
who-haJ been in chargeofTtheisanitauyj depart;-;
menty deserves great credityfp.Ciithe'.wQrkf thaj;.ha$,,
been, done in. the matter of improving sanitary;
conditions-in the island. Under his, administra
tion the mosquito theory was fully tested,, and it
was proven to the satisfaction of all who watched
the experiment that, the disease is not trans
mitted, by contact with tho yellow fever patient,
but by the' bite of a mosquito: .which has previous-,
ly bitten one having the dieiease, Dr. Carlos FJnt
lay of Havana some twenty nQneyears ago brought,
this terrible indictment against tthe mosquito and,,
after rifair and impartial) trial, it stands- con
victed before the world. .jWjvc-
Governor Jennings of Florida, who visited Cu
ba for the' double purpose (of -attending the in
auguration and of investigating the sanitary sys
tem of the island, was much) rgr,atified to learn of
the care that is now taken tOiprovide against and
stamp out contagious diseases.4 . Florida is so near
to Cuba that his people are vitally interested in
the subject. From him I learned that vaccination'
.against smallpox has receded especial attention
in Cuba, A room is fitted upwith the most modi
em scientific equipment; expert physicians are in,
charge; calves, first tested'r.aa to their general
health, are vaccinated and. -kept under surveil
lanco for five days and then placed upon a table
made for the purpose and the. bovine virus Is ex
tracted. This is placed in vats and, after being
thoroughly prepared, is made into what are called
points, each point containing sufficient virus to
vaclnate five persons. One ;calf furnishes bovino
virus enough to vaccinate 1,0.00 persons. The Ha
vana institution furnishes vlrus for the island
and the marine hospital service of tho United
States,; Some Idea of tho magnitude of this in
stitution can he gathered fromtbe fact that 250,
000 persons have beon.vacinated on the island, pJa
Cuba nvithln fivo months, ,and itho care taken Is
shown by the fact that not a-jslngle case ofdeajtb?
has 'resulted in all that number -of vaccinations.
..IMPROVED SANITARy,,CONDITIONS, .;vofl
There is also at Havana a very complete dis
infecting plant. The United States steamer Sana-
n
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