THECUBA REVIEW 



15 



Puente nuevo y puente vit.'o a la salida de Pinar del Rio. 



Old bridge over Guama River at Pinar del Rio, and new bridge now ahnost completed. 



AMERICAN SHOES IN CUBA. 



Cuba has been a fine market for American 

 shoes the past few years. In 1903 shoes 

 values at $162,003 were sent from this coun- 

 try to Cuba, but last year the value of shoes 

 imported from America was $1,123,405. The 

 total value of shoes imported by Cuba the 

 last-mentioned year was $1,572,493. Since 

 1903 Americans have had the advantage of 

 reduced duties in Cuba, the reduction of 

 the duty on shoes being some 30 per cent. 



The shoe salesman has been far more ac- 

 tive in Cuba than have American salesmen 

 in most other places, and there has been 

 more care in endeavoring to give satisfac- 

 tion. United States Deputv Consul Starrett 

 at Havana recommends that the manufactur- 

 ers remember that the Cuban has a small 

 foot with high instep, hollow on the shank 

 and slightly curved. The ladies require 

 especially small shoes. Another requirement 

 of the trade is low cut tans all the year for 

 the Cuban and other Latin-American mar- 

 kets. It has been almost impossible to get 

 these from American dealers in the winter. 



The superiority of the American shoe, 

 says Consul Starrett in his report, is gen- 

 erally conceded as compared with the Span- 

 ish article. The Cuban trade in ladies' shoes 

 •demands especially small sizes, and stocks 

 should carry from 1 up instead of 2^ up. 

 All ladies' shoes should be carefully lined 

 and the inner sole should be of oak 

 leather in order to protect light-colored 

 hosiery from being stained. Welt soles 

 should be as light weight as possible. 



Sizes run in halves from 1 to 7 and widths 

 "D" and "E E" with an occasional "C." 



Misses' and children's shoes should be the 

 usual summer style. Sizes run from 8^2 

 to 11 and misses' 11^2 to 2, with "D" and 

 "E" widths. 



Men's and boys' shoes are low, lace or 

 button, with medium and narrow toes, 

 straight tips, medium soles, and lasts should 

 be hollow on the shank, flat on the sole, 

 and with the "Cuban" heel. Sizes for boys 

 run from 1 to 5 and for men 4 to 10, widtlas 

 "D" and "E," some "C." 



There is a good market here for low- 

 priced white canvas shoes in men's, women's 

 and children's sizes. They should be made 

 up stylish and follow closely the above 

 specifications as to cut, sizes, width, etc. — 

 such a shoe that would cost in the United 

 States from 75 cents to $1.50, manufacturer's 

 price. 



Expenses due to the intervention from 

 Oct. I. igo6, to June 30, 19:8, under the 

 act of Congress approved March 4, 1907, 

 are to be reimbursed from the Cuban 

 treasury. The total amount is $5,3iir 

 822.02. 



The amount paid from Cuban funds 

 on account of intervention expenses is 

 $7,37,343.92. — Report of General . C. R. 

 Edwardis. Chief of the U. S. Bureau of 

 Insular Affairs, Dec. 21, 1908. 



According to the official records, there 

 are 555 drug stores in Cuba. 



