THE CUBA REVI E W 



11 



President Gomez has had 

 Friendly many interviews with lead- 

 Criticism ing Havana newspaper edi- 

 Secured. tors recently in the endeav- 

 or to secure from them 

 more temperate criticism of administra- 

 tion activities. This has undoubtedly 

 helped to bring about a better under- 

 standing, although by some the presi- 

 dent's intention was attributed to a de- 

 sire to muzzle the press. La Lucha, 

 commenting on this, said such was by 

 no means the president's idea, for in an 

 interview the executive had plainly de- 

 clared that he had a very broad opinion 

 of everything connected with periodicals 

 even though some treated matters most 

 unjustifiably. Senor J. M. Covin, editor 

 of Ey Mundo, another daily paper, also 

 expressed himself as friendly towards the 

 administration, although, "When Gen- 

 eral Gomez was a candidate for President 

 I was one of those who opposed him 

 most bitterly, but there is no need for 

 fear for the government headed by Gen- 

 eral Gomez. Certainly no idea can be 

 entertained in regard to annexation, for 

 that is a faraway dream for real Cubans." 

 There has come since almost a com- 

 plete cessation of press attacks and sen- 

 sational rumors regarding the govern- 

 ment. 



A peculiar industry in Havana, that of selliiig 

 flowers and palms for the numerous patios in 

 every house. To the right may be seen the seller 

 of mangoes with his cart shaded with fronds of 

 the royal palm to keep his fruit fresh. 



Una industria peculiar a la Habana, la venta 

 de flores y palmeras para los numerosos patios 

 en cada casa. A la derecha se puede ver el 

 vendedor de mangos con su carro con abrigo de 

 hojas de corozo para guardar fresca la fruta. 



The new custom house at Santiago de 

 Cuba, inaugurated September 20, is a mas- 

 sive steel and stone structure, occupying 

 an area of about 1,000 square meters, with 

 large and spacious warehouses, and ample 

 offices for the collector and inspectors. 



The development of the 

 Camaguey Camaguey, Cuba, water- 

 Watcr works, which are now near- 

 Works. ing completion, is described 

 in a paper prepared for the 

 recent convention of the New England 

 Waterworks Association by Mr. Henry 

 A. Young, under whose direction as chief 

 engineer the present system has been in- 

 stalled. 



The small creeks in tlie vicinity of the 

 town were not available as sources of 

 supply, on account of their uncertain flow 

 and a scheme of installing a number of 

 driven wells was abandoned because 

 these furnished no artesian effect, the 

 water in them was hard, and when warm 

 had a very obnoxious taste. It was ulti- 

 mately decided to utilize a surface supply 

 14 miles north of the town, from the Rio 

 Pontezuela Grande, a good size creek 

 with a drainage area of about 80 square 

 kilometers. The plans provided for the 

 construction of a dam across this stream, 

 278 m. long and 1O2 m. high, to impound 

 sufificient water for four months' con- 

 sumption by 46,200 people, 54 per cent, 

 larger population than that of the town 

 to-day. An assumed per capita consump- 

 tion of 60 gal. per 24 hours was used and 

 it is thought that this will never be ex- 

 ceeded. In laying out the distribution 

 system it was impossible to lay pipe in 

 every street so that only the business 

 section was piped completely and skele- 

 ton lines run to the outlying districts. 

 There are four mains across the city con- 

 nected by equilizers. The city is divided 

 into 15 valve districts in which there is 

 a total of 68 hydrants. 



The works were built under the direc- 

 tion of Mr. Pompeyo Sariol, chief of the 

 Department of Public Works; Mr. Henry 

 A. Young, chief engineer of water works, 

 and Messrs. Earle K. Knight and John 

 E. Shoemaker, resident engineers. 



To 



Suppress 



Immoral 



Plays. 



Cuba's government is de- 

 termined to suppress all 

 immoral plays presented in 

 the cities, and to this end 

 the Department of the In- 

 terior has issued a circular 

 calling upon all authors of dramatic works, 

 plays for the burlesque theaters, and 

 writers of "couplets," to furnish three 

 copies. These copies, after revision, will 

 be sent, properly stamped, one to the 

 author, another to the theatre and the 

 third to the theatre inspectors. These 

 have orders from the Mayor to follow each 

 play closely and to see that the actors ad- 

 here to the text. 



