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THE CUBA REVIEW. 



Havana's Water Works.— La Taza de V'ento, V'ento Springs, on the bank of the Almendares river. 

 These springs yield 45,000,000 gallons a day, although all Havana at present uses is about 32,000,000. 

 Surface water is carefully kept out of the Taza, with the result that the supply of water is free from 

 organic matter. The water is very hard with lime and magnesia, but this only serves to make it 

 safer against organic impurities and disease germs. 



El Deposito de Aguas de la Habana.— El Canal de Vento. Surtidero de Vento en la ribera del 

 rio Almendares. Este surtidero rinde 45,000,000 de galones de agua al dia, aunque al presente la 

 ciudad de la Habana solo consume unos 32,000,000. El agua superficial esta cuidado samente 

 resguardada en la Taza 6 canal, dando por resultado que el abasto de agua esta exento de contaminarse 

 con materias organicas. Al agua contiene gran cantidad de calcio y magnesia, pero esto solo sirve 

 para resguardarla contra las impurezas organicas y los germenes morbosos. 



Havana, which lost the con- 



Havana trol of the Vento Water 



Water Works, has requested the 



Works. State Government to return 



the works to the control of 



the municipality. 



The aqueduct is at present under the ad- 

 ministration of the Department of Public 

 Works. 



In reply Secretary Chalors said the peti- 

 tion could not be complied with until mili- 

 tary order 163 of 1902 was annulled. 



It appears that the city of Havana does 

 not derive any water rents at present from 

 property owners, the water fees going to the 

 Banco Espanol de la Isla de Cuba to satisfy 

 the bonds issued when the aqueduct was 

 built. 



The Secretary of Public Works is now 

 engaged in studying a way to improve 

 the supply of water in quantity and pres- 

 sure for Havana. Works have been 

 started at Vento aqueduct, and new and 



more powerful engines h ve been de- 

 signed to pump six million gallons in 

 twenty-four hours. Improvements now 

 under way are estimated to be good for 

 the coming twenty years. 



The first working session 

 Tax on of the House of Represen- 

 Sugar. tatives, November 3, was 

 devoted to reading a bill 

 providing for an export tax on sugar of 

 $1 per bag of 325 pounds, when produced 

 by wage labor, and 50 cents per bag 

 when produced by tenant sharers. The 

 bill is presumably aimed at the American 

 companies who employ laborers at wages 

 instead of raising sugar on shares. The 

 measure was referred to a committee by 

 a vote of 37 to 22, the Speaker saying 

 that its reference was merely a courtesy 

 to the members. The general opinion is 

 that the bill is absurd and impossible. 



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