10 THECUBAREVIEW 



not get the necessary coal, although it has since been announced that they have received assur- 

 ance of the importation of a sufficient quantity to last for several months to come. 



As referred to in our last letter, there have been no recent importations here of lard, butter, 

 cottonseed oil, etc. Since then corn, flour and beans have been put on the prohibited list, but 

 a representative of the Food Administration at Washington is now here and it is being ar- 

 ranged so that local firms here desiring to import such foodstuffs may do so upon application 

 to the United States Consul-Gencral here for permits to import, which will be granted providing 

 the applicant is in good standing and it is assured the goods bought are for consumption here 

 and not to be transhipped to other countries. 



There has also been a considerable shortage of refined sugar to supply the Island's require- 

 ments, with the result that the Government has confiscated some lots of raw sugar in store so 

 that they may be refined and sold. At the present time there is no stock whatever of raw 

 sugar on hand in Havana warehouses. 



Notwithstanding the restrictions on the part of the United States Government prohibiting 

 the exportation of certain foodstufl's to Cuba already referred to, the import movement in general 

 has still been very heavy, and all wharves and warehouses are filled with goods ; in fact, it has 

 been necessary to do night work at the wharves in order to make space for additional incoming 

 cargoes. 



There has been a great scarcity in Havana of charcoal, which is the principal fuel used for 

 cooking and other domestic purposes. The Government has appointed a committee to inves- 

 tigate this matter and the investigation apparently develops that the manufacturers of char- 

 coal have been holding back or hiding supplies, therefore the Govermnent has confiscated 

 various lots of charcoal and is encouraging the production of large amounts by permitting this 

 to be done without payment of taxes of any kind. During the last few j-ears the gas company 

 has been installing gas stoves to supplant the use of charcoal. The constantly increasing cost 

 of the latter has had the effect of making the use of gas for domestic purposes much more popu- 

 lar, and the recent serious shortage of charcoal has naturally resulted in even greater use of 

 gas for this purpose. 



The Campania Urbanizadora del Parque y Playa de Marianao, a literal translation of 

 which is "Urbanization Company of Marianao Park and Beach," is preparing to spend large 

 amounts of money in the improving of that bathing beach. They have already purchased a 

 majority of the small old wooden buildings fronting the beach, which will be torn down and 

 replaced by more pretentious structures. This company is clearing a great deal of the virgin 

 ground leading back from the beach and will estabUsh what is termed a residential park. On 

 the beach itself it is proposed to build a sort of Coney Island, embodying all the attractions 

 usually found at resorts of this kind. 



Work is expected to shortly begin on the drawbridge over the Almendares River, which 

 will link up the boulevard to connect Vedado with the beach just referred to. Lying between 

 the Almendares River and Marianao Beach are several suburban subdivisions which are 

 rapidly building up. The real estate companies interested in their development are building 

 private parks and putting in all improvements so that these properties will rank among the 

 best of the Havana suburbs. The city of Havana also proposes to make a long new boulevard 

 by connecting up what is commonly known as "G" street in Vedado, but whose name is 

 "Avenida de los Presidentes," with Carlos III Avenue, for which purpose the former street wiU 

 cross Principe Hill, thus forming a new connecting link between ^'edado and Havana proper. 

 In the line of new business edifices, it is reported that Zaldo & Co. will erect a large office 

 building on the site of the former convent of Panto Domingo, at the corner of Mercaderes and 

 O'Reilly streets, which building was purchased by this firm. The Havana Central Railroad 

 has been authorized to construct a ferry sUp at Caballeria Wharf to take care of their service 

 across the bay between Havana and Casa Blanca, which line at present operates from the same 

 building serving the Regla ferries. 



There are no developments of importance in connection with oil well matters. A few new 

 companies have been organized, machinery is constantly arriving for boring purposes and some 

 new wells are being sunk. There had been a good deal of speculation on the part of the publio 

 in oil well stocks and a consequent inflation of values, but as no new wells are being bought in, 

 the public interest is diminishing considerably and stock prices have suffered accordingly. 



