12 THE CUB A It E V I E \Y 



SALE OF THE PROVINCIAL INSTITUTE: Another of Havana's ancient land- 

 >marks passed from public into private hands when the sale was consummated the fore 

 ;part of this month covering the building occupied at present by the Provincial 

 Institute and part of the National University located on Obispo Street between San 

 Ignacio and Mercaderes Streets. The buyers have not yet announced what disposition 

 will be made of these buildings, but we presume that they will be replaced by modern 

 ^business structures, or remodeled for such purpose. 



In this connection we might add that the old church of Santo Domingo, sold 

 some time ago to private interests here, is now being torn down to make way for a 

 Ibusiness edifice. 



PROJECTED NEW HOTEL: The subject has again arisen on the part of the 

 .American capitalists interested in building a new hotel here as to making some 

 arrangement with the public authorities to secure possession of the present jail 

 located near the foot of the Prado in exchange for a new model jail building to be 

 erected at the expense of the former on a more suitable location. This site is 

 undoubtedly an ideal one for a tourist's hotel, commanding at it does a splendid 

 view of the harbor entrance, and while this same project has come up various times 

 It has never been put through to completion, hence, doubt is expressed in some 

 quarters that this will be the result of present negotiations. 



Havana is in great need of additional hotels to take care of the tourist travel. 

 While this movement was comparatively small during the past winter, due largely 

 to passport restrictions, yet the city was unable to take care of all the travelers who 

 came here, this being partly on account of the closing down of Hotel Sevilla, one of 

 the best of the hotel buildings here, which had been converted from a hotel into 

 an office building. There is now some talk of using this edifice as a hotel again and 

 it is stated that the present owners have been approached by Northern interests to 

 this effect. 



QUINTA DEL ORISPO: What is known as the "Quinta del Obispo," an ancient 

 country home, at one time the summer residence of one of the bishops of Havana, 

 which comprises a considerable tract of land situated in Cerro, one of Havana's 

 principal suburbs, has been sold to a real estate firm, which, we understand, is headed 

 by Jose Lopez Rodriguez and Ramon Mendoza, both of whom are largely interested 

 in suburban property. It is expected that development of this subdivision will begin 

 shortly and that the lots will be placed on the market here. 



COMPANIA NACIONAL DE CAMIONES: We reported some time ago the 

 organization of a company by local capital here for the manufacture of auto trucks. 

 Nothing further has been heard about this company, but recently the stockholders 

 have held various meetings for the purpose of liquidating its accounts, as apparently 

 the original idea has been abandoned. 



PUBLIC MxlRKETS: Since the closing by the Sanitary Department of the 

 public market on Galiano Street, known as the "Plaza del Vapor", due to alleged 

 unsanitary conditions, this market has been conducted in temporary wooden 

 sheds built on the old Villanueva station grounds. A campaign is being made 

 against conditions of this market there also, due to unsanitary conditions, and plans 

 are under way for the erection of a new market in a more suitable location. 



MONUMENT TO GENERAL MAXIMO GOMEZ: In our May letter we referred 

 to the competition for the memorial monument to General Maximo Gomez. The first 

 prize amounting to $25,000 was awarded to Aldo Gamba, an Italian sculptor. The 

 second prize of $5,000 went to Moises de Huerta, a Spaniard, and Felix Cabarrocas, 

 a Cuban, and the third prize of $2,000 to Gutzon Borglum, a noted American sculptor. 



