T Hi: CD B A REV] i: w 



HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE 



September 26th, 1919. 



CONGRESS: As mentioned In our last letter Congress bas adjourned for the 

 summer vacation and there Is, therefore, nothing to report. 



ALEJANDRO RODRIGUEZ STATUE: On September 21s1 this statue, erected 

 to the memory of General Alejandro Rodriguez, was unveiled In Varona Suarez 

 Park al the Cool of the Paseo In Vedado. General Rodriguez was the Srsl Mayor of 

 Havana after the inauguration of the Cuban Republic and was als of the prin- 

 cipal generals in the Cuban Army al thai time. 



COMPANIA CURANA AMERICANA DE AVIACION: The fore pari of the pres- 

 ent month this company, whose English name is "Cuban American Aircrafl Corpora- 

 tion," was duly constituted in Havana. The articles of incorporation state that the 

 company is organized for the purpose of doing a general business In connection with 

 aviation, establishing schools for aviators and carrying passengers and goods between 

 Cuba and the United States, as well as between Havana and other cities of Cuba. 



NEW BUILDING FOR CENTRO ASTURIANO: It is reported that this asso- 

 ciation will erect a handsome seven-story clubhouse on the site of the former build- 

 ing facing Central Park, which was destroyed by fire aboul a year ago. 



CUBAN POSTAL MONEY ORDER KATES: About a year ago the Cuban Gov- 

 ernment raised the rates considerably on postal money orders between Cuba and the 



United States, although no Change was made in the rates for points in the Island of 

 Cuba, as mentioned by us at the time. However, effective last month by presidential 

 decree, these rates were reduced to their former basis. 



CYCLONE: On September 9th Havana felt the effects of the cyclone which 

 passed a few miles to the northward. It struck Key West and did a great deal of 

 damage there, then continued across the Gulf and wound up by devastating Texas 

 ports. 



The wind itself did very little harm in Havana, hut the havoc done by the 

 water was very great. The waves from the sea came over the seawall, inundating a 

 large part of the nearby residential section. The flooding was unusually extensive 

 as regards both area and devastation, and particularly affected that part of Havana 

 facing the sea and lying between the city proper and the neighboring suburb of S r edado, 

 as well as the lower portion of the Vedado. As much of the district referred to had 

 heretofore passed unharmed through similar floods, the inhabitants were not pre- 

 pared for what took place in the present instance, with the result that at the last 

 moment' homes and stores had to he abandoned without time to save much, if any, 

 of t heir contents. 



Probably the main reason for the flooding of much of the area in question was 

 caused by the breaking of several hundred feet of the newly constructed seawall 

 connecting Havana and Vedado, the result being that the waves took huge sections 

 of the wall weighing several tons and carried them a considerable distance inland, 

 ripping up the street-ear track-, and depositing the blocks in the center of the road 

 connecting the two districts mentioned. 



The force of the water was s (1 strong that in addition to flooding the adjacent 

 buildings, in some instances whole houses were completely demolished, and in other 

 eases not only were doors and windows carried away but the frames, as well, were 

 entirely torn from their places. Along Marina street, which suffered the largest 

 amount of damage from the water, are erected several large and modern automobile 

 showrooms and garages which suffered greatly by having their large plate udass 

 windows completely demolished. Extensive damage was done to the automobiles and 



