THE CUBA REVIEW 



33 



CUBAN COMMERCIAL MATTERS 



CUBAN MARKET FOR ELECTRICAL GOODS 



Cuba imports about half a million doilars 

 worth of electrical supplies a year, of which 

 80 per cent comes from the United States. A 

 report on this market ju?t issued by the 

 Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, 

 of the Department of Commerce, states that 

 there has never been any serious competition 

 in any electrical line except lamps. Before 

 the war the Germans actually sold mere 

 .'amps in Cuba than American mamifacturers 

 did. 



In summing up the future of the market, 

 special Agent Philip S. Smith, author of the 

 report, states Ihat the field for motors and 

 other small devices, such as portable tools, is 

 limited primarily to the sugar mills or to 

 c'ties where a day circuit is available. A.s the 

 mines develop, houever, the demand for 

 power will grow and this may eventually be- 

 come an important market for the larger 

 motors. There is a surprising number of 

 small shops, any one of which is a prospective 

 user of electric motors, and though the in- 

 dividual shops are small, the aggregate power 

 is considerable. 



In discussing the small market for electrical 

 cooking utensils, the report explains that one 

 reason for the small demand for chafing dishes 

 and similar devices is the mode of life of people 

 who keep servants, and this comprises all 

 people who may be regarded as in comfortable 

 circumstances. The cook is given a certain 

 amount of money with which to purchase 

 food for the family each day, and out of this 

 she pays for fuel, ice, etc. If electric de- 

 vices are used, the master of the house pays 

 for the current and the allowance to the 

 cook is decreased, which means that she loses 

 the advantage of bargaining with the char- 

 coal dealer. Against this she protests vigor- 

 ously, as she counts on pocketing what is left 

 at the end of the day. If the allowance is not 

 decreased, fuel is likely to be paid for twice. 



The report, which is entitled "Electi'ical 

 Goods in Cuba," Special Agents Series No. 

 128, goes carefully into every feature of the 

 trade in electrical goods in Cuba, and is de- 

 signed to be of practical assistance to Ameri- 

 can exporters. There are chapters on central 

 stations, lighting, heating devices, power for 

 sugar mills, future field for electricity, customs 

 classification of electrical goods, packing, ad- 



vertising, etc. Tiiorc are 38 pages and the 

 nominal selling price is 5 cents. C'opies may 

 be jjiu'chascd from the Superintendent of 

 Documents, Washington, or from the near- 

 est district office of the Bureau of Foreign 

 and Domestic Commerce. 



HEYDRICH & MULLER 



Mr. Fernando Heydrich and Mr. Victor 

 Mliller, have formed a partnership, succeeding 

 the firm of Victor Mtiller S. eo C. and wiU 

 operate under the name of Heydrich & Mtiller 

 with its home office in the Calle Habdna, No. 

 110 Habana, Cuba, and its New York Office 

 at 13 Park Row, New York City. 



HAVANA 



The Armour Packing Company of Chicago 

 have contracted for the erection of a half mil- 

 lion dollar refrigerating and storage ware- 

 house at Havana, to occujjy the block be- 

 tween Dos Emparadios and Velaza streets 

 near the waterfront. This building will be of 

 steel construction throughout its five stories 

 and provision will be made for the most im- 

 proved cold storage plant facilities. The work 

 of design and construction will be handled by 

 the well known Havana firm of Purdy & Hen- 

 derson. 



LA GLORIA 



Chamber of Commerce Departments 



Citrus Fruit Department. — ^P"or production, 

 markets, packinghouses, managers, buyers, 

 sales, etc. 



Roads and Transportation Department. — 

 Good roads and water transportation, ship- 

 ping facilities. 



Bureau of Information Department. — 'Em- 

 braces statistics and data on land, groves, 

 fruit, routes, traveling information for tour- 

 ists, home seekers and investors. Bulletins, 

 publications and market quotations. History 

 of Cuba, land, soil and production. 



Cultural Department. — Spraying fertiliza- 

 tion, diseases, remedies, nurserj" stock, plant- 

 ing of trees and care of groves. 



Citrus Supply Department. — For boxes, 

 straps, paper, etc. in car load lots at special 

 prices. Saw mill, building material, and 

 lumber yards. 



Toicn Improvemems arid Health Department. 

 — Physician, hospital, health, streets, homes. 



