THE CUBA REVIEW 



25 



GENERAL NOTES 



THE MATANZAS CAVES 



A correspondent of the Chicago Post 

 writes thus entertaininglj- of a visit to the 

 wonderful caves of Bellamar situated just 

 outside the city of Matanzas distant about 

 2 hours run from Havana : 



"The afternoon voyage of discovery lies 

 along the curving shore of Matanzas Bay 

 where the stiff trade wind blows up re- 

 freshing dust of spray from the combined 

 breakers and bears inward a brisk smell 

 of the sea. Southward, entering a rough 

 ston\- country, one sees about the bristling 

 fields of henequen or sisal hemp coloring 

 with the deep green of swordlike leaves, 

 the shoulders of receding hills. Into the 

 midst of this plantation, 4,000 acres in ex- 

 tent, the road turns, to halt at a little build- 

 ing on the plateau, set back among bananas 

 and pineapples. 



"Here is the entrance to the caves. But 

 a few steps and one is rigid in wonder. 

 Above, beneath and all about spreads the 

 vast emptiness of a hall, draped majesti- 

 cally with the flowing tapestry of giant 

 stalagmites, here and there joining to form 

 towering fluted columns. From this spa- 

 cious chamber a passageway disappears 

 into the very bowels of earth. Along this 

 we are led, now stooping to avoid the sharp 

 projections of the low ceiling, now stepping 

 into another of an endless series of halls. 

 Myriad formations, here the dainty frost 

 work of crystalization. there the massive 

 carving of pillars, make it like some vast 

 cave of Ali Baba, disturbed in its secrecy 

 only by the drip of water or the bloodbeat 

 of one's own ears, audible in the silence. 



"Xo cave in the world, they say, is so 

 wonderful in the perfection of its forma- 

 tions. In extent it never has been deter- 

 mined. Far within an underground stream 

 rushes into darkness, where none has pene- 

 trated. Explorers have worked for seven- 

 teen hours continuously through the cav- 

 erns without reaching their limits. To the 

 present, however, thirty separate chambers 

 have been found, connected by more than 

 three miles of hallways, which are said to 

 extend under the sea itself." 



Ramon Garcia Oses, a nephew of former 

 President Gomez and director of the Cu- 

 ban Agricultural Experiment Stf:tion at 

 Santiago de las Vegas, Havana Province, 

 committed suicide June 12th. The gov- 

 ernment immediately ordered an investi- 

 gat'on of the affairs of the station. Sr. 

 Oses held a similar position under the 

 Mexican government until his uncle I)e- 

 came President of Cuba. 



MORE ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANTS 



Permission has been asked of the gov- 

 ernment to establish electric light plants at 

 Madruga, San Nicolas. Catalina de Guines, 

 Jaruco. Carabello, Bainoa, San Antonio 

 and Rio Bhnco del \orte, all in Havana 

 Province. 



Ramos Valderas has been given authori- 

 zation by the Jovellanos municipality to 

 establish an electric plant in that city 

 situated in Matanzas Province. 



Manuel P. Cardenas is petitioning for 

 permission to establish an electric plant in 

 Aloron, Camaguey Province. 



Luis Torres has solicited government 

 permission to establish an electric plant in 

 Los Arabos. 



Messrs. Mon and Fernandez have re- 

 ceived the necessary government authoriza- 

 tion to install an electric plant at Isabela 

 de Sagua, the north coast port of Sagua 

 la Granda, Santa Clara Province. 



Sr. Rafael Rodriguez has received au- 

 thorization to install an electric plant in 

 Calimete. Light service will include also 

 the towns of Manguito and Amarillas. All 

 places mentioned are in Matanzas Province. 



MINOR NOTES 



The dates of Cuba's National holidays 

 are January 1st, February 24th, May 20th. 

 October 10th and December 7th and 25th. 



The city of Havana is soon to inaugu- 

 rate the garbage crematory built by the 

 Havana Terminal Company as one of the 

 compensations allowed the state for the 

 Arsenal- Villanueva station improvement. 



A Senate resolution was passed May 

 24th by which neither the majority nor the 

 minority can spring a surorise on the op- 

 position. The resolution provides that at 

 no session of the Senate shall there be dis- 

 cussed any measure which has not been 

 advertised in the "order of the da}^" at 

 least twenty-four hours in advance of the 

 session. 



A bill introduced in the House of Rep- 

 resentatives May 24th abolishes cock fight- 

 ing. The ground taken is that the sport 

 is cruel and also tends to the demoraliza- 

 tion of the laboring classes, especially in 

 the rural districts. A bill for the abolition 

 of the national lottery is also pending be- 

 fore the House. 



.'Mbcrt James Hanachell has been ap- 

 pointed Honorary Consul of Cuba in Bar- 

 badoes. 



