T H E C U B A R E V I E W 11 



Street, in trout of the Presidential Palace, was suggested, but it is understood that 

 President Menocal has contemplated using this property for a public park. 



Nor are these seemingly large advances in real estate values confined to the 

 downtown business district. The wealthy widow of a Spanish merchant living in 

 Vedado, a residential suburb of Havana, recently paid in the neighborhood of 

 $100,000.00 for a lot adjoining her property, which represented a little over $83.00 

 per meter. Further out from Vedado, in what is known as "Almendares Heights," 

 property that sold for $5.20 per meter just a year ago is being held for $2.5.00 a 

 meter and sales are recorded daily at this price. 



HAVAXA CUSTOMS COLLECTIONS: Customs collections in the port of 

 Havana during the month of March were $4,200,276.35, the greatest amount ever 

 collected in this port since the foundation of the city by Velasquez, and the 

 raimber of parcels on which the duties were levied, 1,300,000 in number, was the 

 greatest number of dutiable parcels ever passing through the Havana Customs House 

 in a single month. 



CUBAN OIL AVELL PROPERTIES: The INIadruga Petroleum Company, which 

 is prospecting for oil in the vicinity of Madruga, Matanzas Province, now has its 

 rotary drilling apparatus running full time and the drillers are pi'epared to go down 

 at least 3,00<) feet for oil. A depth of over 2,000 feet has already been obtained and 

 the prospectors are greatly encouraged by formations now being encountered. From 

 recent surveys made by eminent geologists, oil in large quantities is expected to 

 be found in this neighborhood. 



RECENT CONCESSIONS: A concession has been granted the Bradley interests 

 by the City of Marianao, which adjoins Havana, licensing gambling in that city, 

 and a beautiful Casino has been erected at a fabulous cost which bids fair to 

 rival Monte Carlo. The site of this building adjoins the Country Club of Havana 

 and the type of architecture lilends well with the surrounding landscape. This 

 Casino formally opened Sunday night, the IStli inst., with a ball and a dinner, and 

 Havana's elite were well represented on this occasion. 



BUILDING OPERATIONS: Although building operations are going on at an 

 imprecedented rate, small relief for the house shortage in Havana is offered, since 

 the great majority of the buildings being erected are private dwellings. Rents in 

 Havana are unusually high on account of the shortage of houses and a movement is 

 now under contemplation for a large construction company here to erect a large 

 numl)er of apartment buildings. Construction of this kind will materially help the 

 situation. Magniflcient residences are being erected in Vedado and other resi- 

 dential suburbs. 



AMUSEMENT PARK: Oscar C. Journey, Manager of "Luna Park," Coney 

 Island, has arrived in Havana and it is understood he is to make a close study of 

 the city Avith a view to opening a new large amusement park here. Havana now has 

 a small park of this kind on Zulueta Street, but it is reported that Mr. Journey will, 

 should he find conditions favorable, erect a second Coney Island here. The City 

 of Havana, with its great floating population, could well afford an estaljlishment of 

 this character. 



SHIPPING NOTES: The Spanish steamship '"Valbanera," which was wrecked 

 on Half Moon Key near Key West during the storm of last September, is to be raised 

 by the Lloyds Marine Insurance Company as soon as material can be brought here 

 from the North, according to a statement made by representatives of the Lloyds 

 Company who have arrived here with a tug boat and have made a close examination 

 of the wreck. The hull is believed to be intact. 



Rumor has it thet the Ward Line will endeavor to reduce the ti-ne recently 



