THE CUBA REVIEW. 



^9 



Shoes in Cuba. 



Again the carelessness of American 

 manufacturers in their shipments to 

 Cuba is pointed out, as has been done 

 many times before by United States 

 Consular Agents, importers and others, 

 and this time by a representative of 

 Hide and Leather, who recently visited 

 the island. There is no doubt but that 

 Cuba's trade with the_ United States 

 would be very largely increased were 

 more attention given to shipping instruc- 

 tions, making of invoices, etc. The rep- 

 resentative of the publication named re- 

 ceived many complaints from leading 

 shoe dealers in Havana and says their 

 coimplaints apply with equal force to 

 other cities in Cuba where American 

 goods are sold. Said the Havana mer- 

 chant: 



"The American market is close at 

 hand, and under ordinary circumstances 

 we should be able to get purchases from 

 your country soon after being ordered- 

 The business should grow steadily and 

 be done with comfort and satisfaction. 

 Unfortunately, although we send special 

 Teciuests and repeatedly instruct the man- 

 ufacturer we buy from to furnish three 

 invoices and to do other special things 

 required in forwarding to Cuba, they are 

 tisually slighted, and this results in de- 

 lay, annoyance, and confusion. The re- 

 sult is that instead of purchases coming 

 forward as they should they are held up 

 at the dock or in the ctistom-house or 

 elsewhere until the necessary papers can 

 be produced. It has gotten to such a 

 point that we do not ask manufacturers 

 any longer to ship goods to us direct, 

 but to send them to a shipping agent in 

 America whom we pay monthly to take 

 hold of our goods and forward properly. 

 We have to incur this extra expense 

 simply because those from whom we pur- 

 chase are too careless or indifferent to 

 pay attention to our requests. All that 

 we ask is that our instructions be care- 

 fully carried out, so that goods after 

 leaving American factories will come to 

 us with no delay other than is natural 

 when shipping goods." 



Cuba has a few small tanneries, but 

 the bulk of what leather she needs has 

 to be imported. Quite a line of sheep- 

 skin leather is imported from Spain. Vis- 

 iting American leather manufacturers say 

 they could not accept the low price paid 

 to the 'Spanish exporter. There is a 

 growing field for American manufac- 

 turers in Cuba, but those who desire the 

 business must make up their minds that 

 Cuba should be treated as a special de- 

 partment, to be properly cared for. If 

 this is done the business with Cuba will 

 grow. 



Grinding mango leaves for tannery in Cuba. 



Earnings of Havana Railways. 



The newspapers of Havana print reports 

 of earnings of the Cuban railways. The 

 following are of the latter part of March 

 and a portion of April: 

 United Raikvays of Havana : 



Week ending Mar. 15.. 



" " " 22. . 



29. . 



April 4.. 



" 25.. 

 Total earnings to Mar. 15 

 " " " " 22 



" " 29 



Havana Electric Raihvay 



Week ending Mar. 15... 



" " " 22. . . 



" 29... 



Total earnings to Mar. 15 



" " " " 22 



" " 29 



1908 1907 



£34,351 £42,760 



33,036 42,430 



30,082 37.806 



27,212 38,184 



15,906 34,369 



665,396 831,584 



698,432 874,014 



728,514 911,720 



1908 1907 



$38,870 $33,6ii 



39,680 33.387 



38,728 31,953 



339,982 314,519 



346,275 314.519 



385,003 346,472 



Cuba Railroad Earnings. 



The report of the Cuba Railroad Co. 



for the month of March and nine months 



ended March 31 compares as follows: 



1908. 1907. Changes. 



March gross $235,415 $203,444 Inc. $31,971 



^Expenses 129,541 113,859 Inc. 15,682 



March net $105,874 



Charges 31,845 



^89,585 Inc. $16,289 

 28,329 Inc. 3,516 



March surplus .. $74,029 $61,256 Inc. $12,773 

 Nine mos. gross. .. 1,510,627 1,369,889 Inc. 140,738 

 *Expenses 989,443 947,439 Inc. 42,004 



Nine mos.net ....$521,184 $422,450 Inc. $98, 734 

 Charges 269,726 240,942 Inc. 28,784 



Nine mos. surp. .$251,458 $181,507 Inc. $69, 951 

 *Included in working expenses are the follow- 

 ing amounts for extraordinary replacements : 



March. Nine mos. 



Bridges, trestles, etc $3,347 $30,129 



Cross ties 9,660 86,940 



Total $13,007 $117,069 



