16 



THE CUBA REVIEW. 



only, no matter how great the induce- 

 ments may be to sell ahead of time. 



Fig. 3 gives a sketch of the system 

 usually employed in Cuba for support- 

 ing the end of a beam on a block wall. 

 The blackened portion represents the 

 gripping device in iron. These grips are 

 moulded in wrought iron and are very 

 strong. They are bolted to the ends of 

 the beams. — Chicago Engineering-Con- 

 tracting. 



Hardware in Cuba. 



The hardware trade in Cuba has sufifered 

 less severely than any other during the 

 spring when things were very black. The 

 demand for agricultural instruments has 

 remained strong, due to the greatly in- 

 creased area under cultivation for fruits 

 and vegetables. For the same reason the 

 demand for wire netting has been especially 

 strong. 



All housefittings, such as door handles, 

 locks, catches, springs, mail boxes, etc., 

 have been in demand. This is due to the 

 extensive building operations going on out- 

 side Havana. 



The question of patents and trade-marks 

 in Cuba at the present time is a very "live" 

 one. The Cuban law is in this matter in very 

 bad condition and has already cost manu- 

 facturers in the north a large amount of 

 money. 



Under the existing system it is possible 

 for any person to register a tirade-mark 

 well known in other countries, even though 

 that person is not the rightful proprietor 

 of the mark or patent. 



ilhiis is a clear steal, and it is very an- 

 noving to traders in the north after having 

 established a reputation and demand for an 

 article to find i..e Cuban market closed to 

 them except at a prohibitive cost. Such 

 thino^s are occurring in Havana every day, 

 and manufacturers in the nortih 'do not seem 

 to realize the damage which is being done. 

 English _ exporters came to close quarters 

 wiCb this patent robbery some time since 

 and by systemiatically registering tneir pat- 

 ent at the same time as in England at a 

 very smiall cost they have preserved the 

 Cuban market for the time when they 

 want to exploit it. — Hardware Dealers' 

 Magazine. 



Cuban Trade Suggestions. 



United States Consul Max J. Baehr, 

 writing from Cienfuegos, reports that 

 the increase of American trade with 

 Cuba since the reciprocity treaty has 

 been gratifying, but he urges representa- 

 tion by agents selected from the resident 

 commission agents, who by reason of a 

 thorough knowledge of language and 

 conditions give better results than sales- 

 men devoid of this knowledge. 



One native agent has engaged a store 

 m the business section of Cienfuegos for 



the purpose of exhibiting all kinds of 

 merchandise of American manufacture, 

 and to take orders from reliable whole- 

 sale dealers on commission. The manu- 

 facturers would ship his orders direct to 

 the purchaser. 



Some of the lines of goods that this 

 agent thinks would be salable in Cien- 

 fuegos are: Contractors' carts and farm 

 wagons, vehicles of all descriptions, of- 

 fice, household and wicker furniture, 

 harness, iron safes, automobiles, type- 

 writers, phonographs, bicycles, plated and 

 nickel wares, cash registers, fire extin- 

 guishers, wire and other fencing, refrig- 

 erators and sanitary equipment for 

 houses. The name of this agent is on 

 record at Bureau of Manufactures. 

 Havana Custom House Collections. 

 The Havana Custom House revenues in 

 the month of June amounted to $1,434,798.76. 

 In the fiscal year ending June 30, 1908, 

 the revenue was $18,811,730.80, against $18,- 

 985.36 in the fiscal year of 1906-07, an in- 

 crease ot $136,755.44. 



The revenue for six months of 1907 and 

 1908 is as follows : 



1907. 1908. 



January $1,677,950.59 $1,639,442.41 



February 1,415,208.39 1,327,083.09 



Miarch 1,828,364.87 1,445.400.15 



April 1,830,054.95 1,420,777.11 



May 1,507,063.86 1,370,889.04 



June 1,573,055.22 1,434,798.76 



$9,831,697.88 $8,638,390.56 



This comparison shows a deficit of $1,193,- 

 307.32 in the six months. 



Cuban Mahogany and Cedar Report. 



Mahogany. — June was the second con- 

 secutive month of no arrivals of this 

 grade, and the stock in first hands re- 

 mains the same. The market still con- 

 tinues very dull, as shown by the fig- 

 ures given. 



Cedar. — There was more activity dis- 

 played in this grade of wood last month 

 than for some time past, and notwith- 

 standing the receipts, which were nor- 

 mal, the stock that was on hand a month 

 ago has been considerably decreased. 

 Square wood of the better grades in 

 good condition should find buyers. — 

 George F. Herriman, New York, July 1, 

 1908. 



Proprietary Medicines in Cuba. 



We have yet to learn of a single wor- 

 thy proprietary preparation which has 

 fallen flat when introduced into Cuba, 

 and several American manufacturers 

 have built up a large and rapidly grow- 

 ing business. 



The yield from nroper introductory 

 work in Cuba is prolific provided the 

 goods have merit and are suited to the 

 needs of the people. — American Drug- 

 gist. 



