14 



THE CUBA REVIEW. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Horse Races and Automobile Races for Havana — Cuba's Population — Official 



Census, Etc. 



Cuba's Next Automobile Races. 



"Cuba will hold a big road race next 

 winter," said C. M. Hamilton in the Den- 

 ver Motor Journal, "and now that the 

 big auto derby, scheduled for Mexico, 

 is practically off, owing to the business 

 depression in that country, all eyes will 

 be turned to Cuba. Governor Magoon 

 is having hundreds of miles of good 

 roads constructed, and as he is much in- 

 terested in auto racing has promised he 

 will do all he can to bring matters to 

 head, in order that Cuba may have an 

 international race next year. 



"The last race in Cuba was well man- 

 aged. The soldiers were supreme and 

 their command of the course gave the 

 many great drivers who took part a per- 

 fect course on which to run, clear of all 

 people and animals. It is now proposed 

 to put on a race over a course allowing 

 of continuous racing, whereas in the last 

 race the event was run on a straight 

 course to San Cristobal, and the cars 

 were held in control at each end until 

 all had arrived there. Should such an 

 event be held, the entries will be numer- 

 ous and many of the cars entered at Sa- 

 vannah will compete." 



The new calzada between Havana and 

 Batabano has been completed. The fin- 

 ishing touches were put some days ago 

 and now automobiles and other vehicles 

 may drive direct fi-om Havana to the 

 Caribbean Sea without being compelled 

 to go in a round-about way. The new 

 calzada is one of the very great public 

 improvements which the government of 

 intervention has made and will be ap- 

 preciated by the automobilists coming 

 to the Isle of Pines as well as by the 

 many people in Cuba who live along the 

 route. 



Cuba's Official Population. 



The population of Cuba bv provinces, 

 according to the official report now be- 

 ing tabulated at Washington, is as fol- 

 lows: 



Camaguey 118,269 



Havana 538,010 



Matanzas 239,812 



Oriente 455,086 



Pinar del Rio . . . 240,372 

 Santa Clara. . . . 457,431 



Total 2,048,980 



The 1899 census figures were 1,572,797, 

 an increase in 1907 of 476,183. Previous 

 population data show: 1774, 172,620; 

 1792, 272,301: 1917, 553.028: 1827, 704,- 

 487: 1841, 1,077,624; 1861, 1,396,530; 1887, 

 1,631,687. 



Winter Racing in Havana. 



Secretary Arturo Hernandez of the 

 Cuban Racing Association has issued a, 

 prospectus of the winter racing season 

 at Havana, and it offers attractive in- 

 ducements to American horse owners. 

 The season begins December 1 and lasts 

 until January 31, there being racing on 

 37 days between and including these 

 dates. 



The special stakes will be announced 

 just as soon as the amount of the ap- 

 propriation of the Havana City Council 

 for this year is known, although $20,000 

 is expected from this source, making 

 a total of $60,000 in purses, stakes and 

 handicaps during the meeting. The 

 management of the Cuban Racing Asso- 

 ciation has always been very liberal in 

 the matter of purses, in extending ac- 

 commodation to horsemen for transpor- 

 tation of horses and racing parapher- 

 nalia, and in attending to their welfare 

 while in Havana. Free stable room has 

 been provided at the track, good croton 

 water and a healthy, invigorating cli- 

 mate for horsemen and horses. The 

 track is one mile and an eighth, and 180 

 feet in length, with beautiful wide 

 stretches. The track is about six miles 

 from the center of the city, easily 

 reached by trolley cars, in half hour. 

 The track has been well cared for, has 

 settled down since last meeting, and the 

 association will make every effort to have 

 it in fine shape by December 1, opening 

 day. 



The secretary is Arthur Hernandez 

 Meja, apartado 625, Havana, Cuba, to 

 whom application must be made for 

 stable room, for which there is no 

 charge. The freight rates arranged from 

 New York will be very low, provided 

 concerted shipments can be made, and 

 arrangements made beforehand. 



The Cuban Census. 



The Cuban census is now being com- 

 piled at the Bureau of the Census, at 

 Washington, under the direction of Vic- 

 tor H. Olmsted. By the latter part of 

 September it is believed practically'' all 

 of it will be completed. The volume will 

 make about 500 pages, and will contain 

 fifty illustrations. It will be handsome- 

 ly side stamped and will contain the Cu- 

 ban coat of arms. A fine antique paper 

 is to be used. The text will be entirely 

 in Spanish. Following the publication of 

 the report it is proposed to secure the 

 approval of the Cuban government to a 

 proposition to issue a short abstract of 

 the census in English. 



