Another great photo! In the background, above the open-sided sheds you can see the Havana Electric Railway's elevated tram line. It ran for 8 blocks over the Calle San Pedro. Below is a view from the other direction. I'd say the cases of Dietz lanterns were being imported. By 1904 there was about 4,000 km of mainline railway in Cuba, mostly financed by North American interests.

The barrels in the center foreground, and the beyond ones behind the Dietz lanterns are powder kegs - recognizable by their wooden hoops. No metal parts to strike a spark. Their nails were copper, for the same reason.

Further away, tight cooperage capable of holding liquids are seen, except for one lone "slack barrel" that can be seen between the stacks of sacks. Was the tight cooperage carrying spirits???

The only thing better than this picture would be having the opportunity to walk about the place. The fragrance of old canvas and burlap sacks almost comes through my monitor. One can only imagine the laughter, cussing, drinking and wheeling and dealing that had to have been part of the daily landscape.

The Dietz Lanterns…wonder where they were going or coming from. Back in the day the company was a major supplier of railroad lanterns, crafting them to meet a given carriers specs.