Evening star., 1898-09-06
Revenue Derived at the Port of San
tiago de Cuba.
LETTER FROM Mr.. DONALDSON
How the Funds Have Been Judi
cousIy Utilized
REVENUE CUTTER NEEDED

Mr.. Walter A. Donaldson, who was sent
to Cuba as the represt rtative of the Treas
Try Department to look after customs mat
ters, has written private letter to friend
in this city. dated August IS in regard 10
the conditions of the customs service in.
stituted at Santiago de Cuba when that
province fell into the bands of the Amer
leans, in which he says:
L have this to state in summation of the
v'crk done to date, that about $50 coo I'm
duties have been collected which have
heen duly accounted for and turned into
the United States depository. Gen. Shaf-
ter was delighted with the work: he
thought at first it would not amount to
anything, as did all OF the army officers
with whom 1 came ir contact. In fact I
am inclined to believe that the entrance OF
cargo vessels under the merchant marine
was considered somewhat of an intrusion
into this military port. Since coming how
ever, L have been able to get them TO ap-
rreciatC the advantage CT constant source
OF revenue ont of which to defray the many
expenses that they we're called upon TO
meet. apart from the specific objects Of
army appropriations The genera! has told
me that he found it very convenient 10 have,
a fHld at his command from which he
could draw = thousand or two thousand
collars at any given moment.
Utilizing f::c Funds.
Under his directions l have paid the DO.
lice and other similar employees of SAN
tfago, and have supplied the funds with
which to pay the street cleaning brigade
which brig lde, by the way is unfer the
command of another Col. Waring namely.
Brig. Gen. Leonard Wood Gen Wood has
been enabled by this fact of having ready
cash to have the city converted from a
reeklng slaughter yard and plague hole
into comparatively healthy town OF
course. the city " i'll not compare with the
corner of Pennsylvania avenue and 18th
street but if the horrors thai met or ewes
on landing could have been seen by you.
cue appreciation Of the transformation
would easily be effected. f0vea the har;,or
shows the good effect of having money
with which 10 pay employees and to bay
supplies
The Suhport Principle.
This morning applications have come in
for clearances for various ports on the
north and south side of the island. par
ucularly Manzanillo, Guantanamo. Glen
fuegos, Gibara, Baracoa, Cardenas and
other ports. Guantanamo has been made a
SUPPORT of my district. The other potis
probably will be made likewise supports
MY own suggestion is that the SUPPORT
principle be carried into effect as extensive
ly as possible. 80 that there will be only the
chief ports of entry iur a time. as al pres
ent, under the Spanish regime. commenc-
ing with Havana and terminating with
Santiago. That will make perfect the ac-
countability of receipts for customs and
other purposes.
What is done at this port is an excellent
example of what is done at all the other
ports and find that a great many matters
CT extreme Importance connected with the
administration of the custom house at Ha-
yara are coming to my attention every
day.
70 hot I la,-
where others have fallen in spite of my ap-
parently frail appearance. Strong men have
fallen and died in single night. officers
and men who have campaigned and rough
ed 1t in the far west for years, | have seen
weak as children and slowly drifting into
the next world. / can explain my escape
only by good luck. some care and Divine
providence. OF course l have taken such
precautions as seemed reasonable, but they
hardly explain my escape AT the present
moment ! can say that | have never felt
better in my life than l feel now.
A Revenue Cutter Needed.
What l have needed here chiefly is a
revenue cutter or vessel suitable fur such
a purpose, with a steam launch; with these
L could have taken possession Of every one
Of the supports in few hours, secured the
funds on deposit, established d system
which | find works. and held the PORTS ac-
countable to the main port of entry every
day by what they call the hojas and the
cashiers reports. There is not a vessel of
that kind available but as We are cut off
from the world and hear nothing | cannot
say what ship you may have available for
that purpose. 1t seems TO me, however
that one of the smaller craft recently ac-
CURED by the navy for use along ,he coast
during the present war would have been
just the thing. Four or five hundred tens
might be the maximum. Remember that il
is the coast guard line that prevents snug
CLING. In the absence of railroads We must
depend especially upon the revenue cutter
service. At the proper time / shall submit
a comprehensive plan which will take care
of the entire coast of the Island of ruba,
the configuratlon of which is such that the
revenue can be readily protected by a sim
pie but effective plan.
Gen. Shafter has a remarkably faculty
of grasping all the details of a situation
He has worked too hard and has begun to