The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1898-12-09
WARING, THE MARTYR,
THE SANITARY EXPERT GAVE HIS LIFT:
FOR HAyANA'S HEALTH.
Before Death tie Offered the Best Possiblc
Solution of the Problem Of How TO Clean
Cuba's Filthy Capital.

Before Death tie Offered the Best P0ssibic
Solution of the Problem Of How TO Clean
Cuba's Filthy Capital.
The death, in New York City. OF
Colonel George WarinG. the sanitary
engineer who contracted yellow fever
in Cuba while looking To the hes.
means of its determination. may well
direct the attention of the War De
partment to the condition which will
confront General Lees army of occu-
patton in Havana and its suburbs. and
10 the instant necessity of beginning
the work which. if properly pushed,
may make Of Havana Il comparatively
clean city within Il twclvcmonth.
1t is understood that Colonel War
ing'S report has been completed. 1t
will contain recommendations which
In the light of his conspicuous profGs:
sional ability can only be regarded AS
offering the very best possible solu
tom OF the problem which. left un-
solved. will mean Il distrcSSful martyr
dom of American soldiers and Il con-
tinual menace to the public health in
our Southern States.
The report will Recommend that IIa
vanaS sewage should be directed into
the Gulf of Mexico, rather than into
Havana harbor, and that Il canal be
cut across tn" narrow neck of land
back of the city proper. connecting
the open tide water of the Gulf with
the Stagnant puddle which is named
Havana Bay.
That canal is the only solution of the
problem of cleansing and Keeping
clean Havana harhor. Even the Span
iSh had long ago como to an apprc-
ciaticn of this fact. and every suc-
crSSivc colonial government has an
nOunccd its intention To dig the canal
--'manana."
Havana naturally is Il healthy city.
1t is situated on high. rocky ground;
1t is swept at all hours by inviSorat
ing and malaria -dispclling ocean
hrc"zCS: its water works system.
Splrndidly conceived ana fairly well
executed. brings Il flood of clean.
sparkling water from the limestone
hills. far away from any possible
source of pollution. and the climate
during eight months of the year is
delightful.
There should he no malaria i'm la
rana; no catarrhal or pulmonary dis
eases should originate there. and the
scourgcs of smallpox and yellow fe-
YER might be quickly and forever pro-
vidcd against by the acts of modern
sanitation.
But centuries Of easy going. dirt
loving. careless Spanish African civ
iliZation have made of the town anl
harbor IL vcritablc Siniholc of infect
ion which will require Il lot of clean
ing up before the thou shall not
measures of modern sanitary car"
may become prcvCniiycly cllicaciouS.
The canal is tic ALPHA prrforcr Of
the new regime
Havana harhor IS sheet Of water
of thirty SU,mr" miles of superficial
surface aud variable depth 1t is
landlockrd 10 that degree that il is
comparable TO II dcmijoln. The mar
row bottle neck three hundred yards
wide gives access To the cur which
has less than four feet Of mean tide
variation. VhS is not sufficient 20
cause Il rise and fall or moro than six
inches at each turn of ti." tide. meas.
urinG ut the steps Of La Machina
wharf.
FOR three hundred years all The
sewage, Offal and garbage Of the city
of Havana have been placidly
dumped into this comparatively small
basin of Stagnant water. The result
IS best described in the words Of
Gunner Charles Morgan. United
States Navy, who had charge of ihr
diving operations in the salvage work
about the wreck Of the Maine. Nor
gan sat with the writer one day last
April on Il barge alongside the Main"
with only the helmet Of his diving
suit removed. He had Just come to
the surface after u prolonged prOwl
about the Maincs shattered hull.
at is like diving through Dorrdgc
when ore gets down two fathoms,"