The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-10-02
tconunusd from First PsEeJ
LETTER FROM SANTIAGO

fOurth Whht " NhH Va SHlgs lH'''iRg HHA
been divided into i've parts. each Of
which IL a station where fodd is distrib.
uted and physician Is In attendance
who prcucribcs for those who present
themselves nlck and visits tho sick In the
houses. Tho police department. all doc.
tors and tho officials In each ward have
received instructions to furnish these
physicians a list Of sick requiring atten-
tion and also Of tho worthy poor. IN or
der that We may DO somewha, protected
In tho distribution Of medicines and IA.
,ions am issuing al present about i5,-
90 rutlons per day. The physicians are
probably prescribing for 90 or 30 people
and some days many more. Those phys.-
clans are native cubans. edusated In the
United States and employed by our gov
crnmcuI as contract surgeons.
The garbage and the material whi h
| collect In the STREETS / have dumped
OUTSIDE OF town and burned. / have also
had the lower and most unhealthy por-
ton Of the city dltchcd and drained and
tho bitches running into the hnrbor
cleaned out also tho water front system
OF sewerage. which WIS completely OBJ
structed and In frightful condition.
Later this year when thc epidemic
season shall have passed. It Is my inten-
lion n am granted and authority. 20
have tho shallow places dredgod out, 20
that at least thin layer of water viii
cover them at low lide and prevent the
condition OF affairs.
Tho receipts OF the city from customs
since We occupied II. l understand from
Generals shafJer and i.iwton. who have
charge Of this matter, have been about
10000, Tho expenses Of the city per
week. supporting the hospitals, cleansing |
the streets. doing the necessary ems .necr-
Ing work and the many l.tsle Things re-
quircd TO keep up the different depart
mcnIs OF the city OF 5000 are at present
$500 TO sou. or this about Iioo Is Tor
sanitary work ana engineering, the al |
anco for hospitals, police, etc.
Il have been as economical as possible,
but have felt that In this matter OF san
itation, expense should no, be taken into
as the lives OF all Amer
leans here might be said TO depend upon |
u prompt and thorough correction OF the
frightful unsanitary condition In which
the city was found
''rhe great expert In yellow fever. DR..
Guiterras, assured me that an epidemic
OF great severity was absolutely up-
avoidablo and that We were destined to
lose a large proportion OF our people here.
Thus far II has been avoided. and not
only avoided, but don't know OF an au-
thentio case OF genuine yellow fever in |
Santiago de Cuba, proper, ana every day |
Increases our chances OF escape"
General Wood says the military force
has been used only when the police have
been Inadequate, He continues;
81 am very anxious to have the schools |
started In the city and get the children |
out OF the streets; also to get the issue
of rations down TO point that We are |
sure We are not pauperiEing the people"
General Wood thinks Il would be well |
to get the rat,ons out to the small places
In the country so that the Cuban soldiers
as they leave the army may be able to
get 10 their farms in the vicinity of the |
town. After the first crop nearly all the
assistance will have been brought to an
end
General Wood communicates the graft
Tying Intelligence that all the indications
now point TO the speedy disbandmont of
the Cuban army, He says the feeling of
thN pNttcI Nluss VI NuudHs loNdlN NllV |
Americans is very kind and they appre-
ciate what the United States is trying to
do,
The general Is very hopeful that every
thing will come out all right No one
can tell, he says. how long 1t will take
to establish government, but he thinks
Il will be quite period of time.
The letter from which the above ex-
tracts were taken was dated September
o On September l6 General Wood wrote
another letter to Secretary Alger, in
which he says:
"Since my last letter everything has
been going on smoothly and the improve
ment Is continued People have all they
want to eat and do not think there Is
hunger, TO any extent In Santiago, l
4