The Worcester spy., 1898-10-01
IMPR0Y ED.
SantiagoMu.ch
Cleaner.
NO YELLOW JACK
Gen. Wood Has Performed
a Herculean Task.

he speaks to some length about the san
stary conditions of that city. It is per-
sonal to great extent. In part Gen.
Wood says:
Il have had a very difficult position
from sanitary point of view, and not
altogether easy one from q military
and civil standpoint When we came
into the city the sanitary situation was
something frightful. There were a
great many unburied dead in the hous-
ss, between two and three thousand
Spanish wounded and sick, and a great
horde OF half-famished and sick peo-
pie, nearly 10000 in number, who had
just returned from Ell Caney, where
they had gone during the siege.
'We had yellow fever all around US,
and about 20 cases in the Spanish mill
Tary hospital The civil hospital was
full of dying people and public build
iI4gs We're being used as hospitals, On
the whole it was an extremely difficult
task. requiring a great deal of hard
work. 1 have been working systemati-
cally with every means at hand to i'm
prove the sanitary condition Of the city.
amount of work has been done. I have
q force of about 10 men constantly en-
ployed, and at many times have had
nearly double this force working day
and night to remove the vast accumu-
lations of indescribable filth which has
accumulated in the outhouses and
yards, as well as the streets of the city,
which is reputed to be one of the most
unhealthy and dirty in the world"
The death rate has dropped steadily
since we came in, and is now about one
fourth Of what it was in July. The
water system has been put in order
and a great many repairs made to it,
and the supply although insufficient,
is utilized to the greatest advantage.
81 am issuing at present about 15,
OO0 rations per day. The physicians
probably are prescribing for about 900
or 700 people, and on some days many
more. These physicians are native Gu
bans, educated in the United States,
and employed by our government as
contract surgeons. a>-s-
1.-THE garbage and material which
collect in the streets l have dumped
outside of town and burnt. ] have also
had the lower and most unhealthy por-
tion of the city ditched and drained. 1t
had long been the custom in this town
to depend on heavy rains and the run
Ming of foods through the streets to
sweep away the accumulated filth OF
the dry season. All this has been swept
down to the water front, in which ii
has been collecting for years, choking
the drains and filing the shallow wat
ers near the shore, so that when the
tides go out masses Of decomposing ma
terial are exposed to the intense rays OF
the sun and furnish frightful causes of
disease.
'"The police force has been re-estab-
lished and its uniforms changed to one
similar to that worn by the Cubans,
and they will soon be entirely rid of
all suggestion of Spanish rule.
'"The lighthouse system in the har-
bor have re-established and arranged
pilots, harbor masters, etc.
"As the courts are not yet running,
j have the delightful experience each
day of acting as police Judge and clear
ing the docket of all sorts of odd cases.
OF course the most serious cases, such
as crime, are being held for trial,
either by military commission or by
the courts when they are established
and in oper alton.
''The receipts of the city from GUS
toms since we occupied it, understand
from Gems. Shafter and Lawton, who
have charge Of this matter, have been
about 100000. The expenses of the
city per week are at present S45O0 to
$1,000.
''The great expert on yellow fever,
DR.. Guiteras, assured me in July that
an epidemic Of yellow fever of great
severity was absolutely unavoidable,
and that we were destined to lose a
large proportion of our people here.
Thus far 1t has been avoided, and not
only avoided but today do not know
Of an authentic case of genuine yellow
fever in Santiago proper, and every
day increases our chances of escape.
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 such q
point that we are sure we are not pau
perizing the people"
Gen Wood communicates the graft
flying intelligence that all indications
now point to the speedy disbanding of
the Cuban army. He says the feeling
of the better class of Cubans toward
the Americans is very friendly, and
they appreciate what the United States
is trying to Go. The general is very
hopeful that everything Will come out
all right No one can tell, he says,
how long It will take to establish a
stable government, but he thinks it will
be quite period of time.
Gen. Wood wrote again on Sept 16,
and said;
'Since my last letter, everything has
been going on smoothly, and the i'm
provement is continued People have
all they want to eat, and do not think
there is hunger, to any extent in San
tiago. I have increased the number
Of doctors and the relief stations of
Aeed."
Santiago, Sept. SO-Capt. Brady. of
the United States signal service has
been ordered to begin the construction
Of an overland telegraph line, S25 miles
in length, from Guantanamo, by the
way Of Santiago de Cuba and Manzan-
lilo. Educational statistics prepared by
order Of Gen. Wood show that Al per
cent of the white population and 12 per
cent of the colored population are able
TO read and write. Schools will be
opened on Monday, the attendance upon
which will be compulsory. English will
be taught. Thirty teachers, at a salary
of $50 a month each, and superintend-
ent at S125 month, will be engaged
Gen. Wood requests that charitable
persons In America be advised that no
more mems clothing is needed, but that
calico and needles and thread for the
women. and supplies of quinine, bis
muth and iron for the sick are required.
He would like the agricultural depart
ment and charitable societies to send
consignments Of seeds suitable for
planting in the climate, which would
be of incalculable advantage to the
Avoid all danger Of disease from drink