The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-27
Commissioner
Porter's Report.
A CLEAN CITY
Sanitary Force Has Done Won.
ders I'm Way Of Cleaning Upper
sons Violating the sanitary Laws
Publicly Observation-Disclosures CHI.
zens Put 20 Work on the Streets The
Government Of the City In Working
Smoothly

mOOth1y
Washington, December 22.-Robert p.
Porter, special commissioner for the
United States TO Cuba and Porto Rico,
has returned from Santiago and has
submitted his report to the secretary
of the treasury. While in Porto Rico,
Mr.. Porter he'd public hearings AND all
persons interested in the welfare of the
island We're invited to submit state
ments n give oral testimony. The
chamber Of commerce, representing the
commercial and industrial interests of
the province, responded. The machin-
cry of the military government, Mr..
Porter says, is running with a fair de-
gree of smoothness and the men re-
sponsible for it understand their bust
ness thoroughly. The disagreeable
smells Of the typical Cuban city, his
report says, are less pronounced in
Santiago, while whitewash, limewash,
fresh paint and all sorts of disinfect-
ants nave deodoriZed the surrounding
atmosphere n the old town is quite
habitable. TIE streets are 10 longer
used as sewers, n the unhappy indi-
vidual who violates the law and es-
capes the lash Of the sanitary commits
toner's whip is compelled to work on
the streets for thirty days. This off,
cial. Major Barbour, with 126 men
dressed in spotless white, n thirty
two good United States mule teams and
carts, having dug out from the streets
Of Santiago the filth of ages, is now
able to keep them absolutely clean.
Every day by the aid Of petroleum, the
garbage of the city is burned. The
pynrR of O. pifofinn ic not confined ~
the streets, but extends to the dwell
ing houses, shops and buildings of all
kinds. To accomplish this, however,
the doors of houses had to be smashed
in and people making sewers of thor
oughfares were publicly hOrsewhipped
in the streets. Eminently respectable
citizens were forcibly brought before
the commanding general and sentenced
to aid in cleaning the streets they were
in the habit Of defiling.
The campaign has ended in a SOM
plete surrender to the sanitary authori-
ties n the inhabitants Of Santiago re-
CARELESS of class, have had their first
object lesson in the new order of things
inaugurated by the war. Several i'm
portant streets have been repaired, all
the public buildings have been thor
oughly cleaned, the work even extend
ing to the opera house. The law
courts, which were abolished when
GeneTdl smarter LOOK the city, nave
been reOrganiZed.
The supreme court, the report con-
tinues. is composed of carefully select
ed Cuban judges, the appointees nomi-
mated wholly on account of legal at
tainments. In the same manner local
government has been restored and ma
tive mayors n officials appointed, the
only requirement being that persons
accepting such offices shall TAX the
oath recognizing the military ccupa-
ton of the island by the United States,
but in no way committing them to any
future form of government.
The Spanish, when in possession OF
Cuba, not only assumed control of the
judiciary, but of the municipal gov
eminent, the larger proportion of the
taxes raised for municipal purposes be-
ing diverted, with the other revenues,
into channels which,, says the report,
either led to Spain or into Spanish
pockets.
Mr.. Porter advises that these taxes
hereafter be used exclusively for local
purposes, and, as far as may be deem
ed practicable, that they be collected
and by properly constituted
local authorities.
The rural districts of Santiago have
been so depleted that it will be impos-
sible to collect taxes over and above
those needed for the bare necessities
- oNAooiS LII Tic poOl, liz PoSSIOly
small sums to improve the sanitary
conditions.
The dawn of prosperity, however,
should be the signal for inaugurating
systematic work on the country roads
The money expended on roads, whether
from the general funds of the island or
from the local budgets, would come
back a hundred fold, it is stated, and
make Santiago one of the richest su-
gar, coffee n fruit growing districts
in the West Indies. Now that the GUS
toms tariff has been disposed of, Mr..
Porter recommends that al immediate
scheme be prepared for levying and
collecting internal revenue for the en-
tire island. The question of separating
these taxes from purely municipal
taxes should be considered also. The
large amount of ~oelinquencies during
the last three years, which amounted
to about $6, 000, 900, was, Of course, due
to the war.