The record-union., 1898-10-02
Since 1t Has Come Under the Control Of the
United States.
General Wood Reports That When
the American Forces Entered
the City the Sanitary Situation
Was Something Frightfu1, But
Since He Has Been in Control
the Death Rate Has Dropped to
One-Fourth of What it Was
Previously.

Previously.
| WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-Secretary
Alger has received a long letter from
General Leonard Wood, Military Gov
ernor of Santiago.
| General Wood says in part: when
We came into the city the sanitary sit
uation was something frightful. There
were a. great many unburied dead in
the houses, between 1000 and 5000
| Spanish wounded and sick and a great
horde of half famished and sick people,
nearly 10000 in number, who had just
returned from Ell Caney, where they
had gone during the siege. There was
no water to be obtained, except from
cisterns and a few wells, and the streets
We're full of dead animals and all sorts
of filthy materials. I had to start in
from the bottom and repair the water
works. Then came the removal of the
dead. Some Of these We're burned, be-
cause the number was so great and
decomposition had advanced to such an
extent that they could not be buried.
Burning is not uncomm Oily practiced
here during the epidemic season.
I'VE had yellow fever all around us,
and about twenty cases in the Spanish
military hospital. The hospital was full
of dying, and public buildings were be-
ing used as hospitals.
Il have been working Systematically
with every means at hand to improve
the sanitary condition of the city. I
have a force of about 10 men con-
stantly employed, and at many times
have had nearly double this force work
ing day and night to remove the vast
accumulatons of indescribable filth
which have accumulated in the out
houses and yards, as we'll as in the
streets of the city, which is reputed to
be one of the most unhealthy and dirty
! in the world. The death rate has drop
ped steadily since we came in, and is
now about one-fourth of what it was in
July Il
The city has been divided into five
parts, each of which is a relief station.
where food is distributed and a physi
clan in attendance who prescribes for
those who present themselves sick and
visits the sick in the houses. The Po-
! lice Department, all doctors and the
officials in each ward have received in
| structions to furnish these physicians
a list Of sick requiring attention and
also of the worthy poor, in order that
we may be somewhat protected in the
distribution Of medicines and rations.
| I am issuing at present about 10000
rations per day. The physicians are
probably prescribing for about 600 or
| 700 people and some days more. These
physicians are native Cubans, educated
| in the United States and employed by
our Government as contract surgeons.
The garbage and material which I
collect in the streets l have dumped
outside of town and burned. l have
also had the lower and most unhealthy
portion of the city ditched and drained
and the bitches running into the har-
Dor cleaned out; also, the water front
system of sewerage, which was COM
pletely obstructed and in a. frightful
| condition. Later this year, when the
epidemic season shall have passed, it
is my intention, if 1 am granted funds
and authority, to have the shallow
places dredged out, so that at least a
thin layer Of water will cover them at
| low tide and prevent the present con-
dition of affairs.
The receipts of the city from Gus
toms since we occupied it, l understand
from Generals Shafter and Lawton,
who have charge of this matter, have
been about 100000. The expenses of
the city per week, supporting the hos
pitfalls, cleansing the streets. doing the
necessary engineering work and the
many little things required to keep up
the different departments of a city of
| 10000 people are at present 81 500 to
| $1,000. OF this about 81 600 is for SAN
itary work and engineering, the bal
ance for hospital, police, etc.
Il have been as economical as pos
sible, but have felt that in this matter
of sanitation expense should not be
taken into consideration, as the lives
of all Americans here might be said TO
depend upon a prompt and thorough
correction of the frightful unsanitary
condition in which the city was found
The great expert on yellow fever,
| Dr. Guiteras, assured me in July that
an epidemic of yellow fever of great Sc
verify was absolutely unavoidable, and
| that we were destined to lose a large
portion Of our people here Thus far it
| has been avoided, and not only avoid
ed, but to-day / don't know of an au-
thentic case of genuine yellow fever in
| Santiago de Cuba proper, and 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:
Il am very anxious to have the schools
started in the city and get the chill
dren out of the streets; also, to get the
issue of rations down to such a point
that we are sure we are not pauperizing
| the people,
| General Wood thinks it would be
Well to get the rations out to the small
places in the country. so that the Gu
ban soldiers, as they leave the army,
may be able to get to their farms in the
vicinity of the towns. After the first
crop nearly all the assistance should be
| brought to an end
/ General Wood communicates the
gratifying intelligence that all indica-
tions now point to the speedy disband-
ing of the Cuban army. He says the
feeling of the better class of Cubans
| toward the Americans is very kind and
they appreciate what the United States
4 is trying to do The General is very