The Topeka state journal., 1898-09-30

food, in fact, re-establish and take en-
tire charge of them. 1 have also estab-
Hshed strict system of house inspec-
tion and inspection of the streets and
have disinfecting department as well
as a cleaning department. The city
has been divided into five districts in
each of which is a relief station, where
food is distributed and physician in
attendance who prescribes for those who
present themselves sick, and visits the
sick in the house. The police depart
ment, all doctors and the officials in
each ward have received instructions
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. 1 am issuing
at presnt about $4,000 ratlons per day.
The physicians are probably prescribing
for about 900 or 700 people and some
days many more. These physicians are
native Cubans, educated in the United
States and employed by our govern
ment as contract surgeons.
THE garbage and material which I
collect in the streets have dumped out
side and burnt. 1 have also had the
lower and most unhealthy portion of
the city ditched and drained and the
bitches running into the harbor cleaned
out, also the water front system of
sewerage, which was completely OBJ
structed and in a frightful condition.
1t has long been the custom in this
town to depend upon heavy rains and
the rushing floods through the streets
to sweep away the accumulated filth of
the dry season. All this has been swept
down to the water front, where it has
been collecting for years, choking the
drains and filling the shallow waters
near the shore, so that when the tide
goes out masses of dumping material
are exposed to the intense rays Of the
sun and furnish frightful cause Of dis
ease. Later this year, when the epi-
denic season shall have passed, it is
my intention, if I am granted funds
and authority, to have the shallow
placed dredged out so that at least a.
thin layer of water will cover them at
low tide and prevent the present cOndi-
ton of affairs.
'sThe police force has been re-estab-
Hshed 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
1.-The lighthouse system in the harbor
I have re-estabIished and arranged pi-
lots, harbor masters, etc.
LAS the courts are not yet running, I
have the delightful experience each day
of acting as police judge and clearing
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 blythe courts,
when they are established and in oper-
alton
toms since we occupied it, 1 under
stand from Generals Shafter and Law
ton, who have charge of this matter,
have been about $4,000 The expenses
of the city per week, supporting the
hospitals, cleansing the streets, doing
the necessary engineering work and the
many little things required to keep up
the different departments of the city Of
so 600 people, are at present $4,000 to
IS OOO OF this about 81, 500 is for sani-
tary work and engineering, the balance
for hospital, police station, etc.
"I have been as economical as pos
sible but have felt that in this matter
n should
taken into consideration, as the lives of
all Americans here might be said to
depend upon prompt and thorough
correction of the frightfulness of the
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
proportion of our people here Thus
far it has been avoided, and not only
avoided. but today do not know of an
authentic case of genuine yellow fever
in Santiago de Cuba proper. and every
day increases our chances of escape"