The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-01-09


washed by copious floodings from the
water supply into an adjoining creek
and harbor, reeking with putrid filth.
There is no systematic disposal Of gar
bage and sweepings. 1t is deposited on
the surface in and near the town, where
the buzzards feast upon it to their full
satisfaction. Dead dogs, cats and
chickens are left in the streets until
the buzzards pick them to the skeleton.
And all this is done under an intense
sun. Bad as these conditions are, they
are not comparable with the disgust
ing conditions of the domestic life.
There are fewer than 10000 houses in
the city. Sixteen thousand are of one
story, 200 are of three stories and a
very few are of four stories, and none
higher. At least - out of every 13 of
the inhabitants live in one story
houses, the total population being over
100000 The average population to the
houses is over ten.
In all the cOmpactly built parts of the
city the entire lot is covered with the
house, there being one or two courts
included in the building. In the better
class of houses the entrance hall is
quite commonly the standing room of
at its side and into the reception room
at its rear. Beyond this is a court,
then dining room, then a smaller court
the kitchen, stable and private vault
practically in one. Sleeping rooms are
in the rear of the parlor and at the
side of the court dining room. The
conspicuous feature of every house is
the private vault, and sometimes a sec
ond vault for kitchen wastes. The
vaults occupy a space practically under
and almost in the kitchen. 1t is rare,
indeed, that these vaults have a ven
tilating pipe, so that they belch forth
nauseating odors throughout the house,
which pervade the streets.
Lest the conditions above set forth
should fail to do their appointed work
of destruction the broad marshes at
the southerly edge of the harbor are
at hand to furnish their quota of ma
laria. Into these marshes flow a num-
Der of water courses, which bear upon
| their surface the off scouTings of a
very poor quarter Of the town, the
| effiuent of the slaughtering pens and
other foul establishments, while a large
| portion of the fiat is used as a dump
| Ing ground for garbage,
The water supply of Havana, says
| Colonel Waring, is of the purest and
most excellent character. This, with
| the winds Of the gulf, save the city
| from being absolutely and unqualifiedly
bad. The citv is a veritable plague
| spot. Its own people, largely immune
| though they are TO yellow fever, which
has prevailed in Havana without in
terruption for 1853 years, fall constant
victims to the pernicious malaria and
| depressing influences to which they are
always subjected. 1t needs only the
immigration of fresh material, which
the enterprise Of an American popula-
tion is sure to bring in, to create 6
sacrifice such as has not yet beer
known. Commerce. says Colonel War
ing, Will carry the terrible scourge OF
yellow fever 10 our shores, until we
rise again in a war of humanity and
at all costs wipe out an enemy with
which no military valor can cope.
In conclusion Colonel Waring says;
would it not be wise TO accept al
once the fact that we are confronted
with a danger compared with which
war is Insignificant, and proceed t.
meet and conquer 1t while W.
may? We cannot afford 10 wal
until we have fed It and strength
ened 1t with the lives Of our people
! The pscessary reforms will call fol