The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-18
General Ludlow's Singing Rebuke
to Former Spanish Official.
SPANS RECORD IN CUBA
LEFT NOTHING BUT THE FILTH
OF GENERATIONS.
Ludlow Sets Forth the Horrible Re-
suits of Spanish Misrule and
Shows What the Americans Are
Doing For the Island-spanish
Etiquette Goes BY the Board.

Havana, Jan 17-Some idea of the
conditions here in Havana, and of The
real magnitude of the work before the
military administration, can be gath
erad from letter sent recently by
Major General Ludlow, military gov
ernor OF the department Of Havana, &c
the late mayor, Marquis d Estaban, in
"eply to a letter complaining that GER
tain United States stan officers had
been operating in the mayoralty sphere
without consulting him.
After an expression OF regret thai
the marquis had been Inconvenience
in airy way, and an assurance that
whatever had been done, no discOur-
tesy was intended. General Ludlow
says:
You must admit, however. that the
city of Havana is in a. deplorable con-
dition. The Spaniards have left il
bankrupt, unable to pay its employees
who have lacked their salaries for
many months. The prisons, asylums
and homes for the destitute are with
out supplies, food or medicine. The
sanitary condition is frightful. Almost
Uncomfortable abuses exist. which are
a continuing menace to the health OF
the city.
THE Spaniar7s have left Havana
with scarcely an attribute of modern
civilization, and practically in the san
itary condition of city two centuries
ago For the time being, Havana, as
we'll as the island is in helpless and
destitute condition. The United States
is Professionally in charge of the ad-
ministration of affairs, military and
civil The American government has
expended large sums Of money for the
regeneration Of the island, and is ready
to spend more The money which al
this very moment is being used to
maintain the charitable institutions OF
the city is money allotted by the United
States as free gift Tor this purpose.
We have given food rations by the
laillion and employment to thousands
who needed il.
THE retiring Spanish authorities
have pillaged almost every public
building destined ifOr use stripping all
of everything OF value with a few eX-
ceptions, and leaving behind only the
accumulated filth CT generations. With
in three months will come the wet sea-
son, with deplorable possibilities as TO
the outbreak of epidemics, particularly
yellow fever, by which Havana suffers
the year round. owing to the gross
neglect Of all sanitary precautions.
In these circumstances, faced by
the gravest emergency, with immediate
measures Of relief necessary in every
direction, with all public institutions to
be. reorganiZed and re-equipped, with
the streets to clean and pave, the sew
ers to be built, untold denominations by
the thousand to be obliterated. and
the common people to be educated in
the elementary principles Of modern
civilized life, il is simply impossible at
this moment for the United States mil
itary authorities in every step they
take TO go through the tedious pro-
sceSses imposed by Spanish methods
upon local administration.
In concluding his letter, General Lud-
low invited the Marquis to join in
measures tending to ameliOrate the de-
plorable conditions under which Ha-
vana suffers.
Governor General Brooke in q day or
two viii create a supreme court for
chief justice and six associate justices
1t will be a court Of last appeal for the
consideration Of cases which formerly
went to Madrid for decision.
The American government is now
building and equipping a railroad in
Cuba, LOO men being at work. At
least 1900 more will be given employ
ment as soon as possible. The road
runs from Triscornia. around GUIANA
roads entering Havana. 1t will be
about six miles in length, and is being
constructed by the American Indies
company. in connection with the con-
tracing firm of Drake. Stratton & Co.
of New York and Pittsburg. The road
is being built on an elastic CONTRACT
so much per cubic yard of dirt handled.
The original plans contemplated the
construction Of seven warehouses at
the Trisconia- The Van Aiken Con-
struction company has been given a
contract for the buildings