Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-04
CONDITIONS IN SAN JUAN
The City Deceptive in Matters Of
Cleanliness.
= Noticeable Feature-Absence OF Nc-
groes Ess.ntIni TO Cleanliness aud
Health Tho Ci,y's war supply
Summary OF tho situation.
Correspondence of Associated Press.l

CORRESPONDENCE of Associated Pressl
San Juan. Porto Rico, Dec. 31-In
the matter of cleanliness this city is
deceptive. II one comes from other
island towns to San Juan. or better yet,
If one comes from the average West
Indian port to San Juan San Juan will
at first seem clean in comparison. This
Is because the streets of Porto. Rico's
capital are for the most part very we'll
paved and are kept actually fairly
u shiny, steel tire on n very muddy
wagon wheel. The city streets, then.
are for the most part clean, but the
houses and the numberless interior
courts and connecting alleyways are
indescribably dirty. Ii you ask what
should be done for the sanitation of
the-city -yeu-will very likely be an
swered everything" There is no
doubt but that the question needs very
thorough handling and one can well
say that everything must be done. for
nothing to speak OF has been done in
the past and of their own will the poo
pie will do nothing to-day
san Juan City is built on the western
runs almost due east and west across
the northern side of San Juan harbor.
The northern side of this island is the
highest, being sixty or seventy feet
above sea level, and from this ridge the
land slopes evenly to the south. Or
harbor side. of the island. The har-
Dor Is large and has an eastern and
II western entrance: the western on
trance only can be used by ships. the
eastern entrance is shallow. But there
is fair current of water through tho
harDor with each slight rise and. fall of
the tide. The prevailing winds are
from the north.
ARRANGEMENT OF HOUSES.
a noticeable fea ;ure of the civ
streets is -tiirIt the first floors. in casss
where the houses have two stories, arc
either given over to officers and ware
houses. or are inhabited by the poorer
classes. Every one knows that IL is
healthier to live above the ground
moor. consequently all those who can
aiord to, do live there. A doctor of
This city, nan who has studied the
question of .e clty'ss health. has de-.
cared That in order to make the city
stay clean and healthy, these poorer
classes. mostly composed of negroes
should be driven away to the country
rms actiofhe considers Imperative for
the lasting success of any measures to-
N'eS odHlldllOn. AS one walks
through the streets one catches
siimpses of interior courts that seem
awe with people; enter these courts.
anu you are impressed with the grea
number OF people who dive In small
spaces and deprived of air and light
americans have wondered how this
CITY could house the thirty thousand
inhabitants attributed to 1t: n visit 10
the Interiors of the houses would
quickly inform them In these 60,
ments- the sanitary arrangements are
practically nil. There are no public
laVatories in town. and the vast
amount of clothes that is weekly wash
ed In this. as in all Central American
cities is done In these houses. Alley-
ways. halls and crowded rooms are
forever hung with damp clothing.
olrty water stands in foul tubs. and so
emptled into drains that probably do
not drain. The houses are crowdeS
with naked children. food is cooked
over charcoal fires in any corner. and
an water comes from underground
leservolrs In the yards that catch the
ram from the roofs. All the water
mat the city has to-day is cfstern vo
ger. Inc NAL doors from these n,ony
tenements blow out into the streets
q I rise 10 the people who live above
~ ls almost impossible to find to-do "
IN san Juan q second story for Iivin o.
purposes under which there do not re-.
sue several families with habits such
as lis here described. 'oeii