New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-23
CLEANING HAVANA'S STREETS
CTTYs DEATH RATE SHOWS A MARKED
DECREASE.
FURTHER PRECAUTIONS RECOMMENDED
BY DIR. BRUNNER-WHARVEs A
SOURCE OF DANGER
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TmBUNE.l


SOURCE OF DANGER.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBUNE.l
Washington Jan 22-A marked Improvement
in the health conditions at Havana. after less
than two weeks OF American occupation. Is
shown in the official report Of DR.. Drummer
United States Sanitary Inspector. who writes to
Surgeon General wyman under date OF Janu-
airy 13 that the death rate which has hereto
fore exceeded 100 in the 1000. was only at the
rate of ~ 10 for the week ending January IL
The report continues:
street cleaning is q matter now Of daily occur
renee. and II followed up will be Of great sani-
tary benefit in the near future. While IT Is pos
sible to remove wastes daily accumulated. II Is
almost impossible to make the paved streets
mechanically clean when the mud and filth are
carried to them from the unpaved streets
Again each rain washes the mud from the
higher TO the lower streets making them filthy.
the sidewalks being covered with slippery fifth.
The Prado, zulucta and other streets which
have been paved with rotten limestone or
what is called cheat and which fouls badly after
rains and il easily washed away, must be re-
paved, preferably with asphalt, before that part
OF the city between them and the bay can be
sweep; clean. The paving OF the streets named
can be done this winter with little danger TO the
health OF the residents on said streets provided
the work Is begun Immediately and finished be-
fore June /. This statement is based on the fact
that there is little grading 10 be done on these
streets TO prepare them for the pavements' and
also because there has been no fouling OF the
streets the rains invariably sweeping away the
rotten limestone with the accumulated waste
matter. The paved streets, certainly those IN
the oldest part of the city, should not be touched
this winter 1t being now too late to begin WORK
on them without disastrous results.
DANGER FROM WHARVES AT REGLA
The wharves at Regla, about which much
has been said in several Of my reports, have at
last been made mechanically clean. Cnques-
tonably these wharves should be thoroughly
washed and scrubbed with strong solution OK
bichlOride Of mercury. as the excreta OF thou
sands Of soldiers have been deposited on these
wharves daily since last August, and hundreds
OF cases OF enteriC fever dysentery and diar-
rhpa occurred among them. only one death
from yellow fever has come to my notice during
the week-an American. an employe or the Gus
toms service died on January t. learn that
there are two additional cases OF smallpox In
the lOlst Indiana Regiment. There are only
few cases Of the disease, and l know OF only
two cases now existing in the city. There is
growing trade between ports In Florida ana
Havana and the vessels employed in said trade
small schooners-nvariably go TO the Cabal-
leria Wharf. where they discharge their cargoes
ard remain several days.
THE crews Of vessels from Key West are In
all probability Immune 10 yellow fever, but the
vessels themselves may become infected without
its appearance in the crews. This condition or
affairs would be more dangerous than If the dis
ease actually appeared aboard.
Passenger traffic TO the United States is In
creasing rapidly. Some Of the vessels carrying
passengers to ports in Florida occasionally go
TO the San jose Wharf 1t is not a common
practice but when these vessels bring consid-
cradle Army material they land ii at this wharf
This should be stopped