Daily inter mountain., 1899-01-19
INVESTIGATING
HAVANA'S FINANCES
COMMISSION PROBING INTO THE
ACTS OF THE FORMER SPAN
ISH OFFICIALS.

New York, Jan. ia dispatch to the
Tribune from Havana says: The finance
commission, which is examining into the
financial condition of the city have made
considerable progress. The Indebtedness
has been thought to consist of
mortgage municipal bonds to the amount
of $7,000,000 and mortgage bonds to the
amount of $3,000,000 The figures today
make the apparent first mortgage indebt-
edness $1000000O
An inquiry will be pursued further to
determine whether this IS the actual m
dehtedness. Witnesses will be summoned
under oath and much light is expected to
be thrown on municipal transactions un-
der the Spanish authorities. The Vlgor
with which the inquiry is being pressed
distresses the former officials. The new
council has decided that it will not en-
force collections for municipal taxes prior
to January / and that it will not employ
the Spanish bank to collect taxes which
are levied under the old regime. The mu-
nicipality allowed the bank to collect city
taxes and withhold five per cent in the
same way as the government taxes. A
determined effort is being made to have
the Spanish banks privileges Of collecting
for the United States revoked The for
will not pay back taxes, though they will
pay for the present period to whatever
agency the American military authorities
direct.
The Cubans are encouraged in their op
position by the report that Collector Bliss
and Military Governor Brooke have pro-
tested to Washington against the bank
being designated as a tax collector. Shares
of the bank were lower on the stock eX-
1na t0
The sanitary inspection Of Havana be-
! gins tomorrow. The city is divided into
! 100 districts and Cuban doctors are as
| signed to each district. They will be en-
! powered to clean houses and afterwards
plumbers will visit each district 1t will
be the first time in the history of Havana
| that plumbers have been acquainted with
| the Inhabitants.
The plan of gathering up vagrants and
unfortunates from the streets at night
has filled all institutions provided for
them and additional quarters must be
found.
Navy officers are impressing on Assist
ant Secretary Allen the Importance of the
United States obtaining the floating dock
which lies in the harbOr, now the prop
erty of Spain. Capt Peralx is in COM
mand until the Madrid authorities decide
what shall be done. Bids which We're sub
mtted under the conditions advertised by
| the Spanish government are said to be un-
satisfactory and another advertisement
was ordered. The dock is new and cost 81,
O00,000. The highest bid was $500.000 SOM
of the firms bidding are reported to do 81
| with the expectation of selling the doCl
to the United States
Capt Durfee of the engineer corps, has
gone to Sancti Spiritus with the reported
purpose of arranging for a survey Of San
tiago The plan is opposed by many army
officers.
1t has been learned that the price pait
to contractors for excavations at Guam
tanamo for Col Hccker's six mile rail
road is $40 a cubic yard and that thu
total excavation will be about 100000 Gu
bic yards.
Private Hayden of the Second Soutl
Carolina, died in camp today from vel
low fever Small pox in the 161st Indiana
does not decrease. The troops in camp ar
rejoicing over the unauthorized repor
that the regiments are to bee allied home