The times., 1899-05-02
SEEN AND HEARD INTHEHoT

captain Harlow l. Street. well known In
Washington as the former Commander in
Chief of the Union Veterans Union. at
present volunteer captain in the Com
missary Department, has just returned
from Havana He is at the Raleigh with
Mrs. Street. Captain Street has been the
commissary officer in charge OF the stores
on the Comal for distribution among the
destitute Cubans. His experiences in th-e.
trips with the Comal have been inteFestin, I,
and varied He said last night in com
menting on its work: II took my position
on the CoInal last January. Since that
Time she has made three trips. and had
distributed vast quantity OF rations to
almost every seacoast city on the island
me rations distributed have cost the Gov
ernment Sl.5S5.000 The Comal is char
tered at $3.50 day. which amount coas not
include any of the expenses OF running
The total cost of the rat.ons and OF their
distribution on these three trips has been
ABOUT s2.oC0.oOO. This amount has been
distributed absolutely free to the Cubans
ihere were about three million rations in
all They went to Matanzas. Cienfuagos.
Nuevitas. Sagua, Santiago, Trinidad, Tuna
Zaza, and Havana.
II is understood that the report OF Cap
tain Street has produced something of a
commotion in the Commissary Dspartment
from one of its statements relating to the
distribution Of the Comal's stores after
they were turned over by him to the off,
GERS In Cuba. He is understood to have a.
legged that large quantities OF canned milk
and soups in their original cases were
peddied about the streets in certain cities
at about half what the Government paid
10 has
charges against any officers or individuals.
put plainly suggests that there is bad
leak in the distribution somewhere.
Representative George W. Taylor of
alabama is at the Metropolitan Hotel.
DR.. George Hepworth. the clergyman who
writes the Sunday editorial sermons for
the New York Herald which some peo-
pie consider very fine and others smile
ever. is at the Shoreham. He is on his way
South on vacation trip.
Arthur E. Randall. of Chicago. who has
been on business trip to Cuba, in dis
cussing the free distribution of food TO the
Cucans, last night at the National Hotel
said: The intention OF the Government
In sending the Comal was. OF course. the
best, and have no doubt that much suffer
ing was relieved. But also there cannot be
any doubt that this free distribution of
food has been most demoralizing in many
instances. | know personally OF planta-
tions which would be glad to hire a thou
sand men, and cannot get them because
they are fed for nothing by the Govern
ment- One plantation owner told me dur
ing my trip that he would be glad TO pay
1000 men $40 a month and IatioEs and
that his work was practically at a stand
still because he could not find the laborers
10 accept the positions. The plan of Gen
eral Wood at Santiago is far better He
hires the destitute men and pays them in
! rations and a surplus of money. He gives
very little away in charity. He has built
over hundred miles of fine roads around
Santiago, and is working on a fine sewer
system. And within a short time he will
have many OF the streets concreted. All
of this has been paid for ont of the city
revenues with a considerable sum left
over for the general Cuba fund"
Assistant Postmaster General Allen. who
was in charge of the recsptiol of the
One Hundred and Sixtyfrst Indiana regi-
ment yesterday, said last night at the Rigs
House: The boys will be received in
Indiana with a small blaze of glory. The
papers of their home towns are full Of
their coming and great preparations have
been made for their welcome. The boys
have had a clean, fine record in Cuba"