The evening times., 1900-03-05

SAN DOMINGO, Feb. 24.-San Domingo
City is enjoying a business boom under
the new administration. When the cur
rency OF the late President dep lated
continually il nearly carried down every
business house in the city. At his assas-
sination the money became worthless, and
business was at a standstin. Many Of the
business houses closed up and many more
did no business whatever.
No one knew the future Of the money
and il had not even a speculative value
Now, with the new administra ion installed
and a value placed upon the silver, trans
actions are possible. The 20 cents on the
dollar at which the silver circulates is ar
rived at in a queer way. There is cents
worth of silver in the dollar. it is said;
il costs cents a dollar to make and ship
il here. and that no one can take chances
on counterfelting il for less than cents.
This. added together, makes the 20 cents
at which the dollar is accepted. This gives
stability to the currency and permits
business transactions, so there is gem
eral revival OF business. The stores have
reopened and the foreign vessels are
bringing the largest imports Of recent
years Still, the currency at its present
value, does not permit OF the purchase of
many luxuries. and imports are confined
largely TO machinery for sugar mills and
necessary fabrics. Similar improvement is
reported at other parts OF the island. In
creased customs receipts are also a favor
able sign.
Health of the City.
San Domingo City, like all tropical ci les,
IS of interest from d health point OF view.
When General Ludlow and General Wood
in Cuba Disagree, one advocating in his
annual report the retaining OF troops in
tropical climate until they become acc.i-
mated. and the other urging constant
changes before they become Infected, IL is
not surprising that there is a wide diver
gence Of opinion among laymen.
san Domingo boasts of its remarkable
health statistics. iguratiyely speaking; lit
orally there are no such figures. yellow
fever Vas epidemic but once in the mem
OTy Of the oldest inhabitant, ana in eight
cen years there have been only eleven
deaths from that cause. IL is true that
there are only a few foreign residents.
but they have not been the rtims The
deaths have been among the Bomiui ans.
Tne city has a population o. 2C.00O. 4
river empties into the sea through IT, with
its malaria and its malarial bearing mos
QuitOes. There are no sewers. The va
ter used for drinking purposes is the pure
rain Of heaven-that is, Il is pure when
IL falls. When IL does not rain for three
or four days the cisterns are as full OF life
as a circus sQuariui-. The water is not
usually filtered and never boiled. When it
does not rain for a month and the cisterns
are empty, water Is obtained from any
source available. The stables. vaults, and
henrOosts are close neighbOrs 10 the els
terms. and all are within the walls OF the
home.
Fruit the staple Food.
IN the United States fruit is eaten with
some compunction and caution. In san
Domingo the natives live on the tropical
fruits. They eat some meat Across the
street from the hotel is the market The
meat Is bought the night before and hung
up in the open stall without ice or screens
or covering II is cut up early in the
morning and hung on hooks in front OF the
stalls In attractive display The customer
comes along. and after feeling a live
chicken or two in the gutter 10 guess at
its weight piuches the meat TO see II it
IS tender.
He buys part OF IT, and the dealer places
it on the wood counter. which is never
washed and makes the division ordered.
The customer ruts his purchase in a pan
nier on his burrO. or puts it on his head.
or carries il In his hand. The pannier
may be years old. 1t is never cleaned.
Perhaps he drops the meat while arrang
ing It. He may look about the street for
"a bit OF floating paper and wrap the meat
in that The dealers do not furnish wrap
ping paper. and the man does not know
where the pcOer comes from. The better
class wash inc meat thoroughly I'm fresh
water and soda. This is supposed to cure
all defects.
The foreigner cannot stand water and
food of this sort without an internal re-
belllon. II ne uses ordinary intelligence.
and drinks pure water he is an immune.
The food when cooked Is safe. other con-
dtions for health and activity are excel
lent. The temperature is even; there is
no such thing as a sunstrOke. nOtwlth
standing the tropical heat there are no
flies to carry disease at any time OF the
year, and there is no such thing as catch
ing cold. The air is never enervating, the
heat never oppressive. Night does not
differ much from day. There are no hot
nights. however. at any time Of the year.
some Popular Beliefs.
There is e great deal OF superstition.
Omens and dreams account for much that
Is told about tropical countries. No one
bathes here in the river that sweeps down
from the mountains The water Is fresh
rain water. II Is not safe TO battle in the
water people say-it will give one the fe-
yer. There is no known case Of fever from
bathing in IT, but such is tradition. And
the climatic fever: no one ever had it, but
IL exists as bugbear to every adventurer.
They talk about Il as they about the mala-
ria iD the Western States. but IL is by no
means so bad There is said to be a wild
fruit that makes a stain which lasts until
the plant dies, and then disappears. Why
II should no one knows. or course, il does
not
Americans who use the same health pre-
cautions as at home are tOlerably safe
from all tropical diseases. real and imagi-
nary, and many avoid many climatic trou-
hles that cannot be avoided in a region Oc-
casionally cold. The temperature in san
Domingo is remarkably even the year
round. The December weather brings
showers. mixed with sunshine and rain
bows. There are 10 long. depressing rains
and no London fogs. IL rains for a few
moments almost daily. and it rains hard.
There is no noticeable change in the
temperature when il rains and the water
quickly disappears from the surface
Another fallacy concerns the insect. Eu-
gene Sue in his tale Of the West Indies,
describes the mammoth serpents which ate
the companion OF one OF his heroes This
work was imaginative. but catered TO a
popular idea. There are no snakes here
worth speaking Of. The few are small and
perfectly harmless. The centipede is