The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-08-22
CLEANSING HAVANA.
The Chief Engineer Describes What
Has Been Done IN the Grent and Inn
pOrtant Work.
New Orleans Times Democrat.)
DOZEN,


Cunningham, who for over year and a
half past has been chief engineer of the
city of Havana. Mr.. Cunningham
presence here is due to a eablegram which
he received from Washington, instructing
him to report at Ell Paso Texas, and take
charge of the engineering work for the
international Boundary Commission, in
session at that point.
Mr.. Cunningham is still quite young
man, but he occupies a distinguished
position in his profession. He went to
Cuba after the occupation, as first assis-
tant to Col. Black, who then had charge
of engineering work in the Department
of Havana. Later on Col. Black was
put In control of the Division of Cuba,
having general supervision of the island
as whole, and his assistant was made
chief engineer Of the capital. The posi-
tion will now be assumed by First Lieut.
w. j. Borden Of the United States En-
gineer Corps.
''We were confronted by tremendous
ifficulties when we first took hold at
Havana" said the engineer, "but we
1atter ourselves that we have made
fO4J Acs1I 6OcAIOs OQI OIAOA WOlh Has D6Ou
on the streets and sewers, and was large
~ of a sanitary character.
At the time of the occupation there was
not decently paved street in Havana.
They had a partial covering of round
boulders, known by courtesy as Belgian
blocks, but most of them were almost as
impossible as bitches. at present about
wo-thirds of the city proper is provided
with macadan pavement, and there are
nine or ten blocks of asphalt, vitrified
brick, and sheet asphalt, in the vicinity
of the government offices. We were simp-
~ Obliged to put down smooth, modern
payements there, on account of the intol-
cradle noise<made by passing vehicles.
The wagons in common use in Havana
have only two wheels, and the tires are
not over two and a half inches broad.
Often they carry several tons, and that
weight concentrated upon so small
surface area, produces a hubbub on a
rough road that renders adjacent offices
untenable for Americans who haven't
been brought up to it..
"Our a1m,'' Mr.. Cunningham went
on, twas to render the streets passabIe
!
succeeded. In point of cleanliness Havana
will now compare favorably with any
American city"
''To what extent you employ native
help in the works asked the reporter.
AS far as possible. 1t is very difficult
to obtain competent Cuban engineers in
Havana, because there is a demand for
their services at better pay on the grea t
sugar plantations, but we engaged all
we could lind Our laboring force Is a l.
most wholly Cuban
What kind Of Iaborer does the native
make?''
81 want to say good word for him.
/ lie has been abused, and not altogether
/ with Justice. The average Cuban has a
poor physique, and they were totally I'M
accustomed to discipline, but by care and
! patience we have assembled a force of
from 1900 to 5000 that give excellent
satisfaction. would not exchange
what was your experience with the
Havana sewerage problem, Mr.. Cunning
ham?''
The engineer smiled grimly. sit was
fearful task, he said. I'VE found the
city horribly filthy. It's reputation in
that res pect was world wide ana it de-
served it. The city was provided with
an old box sewer, lined with rubble, and
put down nobody knows when. 1t had
not been cleaned from time immemoriaI
When we took charge, one of the first
Things we did was to clean out the box
sewer. In the absence of manholes we
had to dig down and remove the heavy
top from the whole length. 1t was a
huge job, but eventually we got it clean.
and d1Slnfected it from end to end
Meanwhile the government imported a
lot OF improved wagons for vault clean
Ing, and strict orders were issued to each
householder to put his cesspoOl into con-
d1tion within given Time Sanitary in
spectOrs were appointed, who visited
every house AMI reported when the order
was not obeyed. In such cases we sent
around carts and men and did the work
charging 1T up at cost price to the prom
erty owner. The government also en-
cOuraged private Contractors to provide
themselves With cleaning plants, and
Tour or i've firms were soon fully equipped.
In the course of time we had the citv
thoroughly clean and the people accus-
toned to obeylng the law In that par
tlcular. The effect on the public health
was marked and Immediate. This wear
there has been less fever in Havana tnan
ever before,as far as shown by its records
UnquestiOnably it will soon be stamped
out altogether.
Did you encounter much hostility to
sanitary reforms among the natives y
well, yes, a great deal at first but
when they found out we were in earnest
and saw the beneficial results they came
around all right, and there is at present
no trouble on that score.'
What PROCESS has been made in re-
GARD to permanent sewerage system for
the city"
We have gone as far in that direction
as we could. In order to install a sew
erage system there great deal of money
will be needed, and that must be raised
by an issue OF bonds, which will first
necessltate new charter for the CITY
a commission, composed, with two excep-
lions, entirely of civilians, was appointed
some time ago to draft such q charter
and | understand their labors are abont
concluded. 1t win probably be promnI-
gated by the military government in the
very near future, ana construction work
can then begin at once. The old oberta4.
Is q relic OF Snanlsh miami - ....l y.