The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-02
THE HAVANA CONTRACTS.
A Demand That the SewerinE and
Paving Work Be Done.


HAVANA, March while the Dady
contract to provide sewers for Havana and
the Taylor contract to pave new streets.
| the latter being also Spanish grant. work
! on which was stopped by the war. are both
hanging fire In the Department OF Justice,
TO which they were sent for an opinion.
the people OF the city are growing FESTIVE
over the fact that the streets are still I'M
paved and unsewered. The newspapers ara
continually calling attention to the fact
that the Americans have been here for
over year and that nothing but make
shift work has yet been done. The "Nuevo
Pals and the ''Diario de la Marina" both
reiterate this complaint this morning The
,Nuevo Pals says:
cit matters little to us who does the
work. We wish to emphasize the fact
that 1t is utterly ridiculous TO attempt the
sanitation of Havana until the city is first
provided with proper sewer system
The '-Disrio de la Marina" echoing the
sentiments of the 'Nuevo Pals says that
the people OF Havana care little who does
| the work. They all wish to see ground
broken and the undertaking begun.
All this is very commendabie. coming
from two Spanish papers accustomed to
support the regime to which sewering was
apparently lost art. Havana does need
sewers and pavements. None recognizes
this better than the Americans. but the
difficulties are many. From an engineer
ing point of view the sswering of Havana
is considered most difficult problem. Mr..
Gray. an expert, of Providence. has been
working seT some time preparing a COM
plete report on the subject, but this will
not be ready until April.
The Dady and Taylor contracts have been
sources OF iniinite trouble. The fact that
it has taken so long to attempt to find out
where their rights begin OF end indicates
that there is some justice in their claims
technically. however disadvantageous they
might be for the city if their contracts
were carried out. In addition. there Is the
financial problem. which today takes new
turn. For carrying out the Taylor con-
tract no bonds are necessary. For the Dady
contract they are necessary. 1t is also nee
-essary, il both contracts be set aside, for
the Government under Army engineers, to
undertake to do the work. General Lud-
lows estimate of the approximate expense
was 10000. GOO.
Today letter from Jose de Armas to
Mayor Lacoste was made public. Senior de-
Armas demands the fuifllment of a con-
tract entered into between him and the
ayuntamiento in July, 1884, by which he
was empowered to raise a loan of q, 600 600
francs for Havana. The Governor-General
approved this contract in October, 1894.
Senior de Armas says he is ready now to
negotiate the loan. II the city is severed
it must be bonded but its financial affairs
at present are in such tangle 1t would
take some time to straighten them out
Senior de Armas says his contract has no
connection with the Eady matter. He Is
Ve
of indifference to him who does the work.
The coming of Secretary of War Root IS
awaited with expectancy. Cable dispatches
say that he is coming to straighten out the
difficulties between Governor General
Wood and the Cuban officials, hut this
statement is not understood. as the great
est cordiaIity exists between Gene. al
Wood and all the officials.
The Italian Anarchist Malatesta, who Is
now here, says that the Cuban workmen
have no present cause fer complaint. Their
hours are easy and their wages good. He
adds that the time is coming when they
will have recourse to anarchy to cure the
evils that will arise. He urges the Cubins
to boycott the Americans, not to bend tie
knee to the military power, and to refuse
to accept any position in the government.
Malatesta intends 10 deliver number OF
speeches. but IL he continues this sort OF
talk he will be hauled up short. as the
Spanish law is very strict regarding An
archists. Malatesta is said to have cumo
from the United States.
The movement against the 10 per cent
war tax on railway passengers and per
cent on freight has now reached the ship
ping trade. All passengers and freight on
coastwise vessels have to pay these taxes
in addition to regular taxes. It is urged
that the law be repealed. as it restricts
commerce. At nreseut the Dubiic payS th8
taxes. but an EFFORT will be made 70 shift
the burden to the railroads and steamships
If the repeal of the law cannot be Sc
cured.