The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-20
The REDEMPTION OF
SANTIAGO DE CUBA
AN OBJECT LESSON IN AMERI.
CAN RULE.
Major George M. Barbour, the
United States Sanitary Commits.
sioner for Santiago, Tells the Story
in Interesting Detail-What Man.
ner of MAJ Leonard Wood IL.
From the Is lefalo News.

From the Is le'alo News.
Santiago de Cuba is the Oldest COM
munity Of white people on the Ameri-
can continent and 1t is a fine place to
build a city. Columbus visited this spot
and inspected the beautiful bay on his
second VOYAGE and much admired the
scenery and predicted its subsequent
value. In the year 1911 the Spanish
founded a settlement here; very nearly
four centuries ago. 1t is an Ideally
Spanish city, more Spanish than Spain
--artistically uncomfortable and pic
turesquely dirty, for in all its long ex-
istence 1t was never cleaned under
Spanish law or rules.
But the Yankees came on an event.
full occasion in July of the year 1898
and presto wonderful change came
over the hoary community of flowers
and filth. regular transformation
scene of a kind beyond the comprehen-
sion OF the most dreamy builders Of
Castles in Spain.' For the victorious
American general in his first hour of
possession ordered the city to be
cleaned very clean and kept clean!
And the order has been obeyed to this
day. And now, under one brief year Of
wholesome, sensible. intelligent and
honest American rule Santiago is prob
ably as clean and healthy as any city
in the world. and it has been for many
decades rated by travellers as the third
dirtiest and most unwhOlesome city Of
presumed civilized nations. And this
present cleanliness has been accom-
plished in a city of 10000 or more people
Spanish people, too-having no sewer
system nor any drainage outlets; hav-
ing a feeble burlesque of a water sup
ply works which was built more to suit
the whim of church priests and the
luxurious official leeches-and very
few favored wealthy residents-than
for the needs of the real public; with
fully onc-third Of the 140 miles of her
streets utterly impossible from the
years of washes by floods and never re-
paired, where for ages all families had
swept or thrown their daily pound (Or
many) Of household dirt--even filth
into the narrow. Shiny, heated, odor-
Gus. rankly malodOrOus streets, where
every angle, corner. deep doorway pass
age. and the streets everywhere. wer.
at all hours constantly indecently be-
foulcd by men and women.
END Of OLD REGIME.
On July ~. 1898. about the nonN hour,
the American army entered this city.
and within twenty -four hours, General
Leonard Wood, colonel of the famous
"Rough Riders" wlicE he SO effective
ly led in battle, was appointed military
nf he "a
task before him was really very per-
picking and formidable: much more so
than generally confronts victorious
military commander when administer
ing to Il captured city.
1t was on the day following. July 20,
that !. having arrived in the harbor
the evening previous. reported to Gen.
cral Wood. and ! found him a desper-
ately busy man. but very calm in his
method. seated az ar old desk in a
dingy. badly lighted room in the pal
ace" with his several staff officers
gathered around a couple of tables near
his desk. Saddles. sabres, rifles. flags
and all kinds Of military equipments
explained the power in possession.
Following his very cordia! welcome
was asked to outline my proposition to
organize a sanitary force and for
clearing the city, and l did SO.
"Ail right; cut it short. You'll 10
Report to me at o'clock tomorrow
morning and be ready to pitch in
said the General. Meantime" he
added, you had better take glanc1
around the Streets
Such was the appointment and SIM
pie brief order given me to undertake
the cleaning and purifying of this city;
and so it happened tina: to me fell the
pleasing honOr-thanks to General
Wood-of being the first American civ
ic appojntec in Cuba by American au-
thority and to be intrustcd with ths
duty of organizing the first civil de
partment established under the flag oi
the United States. which vet waves
with it's deeply significant assurance
of peace and protection for all. Also
it t-anspires l am now considerably
the longest in time On duty of ali
Americans in Cuba with not 4 day oi
illness or absence on vacation or fur
lough up 10 Gate-.Ecarly eighteen
months.
FIRST WORK.
spent that afternoon strolling about
the narrow. overcrowded streets study
ing the confronting task Rarely may
Il more interesting and strange state
of things be observed than existed ir
Santiago that day. And the prospect
i've task was a bit Gisheartening.
The city has a normal populatio
and capacity for about 10000 people
Fully 100000 souls were then crowded
in its limits. including three distinct
and not overfriendly clemcnts-Span
ish. Cubars and tho victorious Ameri
cans. who were the real steadyius
peace-preservers, for the sentiments
OF the Spanish and Cubans We're in
tensely antagonistic to each other.
e Civilians We're few. Everybody ap
parently was in full or partial uniform
and a native who were no machet'
very rare.
The population was about as follows
Native citizens of the city .,......... 1000
Reconcentradoes country natives).. 1000
Spanish soldiers ...........,,...... T,W
American soldiers, civilians and
"Rcd Cross employees .............. $500
OF the natives, especially the recon
centradoes, the proportion Of childrel
and women. especially widows. wa,
overwhelmingly great. And all wer'
so hungry and helpless: 1t was a pitt
full. shameful evidence of the mon
ster Weyler's idea of war. But al,
was at last at hand under the Ar,eri
can flag. The Red Cross" steamer
ports of the army were hourly pouring
int, tko beautiful \, rIoc vCka oo,,.