Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-31

Almost every letter or dispatch from
Cuba has a mention. direct or indirect,
OF some benefit which the island Is
reaping under American rule. When
the Spanish were driven from that
oppressed and mis-governed island
many things went with them which
had long cursed the island and retard-
ed its progress. As result OF the
common-sense sanitary reforms of the
Americans the curse of yellow fever Is
no longer dreaded. and there has not
been a single case i'm Havana, this sum-
mcr. For the first time the island has
an educa tional system worth the name,
and civil and religious liberty exists.
Transportation facilities have been
wonderfully increased. every industry
is being stimulated and the great re-
sources Of the island are at last in
way to be developed. No wonder that
the island. for the first time in CEN
turtles. happy and prosperous. takes
kindly to American rule, and though
looking forward to it's promised indie
pc ndence. now almost a reality, views
also with equanimity the plan of
American oversight and protection and
even the possibility of annexation
sometime in the future.
Not the least of the changes which
amaze and crafty Havana is that
wrought in the harbor of the city by
Capt Young. the naval commandant.
This harbor for generations has been
known as one of the foulest and most
VIGOROUSLY polluted in the world From
time immemorial the people of Havana
and all visitors have been accustomed
to think of the black and Shiny water
that washes their docks and quays as
the most natural and accepted thing
The harbOr has been in effect a cess
pool. without any of the conditions of
publication that most harbors enjoy
The tide which rises only II inches. is
unable to lift the accumulated filth of
drainage from the city. and. in conse-
quence. all remains there to corrupt
and ferment the mass into a constant
source of danger to the health of the
population that must traverse it. All
this is as it once was. The terms of
appalling nastiness that have always
in6 10 10 In
now be laid away. Havana's circum-
jacent waters are now as clean and
wholesome as those of any American
city. Captain Young realized that the
condition of the harbor was a matter
of control and that the neglect and
ignorance of the Spanish officials had
made the harbor what it was. He
stopped the dumping of garbage into
the harbOr. and inaugurated a system
of cremating as much as could be
burned of the citys refuse The rest
he decided to tow to sea. to be dumped
into deep water. Every morning four
OF five big barges are taken five miles
outside of the harbor loaded with the
mass of filth cleaned out of the city
during the night. The result is that
the youngsters now catch fish in the
harbor and people can battle there
without coming out of the water dirtier
than when they go in. OF course
health conditions have greatly i'm
proved and the city is proud of its
new harbor and grateful to the ener-
getic American officer whose work has
made the change. 1t is but one good
work of many which has been done for
Cuba under Governor Woods admins
tratiOn. Ii is not strange that our
flag is meaning more and more to
Cuba.