The National tribune., 1902-06-19

developed the fact that he had authority
| enough to order done what was wanted,
and upon his prOtestatiOnS Of willing
ness to comply with orders he was re-
leased and n definite time limit set for the
completion Of the job. 1t was always
done en- time.
After few days of this kind of work
on the part of the Officers of the Day il
was realized that it was not practical to
accomplish what was desired in this way,
| since that official was changed every day
and the new officer could not follow up
cases as well as the one who initiated
them. This resulted in the appointment
of a special health officer for the section
of the city under patrol by the Oregon
regiment, and this officer had no duty to
perform except to nose out nuisances and
see to their abatement On this basis in
| few weeks the malodorOus churches and
| converts were purified and the fresh air
of the bay was no longer contaminated
by stenches innumerable and ;inDearablc.
Open drains and cesspools in interior
| courts were covered up or filed up, and
the sewers were cleaned out and their
| sluggish water made to flow. / cannot
| give better idea of the utter filthiness of
the habits Of the Spaniards and their ut
ter disregard of the laws of hygiene than
to relate two instances that fell under my
| own observation.
In his rounds our health officer entered
one day private dwelling occupied by n
Spanish physician. 1t was one of the
ordinary two story houses standing flush
with the street, with n small stone paved
interior court, from which led ND to the
living story above back stairs, entering
the kitchen. In that court yard and al
most under the kitchen was an open cess
pool reeking with filth and discharging its
| sickening effluvia almost directly into the
kitchen where the physician was cooking
his food. This gentleman was indignant
when ordered to fill il up and make CON
| nectIon with the sewer, and he only agreed
to comply when threatened with arrest
Another incident was that of the off
GERS quarters attached to the Cuartel de
Espana, where our regiment was quarter
ed. For month after the surrender our
officers were packed in like sardines in the
small administrative rooms of the bar
racks facing Victoria street In the little
room the Adjutant of the Spanish artil-
lery regiment had used for his office four
Captains. including myself. found sleep
ing quarters. In another room but little
larger, eight other Captains huddled to-
gether. In two other rooms about the
same size score of Lieutenants were
bunked in so closely that there was not
room for them all to get up and dress at
the same time. Meanwhile the Colonies
and Majors of the captured regiment con-
tihueu 10 I'VE IN style with their families
in the regular officers quarters. claiming
a right to do so under an Interpretation
they placed upon the wording of the CAPT.
tnlation. Following the policy Of strict
respect for the rights and equities of
everybody which had been pursued from
the beginning. and which, as l said be-
fore, made both the Spaniards and Fill
pinos conceive a very poor opinion Of us.
indeed, this Interpretation was permitted
to stand; but finally protest by Col.
Summers was needed and the Spanish
officers were given two weeks in which
to vacate the official barracks propertv.
When they had done so we undertook TO
move in, but had to suspend the movement
until the quarters might be rendered fit
for human habitation.
~, l am not going to describe that house.
The English language is not made for the
task. 1t is too bold and vigorous. and has
not words of sufficiently delicate shades
of meaning for use without offense. 1t
was sufficient to say that hose was
necessary with which to begin the work
Of publication.
These two instances were in connection
with the refined and educated classes. a
physician and the families of officers of
the army. That things were no better in
connection with the more ignorant and
poorer classes may we'll be assumed,
| TO be continued