Evening star., 1902-08-07
UP SANTIAGO
MAJOR BARBOUR AT ARMY AND
NAVY CLUB.
Forced Cubans to Accept Cleanliness
Island Now Free From Yellow Fever
Pack Mule Commerce.

Maj. George NJ. Barbour, the American
who cleaned up Santiago, stamped yellow
fever out of that end of the Island of
Cuba and worked four years without los
ing day, is a guest at the Army and
Navy Club, having just reached this city
from the tropics. delightful person to
meet under any circumstances, Maj. Bar
bour is doubly interesting because of his
interesting work among the people who did
not know the meaning of the word "sani-
tation' until 1t was driven into them at
the point of the bayonet.
Il was the first official appointed by Gen.
Wood" said Maj Barbour this morning,
1--WE took hold of the island in july. 1898.
when the deaths from yellow fever num-
bered about 1000 day. There has not
been death from yellow fever in the
island since October II, 1899.
In other words. We accomplished in six
teen months what one else had accom-
plished in 400 years. In my district the
deaths from yellow fever at first ran as
high as 26s in one day. I have burned as
high as 1856 bodies in a day-victims of vel
low fever Now there is no yellow fever
there, and the people delighted with
what we have done. Formerly they drove
us out of their houses for commanding
them to clean up their premises. NY men
have been beaten and have had water
thrown on them, and have been forcibly
driven away from dwellings. 1 have had
water thrown on me.
Whipped Into Cleanliness.
What did we do? Well. we simply
handled them without gloves. 1 divided
Santiago into districts at the start, and ap-
pointed two or three inspectors for each
district They went into every building,
and whenever they found insanitary con-
ditions ordered the place cleaned up.
IF the cleaning had not been done when
would go to the house and say: want
this cleaned away in one hour. Start now
immediately If they refused I would give
it to them, right in the face I carried a
drive right at them. Knock them down.
1t was the only way to accomplish any
thing. and the city simply had to be re-
lieved of its filthy condition.
MY men pursued the same tactics, and
soon the natives saw we meant business.
1t was hard system. but 1t was abso-
lutely necessary. Inside Of a few months
they began to see the good effects, and
then if a man didn't clean up his place his
neighbors would get after him.
you see, they knew nothing about sani-
tation. They had lived in filth for genera
tions and generations and had died of yel-
low fever by the thousands They had got
to taking 1t all as matter Of course.
NO, I'll not clean up this place. This
Is my house. they used to say. IF want
to leave 1T this way it's nobody's business
lie health demands that you clean up your
property
After a time I pounded into them. lit
orally, the idea that even If they didn't
care how they lived they were under obli-
cations to their neighbors.
"The insanitary conditions of Santiago
cannot be described. because of their char
acter. and because words are lacking with
which to picture them. Drastic means
were necessity. because Americans were
coming there to live, and because we
wanted to save those people from them
selves and stamp out yellow fever.
Santiago is now a healthful city, as is
Havana. OF course, it's pretty hot there
this time Of year, but you don't mind the
heat as much as you do here. There every
one dresses for 1t and stays indoors during
the hottest hours Of the day.
A Pack Mule Island.
"It is amusing" resumed Major Barbour.
Ito see how extensively pack mules are
used in Cuba. I declare, believe If man
should happen to want ship carried across
the islands he'd put 1t on mules. That re-
minds me Of the horrible way in which
Spain treated the Cubans. After genera
tions of sovereignty there was not a road
on the island. Think of this: Between ST.
honey and Santiago there was not road
over which we could haul a cannon and
there was not school house on the island.
Could you blame the CubanS for desiring
freedom from such a yoke?
"But returning to my pack mules, I'll
tell you one incident which will show you
how they transport stun down there. /
know man who was going to build a
house in the interior. His lumber was ship
ped to seaport and he hired fifty mules to
carry 1t back First was the bell-mule, with
few boards on each side. Tied to his tail