New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-09
MAKE
VERA CRUZ CLEAN
Continued from page I

! dressed men and women were dining
and paw them. They wore rags stepped
with germs of every disease known to
tropical seaport, and none OF them
since his birth ever had bathed. For
them a deadline was established at the
edge OF the sidewalk. and II a boy
passes It spiggoty policeman arrests
/ him or the nearest American soaks him
with a glass Of water. He Is much
more in terror of the water than OF the
/ policeman.
Protecting Sailors and Soldiers.
Another order Of the provost marshal
forbds after 10 o'clock the sale any
where Of alcoholic drinks. This applies
to everybody, but is especially wise In
helping patrols get sailors back to ships
/ and soldiers to barracks.
/ Another order intended to stop the
citizens Of Vera Cruz cheating our sail
ors. soldiers and marines made them
print a list of prices Of all drinks and
/ food and each day in conspicuous signs
give the rate Of exchange.
General Funston found many excel
lent laws and ordinances on the statute
books Of the municipality. but they nad
seldom been enforced. When they had
been 1t was to obtain graft. Under the
American Board of Health these ordi-
nances ceased to remain dead and be-
came vigorously alive. No brides could
kill them.
Inspectors were sent into every house
in the city, and all the rubbish that
for years had accumulated and was
breeding flies and disease was forcibly
removed, piled in the street and burned.
For an entire week the city looked like
an oldtime election night
Back of the city was public dump
spreading over an AGRA quarter mbe
/ square. This was a Battle-Ground for
/ flies, buzzards and mongrel dogs II
you threw a stone anywhere into TINS
mess you would raise cloud of flies
so thick you could photograph IT,
Buzzards swarmed in the place ana
dogs covered with mango and open
sores overran 1t, and, carrying the nies
with them, roamed at large among the
! tables Of the portales. This dump Is
now reduced to an incinerating plant,
burning continually. which destroys
garbage and refuse.
When Major Wolf first took hold he
found for keeping the city clean only
thirty men. Before he could recruit
the proper kind Of workers he made
petty offenders clean the streets. The
legend Is that whenever he was short
handed he would say to the police:
Il need thirty more white wings to
clean up the plaza. Arrest thirty
drunken Mexicans."
In those days they were not hard TO
ind. The next morning, when sober
each was given a broom and set to
sweeping the plaza. Their friends sat
OH benches and guyed them.
It worked both ways. Intemperance
decreased suddenly and the streets were
spotless.
To-day Wolf has ten American in
spectors. twenty American foremen
and five hundred natives OF these two
hundred are at the service OF the
Health Department. The others are
screening markets, flling up holes. Dig
sing sewers. draining swamps. collect
ing garbage and sweeping streets. They
are paid regularly and we'll, and they
work.
Why they work and what 1t In all
about they have not the least idea.
They undoubtedly think we are mad.
but so long as they make the dirt fly,
what they think will never hurt US.
Cleaning Up Hotels.
Having cleaned up the hospitals.
markets, laundries and bakeshops.
benevolent despotism turned its atten-
ton this week to the principal hotels.
So many complaints regarding them
have come to Major Lyster that he
has appointed J. B. McManus to de-
vote his entire attention to their mis-
deeds.
McManus Is tall. lean American.
He looks like William Gillette. He al
ways wears freshly ironed white duck.
and he Is invariably cool and smiling.
The proprietors Of the hotels hate him
as the devil hates holy water.
Thee morniI g McManus made his first