File 822.124/194.
[Untitled]
[Extract.]
No. 77.]
American Legation,
Quito,
March 23, 1912.
Sir: I have the honor, referring to the
Department’s telegram of March 12 [13], to report that Dr. Parker did
not reach Quito until the morning of March 20. I immediately showed Dr.
Parker the [Page 426] papers relating to
the proposed convention for the sanitation of Guayaquil. His report was
embodied in my telegram March 23.
General Plaza received Dr. Parker most cordially. They discussed the
question of sanitation in all its phases and Dr. Parker gave the General
a complete idea of what was necessary for the effective sanitation of
Guayaquil.
General Plaza expressed himself most favorably toward the sanitation and
sent his aide de camp, Captain Torres, to the Acting President, Dr.
Andrade Marin, to request him to receive Dr. Parker and to take up
seriously the matter of sanitation. Dr. Parker saw the Acting President
immediately after leaving General Plaza. After a brief discussion, the
Acting President requested Dr. Parker to prepare a memorandum, stating
that he desired to take this up with him in the presence of the Cabinet
Ministers.
In consultation therefore with Dr. Parker I prepared the enclosed
memorandum, the contents of which I discussed with the Minister for
Foreign Relations before meeting the Acting President and his Cabinet
for the conference above referred to. The Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Dr. Arcos, expressed himself as pleased with the contents of the
memorandum.
In this connection I may state that I am reliably informed that the
Coignet contract was to expire by February 6, 1912; the contract however
contained a clause increasing the time during which it was to be
effective by the time revolutions were in progress, plus one month.
Assuming that the Alfaro revolution lasted one month, the Coignet
contract should expire April 6, 1912. The Ecuadorian Government further
has the option of granting Coignet more time, to secure the money
needed, up to June 30, 1912.
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure.]
The American Chargé
d’Affaires to the Acting President
of Ecuador.
[Memorandum.]
American Legation,
Quito,
March 23, 1912.
In view of the existence of the epidemic diseases yellow fever and
plague in the City of Guayaquil and vicinity, with the consequent
great loss of life and damage to the commerce of the whole Republic
of Ecuador, as well as foreign countries, particularly to the Panama
Canal Zone, through which most of the commerce of Ecuador passes,
and in view of the fact that the Panama Canal will shortly be
completed and Guayaquil placed in direct communication with the
principal ports of commerce of the world, it is essential that
Guayaquil be free from the above mentioned epidemic diseases in
order that the Republic of Ecuador may enjoy the privileges of
commerce, unobstructed by quarantine, with the outside world.
On account of the present quarantines against Ecuador the Republic
suffers an annual loss not accurately determined but certainly more
than 1,000,000.00 sucres, a sum more than sufficient to pay the
interest on the capital required for the necessary sanitation of the
city, while the loss of life due to these diseases approaches 1000
annually, the great majority of whom are natives of the
Republic.
It must be clearly understood that the Government of the United
States has no interest in any individual or corporation by whom the
sanitary work may be performed, its only interest being to insure
the work being carried out [Page 427]
in an efficient manner. In this connection it may be well to state
that private contractors have never devised or carried out any great
sanitary work without direct Government supervision, and there is no
reason to believe that Guayaquil will prove an exception.
As the plans for the sanitation of Guayaquil must include in addition
to the sanitary police and municipal regulations already discussed
with the Government of Ecuador, the construction of certain public
improvements, such as water supply, sewage disposal and drainage, it
is suggested that the terms of the convention submitted by the
Government of Ecuador to this Legation be enlarged to include the
appointment of a commission, the personnel of which shall be agreed
upon by the two Governments. This commission shall formulate a
complete set of plans for the execution of the proposed sanitary
work. The permanent public improvements shall be by contract, the
terms of which shall be approved by the Government of Ecuador and by
the commission, the work to be performed to the satisfaction of the
commission, which will appoint inspectors to see that it conforms to
specifications.
It is necessary that a preliminary survey by competent engineers be
made before any complete set of plans can be devised. For physical
reasons this survey must be conducted during the dry season, and in
order to prevent the delay of a whole year this preliminary survey
should be commenced not later than the first of June, 1912.
At present the Government of Ecuador appropriates a monthly sum for
the eradication of yellow fever and plague. In order that this work
may not be interfered with, it would be advisable that while the
preliminary survey is in progress, this sum be placed at the
disposal of the commission for the continuance of this work under
its direction; that upon the eradication of yellow fever, quarantine
against that disease be removed and ships permitted to anchor in
front of the city for the purpose of discharging and loading
cargoes, instead of two miles below the city as at present time.
