Immense Stores in Santiago.
The Red Cross had at that time in its warehouse at Santiago about eight hundred tons of stores, and the New York committee was sending more all the time. The government warehouses and wharves were overcrowded with quartermaster and commissary stores, although the troops, both sick and well, were being sent North as fast as steamers could be secured to carry them. General Wood, the military governor, was devoting all of his time to the betterment of the general condition of the people; and in addition to cleaning the streets and yards and disinfecting all foul spots, he was exercising a general oversight for the moral and physical welfare of the community.
With all this great abundance of provisions and clothing, and the small number of needy people that were within reach, and the perfect arrangements that had been made that no one needing relief should be overlooked, a longer stay of the full Red Cross staff seemed unwise and useless; so it was decided that we should go to some other field where our services could be utilized to better advantage. As a further precaution, that there might be no possibility of any needy person being overlooked, Miss Barton appointed a committee of ladies, who should by house to house inspection discover and report to the general committee any cases of suffering that might escape notice otherwise.
