The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-04
What Mr.. CaIhodn
Saw in MdfanzdS

washington June y.
Writing from Matanzas, cuba, to the
Star of this city, under date of May "A,
Charles NJ. Pepper the newspaper cor
respondent who accompanied Special
Commissioner Calhoun to Cuba, says:
President Mckinley has seen, through
the eyes of his special representative,
what the Concentration policy OF Cen
eral Weyler means. Mr.. Calhoun has
been among the pacihcos or country peo-
pie, who are huddled together by the
thousands on the hillsides of Matanzas.
He has witnessed suffering such as he
never saw before in his life, such as he
hopes never to sec again, and such as he
never will see again outside of this fer
tile island. 1t has been a revelation to
him Of the way In which Spain makes
war a revelation that could come only
from personal knowledge.
1.-THE mists were hanging over Havana
Sunday morning when Mr.. Calhoun and
his companions crossed the ferry and took
the train for Matanzas No parade was
made of the departure of the party. No
advance notice of their coming was
served on the authorities at Matanzas. 1t
was simply quiet trip for observation.
The railroad journey was a reminder of
the war. The forward car was armored
and filled with soldiers Other soldiers
were on the platforms. The passengers
were mostly officers going back to their
posts. The train was preceded a few hun
dred feet by n pilot engine or 'exploro-
DOR. This pilot engine is sent ahead to
discover dynamite. If it is not blown up,
the regular train may safely follow.
1--WE had the first sight of an extensive
camp of pacifcos at Campo Florido, which
is an hours distance from Havana. Hun
dreds of palm huts were spread out on
either side Of the railroad tracks. A
barbed wire fence eight feet high, was
stretched along the outskirts of the settle
ment. Just outside the fence ran a deep
ditch. On the knobs and hills were the
fortilinos, or little forts, garrisoned and
with sentinels on the lookout. Soldiers
liatrolfed everywhere. Looking down
among the huts, then at the barbed wire
fence, the ditch, the soldiers occupying
the commanding positions, it was no lon
ger a mystery why the pacifcos in the
desperation of hunger did not break out
into the open country. They would never
set through that fence and across the
ditch beyond the range of the guns.
Those at Campo Florido were wandering
aimlessly around within their pen like
Gagged animals on exhibition. At Jura-
co and other stations further glimpses
We're had of the pacificos. Smallpox has
been very bad here, and no one cared to
leave the train for a closer sight. The
people were not the only things to be
seen. l write of them as things, because
under the present military policy they are
not considered human beings. The other
objects which excited attention along the
route were the evidences of ruin-cane
fields burned over, bare walls and Chin
neys of 'ingenios' or sugar mills, heaps
of ashes and blackened mortar, the alb
sence of all signs Of life except close to
the stations and forts. Everywhere could
be seen what seemed to be great bamboo
bird cages. These We're the houses of the
people who titled the soil. These houses
had not been burned. Instead they were
unFoofed, the weather boarding, If it
might be called that, taken OFF and the
poles and rafters left. If peace ever comes
they may be matched with palm and
again be habitable. But now they must
shelter no one. 1t is impossible to over
look the completeness of the military de-
fenses along the line of the Matanzas rail-
way. Every hill has its fortlino, with
sentinel on the lookout in the watch
tower and with soldiers garrisoning it.
Every station Is fortified. Even the
church are barrcaded. And the soldiers
are numberless. Admirable preparation,
1t all seems, to resist an invading army,
but We had not looked for ii in a province
which is officially reported as pacifed."
Arrived at Matanzas, the Americans
proceed to Cascoro hill, where the camp
of the paciticos Is located Mr.. Pepper
continues: Hundreds of palm huts are
on Cascoro Hin, They are built without
order or regulation. All are alike inside.
The gravel and dirt make the floor.
Boards stretched along the sides serve
for tables and for beds. A few have
chairs, others simply rough benches. The
household effects are usually a few old
clothes in the corner. Two or three tin
pans are the cooking utensils, which are
seldom needed, because there is nothing
to cook. The beddings Is an old blanket
or sheet spread over the boards. Some
times rude makeshift of litter serves
for bed. Some of the huts have rough
partitions, but many Of them are single
rooms. All show in their interior fur
nishings what would be called in the
states abject poverty. Mr. Calhoun took
ample observations on the extent of these
interior furnishings, because the pacifi-
cos get sick like other people and need
comforts. And in the rainy season, which
is close at hand, they must live much of
the time indoors instead OF in the open
air. ......
at is, however. with the pacificos, or
reconcentrados, themselves that we are
at present concerned. A pause at the
doorway of one of the huts was met with
and invitation to come In. There was
not room for all the visitors, but some
crowded past the threshold. A young
woman was rocking with babe of 6
| or months on her lap. She was intel
ligent and answered questions promptly.
A boy, or years old, clad in natures
garb, stole up to her side. A girl of 10
or 1G drew a faded shawl across her
shoulders, and, her modesty shielded,
| looked at the strangers. Through the OPP
ening of a partition We could see an aged
woman raise herself from the litter on
which she lay and peer out curiously A
man OF 80 or 40 sat on a stool and listened
| TO what was asked All he wanted he
said, was a chance to work In the fields
and get something to eat. The young
woman told President MoKinley's repre-
sentative that the people on the hill got
| a living by begging and working. The
work was making the straw hats out OF
the palm leaves. in which many OF the
women We're seen engaged. There was
| little demand for these hats and the pay
was so very small, but 1t was better than
nothing. Food was got in Matanzas by
begging, and some good folks did what
they could for the paclhcos. But there
was no distribution of rations by the mill
ttaTy authorities, not even once a day.
Now part OF the men were allowed 10 go
out little ways into the country for
food, but they brought back little, be-
! cause not much was TO be had. and the
soldiers would not let them go far. The
pacifcos shared with one another when
they had food. The family around her
the young woman said. had had breakfast
that morning. They did not nope for an
other meal that day, but they were not so
very hungry, yet Qt wanted an hour OF
noon) They had lived In a good house,
three miles from Matanzas. The soldiers
have burned It and made them come in
with the reconceLtrados.
"In another nut the stay was short A
middle-aged woman. who was sewing tho
straws OF a palm hat, invited US 10 enter
and see for ourselves. She was active and