The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-13
luRAQU!C!IO BURNED.
Town Known as Siboney
Sacrificed to the Health
Of the Army.
By Gable, Copyright, 1898, by The Asso-
ciated Press.)

ciatedg PreSS.)
OFF #JURAQUICITO, July H. 1898, via
Kingston, July l3 (9:45 A. M.)-The miser-
able little town of Juraguicito (Siboney)
lies in ashes tonight 1t was burned under
the orders of the army health authorities.
Almost every building of the fifty which
struggled along the irregular bluff was
set on fire during the day and the Cuban
Inhabitants have fed to the caves in the
overhanging hillside for shelter.
The action was taken at the urgent re-
quest of Major Legardo. of the Hospital
Corps, and served the joint purpose of
ridding the hospital camp of the unhealth-
full and dirty buildings and driving away
scores of Cuban followers whose presence
was a serious Inconvenience to the hos
pital workers.
The burning of the houses also extended
along the trail to the front and numerous
blockhouses were destroyed together with
dwellings.
The action was decided upon last night.
and early this morning the long wooden
building at the extreme east epd of the
street, one which had served as division
headquarters during the early days of
the landing, and, later as post office.
the most imposing in the city. with its
long broad verandahs and well built
stoop, and as the flames burst from the
windows and swept over the roof the
Cuban dwellers in the neghboring
houses began to rush for safety. They
were assisted by a detachment of SOL
diers in removing their effects and the
buildings were set fire to as rapidly as va
ordinarily have burned like tinder, but
the heavy rains made the flames slow in
spreading. The dwelling houses filed the
camp with stirling black smoke, which
was visible for miles.
In spite of the protests of the ragged
Cubans the work of destruction proceed
ed steadily all day.
The building in which field telegraphs
and telephone offices were located, shared
the common fate.
The work was not completed until after
dark when, the torch was applied to the
last building of the town. The debris will
be cleared away as rapidly as possible
and many more hospital tents will be
pitched on new sites.
Scarcely wounded man remains at the
hospital headquarters here. Almost all
the sufferers have been either sent North
on the returning transports, or have been
sent on board the hospital ship Relief,
which lies off shore. 1t is most fortunate
that the transfer was made before the
rains set in, as it is difficult to provide
proper shelter from the storms. A num-
her of men sick with fever. measles and
other ailments are still here.
To rr;rr ~
physicians trouble: but, so far only one
death has resulted
Mr.. Nicholas Fish will leave for the
North tomorrow with the bodies of Ham
ilton Fish, Jr., and Captain Capron, who
were killed with the Rough Riders in
battle.
The men of General Lawton's Division
yesterday, cut large water main which
is believed to be the sourse of the water
supply Of Santiago de Cuba The main
entered the city from the northeast and
is the largest one yet found. A stream
of pure water as large as mans body
J has poured from the pipe since it was
cut and have proved valuable TO the Am
orleans.
few deserters who came out of Sam
tiago today reported that the city's wa
ter supply is scant and Of very bad quail
ity
The reports of wholesale desertions
from the Spanish forces are untrue, a
Few deserters reach the American lines
almost daily. hut theres have not bee
hundred deserters from the spaniards IN
III.
Il little Spanish gunboat was discovered
Ia the harbor today lying ait the Phila-|
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