The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-26
HISTORY MAKING COAST
100 MILES OF CUBAN SHORE THAT
WILL NOT SOON BE FORGOTTEN.
Graphic Picture of the Section of SAN
tiagO Province Where Death and
Destruction Have Reigned.


Correspondence of the Associated Press.
OFF SIBONEY, July 12-Whatever the
future may have in store of further victory
or temporary defeat, there are hundred
miles of Cuban coast, backed by mountains
breasted by restless seas, which, to the
American, will always serve as the scene
of national history making. From the base
of Pyk Tarquno, a mountain which rears
eight thousand feet of vivid green's against
sky kaleidoscope in its color scheme. to
the marino-crowned hill at Guantanamo.
scarcely a mile of shore but has seen death,
defeat, triumph, destruction, valor, tears.
Fifty-one miles west from MORO lies the
Colon, broadside to the sea- Eastward, and
within six and a quarter miles of the fam
Gus castle, uneasily rests the Oquendo, with
her broken back and gaping wounds.
short quarter mile further east is the Maria
Teresa, stately still, and even in her
scorched and dismantled condition. war
ship which we all hope will be saved as
trophy of Schley's victory.
Of Santiago's entrance, with it's batteries,
castles and earthworks. there is little left
to say For years, probably, the American
tourist will look with interest at the wreck
of the Reina Mercedes, the last of SPANS
he passes the stack and spars of the fame
crowned Merrimac.
Ten miles to the westward comes the
plague spot, with many names. but one
CHASTITY record-Siboney. Why this should
be called or regarded as a harbor passeth
the comprehension of the veriest landsman
to conjecture. surf-beaten, coral-strewn
beach, from which the water deepens so
rapidly that a hundred fathoms chain is
needed for anchorage five hundred feet from
shore; pools of stagnant, vermin- breeding
water, close to the shore, surrounded by
sand ankle deep; on the first beach, insight
ly railroad tracks and Sheds a little high
err hospital and wall tents in irregular pro-
FUSION; in rear of these again the charred
ruins Of story buildings, and, as back
ground, the mountains-for which, thank
heaven-ther round tops dotted with the
burned ruins of toy blockhouses, which
may have been ornamental, but were GER
tainly not useful.
Within this camp fever, death, gaping
wounds, melancholy, hardihood the grand
courage to sit down and make the best of
it, the Stolid waiting for the end so near
and yet SO far. A half mile beyond this
camp, where the quartermaster mule and
the jaded cavalry horse share the highway
with the wounded soldier, the busy Red
Cross nurse and the fully accoutered aid,
is the habitat of that most unWelcome re-
cruit whose flag is yellow and whose name
is Jack. To tell of the change in this camp
from personal observation is, obviously, i'm
possible. But from it's confines come stories
of new patients new deaths tS new dangers gg
covering Siboney as with pail AS said
above, the buildings at Siboney have been
burned, but yesterday and to-day saw the
inception and completion of this work. Why
not weeks ago? Cubans confess and doctors
assert that last summer yellow fever was
prevalent in Siboney and that almost every
house held it's patient. 1t is even asserted
that the building used as postoftce-
branch station New York city-was, in 1897,
the yellow fever pesthouse. A Cuban told
the writer that this is absolutely true. But
CubanS lie as we'll as Spaniards. Let us
hope that this informant also is as economl-
cal of truth as are his brethren.
There is brighter tinting to the sombre
picture in that the wounded have been
tenderly cared for, removed as speedily as
ships specially fitted for their comfort and
care Truly it was. terrifying to three hun
dred men with fractured bones or deep
flesh wounds loaded through the surf on
beats which tossed atrociously, and the
heart stood still lest wounds should cape
and splints break. Fortunately evil results
did not follow, and now the hospital at
Sboney is ready for the reception Of more
wounded or. fevered soldiers. May their
number be few.
At the front there is suffering. but there
is solace. Men with temperature of over
they suffer they are strong. They have an
enemy in front which they can combat With
absolute certainty Of victory, and knowing
this forget the enemy in their. veins. The
day will soon come when their sufferings
and the successes Of the Santiago army OF
decentralization will be told with a cheer
should be so many who will have. to
shoulder crutches while they tell how they
Six miles eastward along this history
making shore, Daiquiri-and once for all
it is ID" not ''B" for the initial letter
with it's huge fleet of transports, it's massive
iron pier and it's pretty village crowning
cultivated slopes. will interest. the traveller
as the place where Skaters army first
landed and from which the needed siege
artillery did not go as speedily as could have
been wished. Here, too. is an alleged har-
Dor from which ships flee to the open sea
as soon as signs of storm appear.
A score or so of miles further east Is a
real harbor, and an ample one. where the
navy of the United States, present and
tornadoes and storm swept. Here, at any
hour of the day or night, one can see large
better spot could have been found though
one were made to order. Here. too, health
is the rule and life presents some aspects
which It is fair to call cheerful. The Cuban
camp at Guantanamo-for, of course, this
is the harbor meant-is less offensive and
more picturesque than any other noted
alm-thatched, and rain-tight, are fairly
clean. Soldiers show medium Of discipline
the the fir first land bafSle Of the war shows
them to be courageous in deeds as well as
talk. The camp of the marines, so hard
to hold at first. has proved the game worth
the candle as the high hill on which 1t Is
situated is visited by every breeze from land
or sea and affords such natural drainage
that even tropical rains cannot keep 1t wet.
The fact that above the harbor the town
of Caimanora and its inland sister Guam
tanamo are still in the hands of the Span
iards gives no one uneasiness IL would not
be worth while to risk a single American
life to capture these places. unless from
humanitarian view point, since Perez, the
commander cOnfpSSPS
death rate of his sodiery has reached fifteen
per day. When Santiago falls these towns
will go down with it.