The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-08-25
FROM PORTO RICO.
Another Letter From schuylhin County
soldier to Friends Here.


soldier to Friends Here.
The following letter, written by Elmer
Hooks, a member of Co. +, now stationed at
Porto Rico, ha, been received by his brothers
here, and is dated August a. 1t will prove
reading, and we give it space in
our columns:
We are now at Guayamo, having come
down from Oroyo yesterday. We arrived
here about ten o'clock and as soon as we un.
packed we were confronted by the Spanish
trenches on the mountains. The enemy's
soldiers as soon as they spied us, made haste
for the trenches. The first battalion of our
regiment and one battalion of the Bird Illinois
formed the advance The Philadelphia City
troops were in line and had their guns
loaded ready for action, when the Orderly
put in an appearance with the orders that
hostilities on the island had ceased by the
signing of the protocol.
You may be sure there were many cross
boys in camp when those orders were re.
ceived, who had fondly expected to show
their metal in battle. We laid at the foot of
the mountain as rcinforccmeuts, right at the
gates of a cemetery. While there the Ohio
boys came in with dead soldier who had
been shot the night before while on picket
duty, and a little while after a native cane
in with n small body in box and buried il
in the cemetery. After that had no desire
to die on Porto Rico soil
We are eucamped on the outskirts Of the
town, and several of us visited the place this
a. m. and took in the sights. 1t certainly
has many pretty buildings and Is pretty well
up with the times in other respects. One
drug store carries on business on American
i,,1,
English is spoken here" They sell soda
water, etc, and reminds us very forcibly Of
home. The "sum" part of the town, how
ever, is something awful and compares fa-
vorably with the Bowery Of New York.
We haven't received any mail for the past
seventeen days, and don't know what a
newspaper looks like The heat to-day is
something awful, and it is trying on the boys
from Pennsylvania. We meet very few
people, residents of the island. who can speak
English.
One Of the chief candies here is Cocoanut
and sugar mixed, which sells at one cent a
block, and the boys enjoy it. The flowers
trees and cactus that grow along the roads
make beautiful sight, and are Il revelation
to the coal crackers
1t is Just one hundred and eight days
since we shook the dust of Pottsvllc from
our feet, and during that time have seen
many new scenes. But it has been well
spent, and every man in the company would
not have missed the sights for II good deal
One Of the things we have learned is to
suffer from mosquito bites The renowned
New Jersey species are not in it with those
that live and thrive among the underbrush
of Porto Rico.
Anybody and everybody here sells cigars.
MangOes form the chief neCessaries of life
among the natives.
During the night the Spanish soldiers
came down from the mountains and sur
rendered. Where they are we can't find out
| One of the boys of Company +, from Potts
vile, died this morning and they are now
removing his remains to the cemetery foI
interment.
Some of our boys sell the natives theii
haIdtack two for a cent. Many of the store.
keepers come into camp and buy them and
| then sell them to their customers for Que cent
each.
The large Catholic church in the town OF
Guayamo is a magnificent building and ha.
in the tower six chimes and a large towr
clock. 1t is so old that the outside is turning
black. 1t is cemented all over. Many o
the rich inhabitants have their houses painted
an imitation of marble and present a nea
appearance, This class Of people dress well
with patent leather shoes and broadcotl
clothes
/ You will wonder at the quality of tn,
paper I am writing on, but it is valuable
memento of the Porto Rico campaign, as i
also the Spanish bank note enclosed. Gu
company is stationed at the old Spanisl
cavalry headquarters, and several of us seizet
the opportunity to go through the building
In the garret we found some old books bear
ing the date mark of 1910, and this paper i
from those books.
Three of our drum corps are in the hospita
at Chickamauga and two in the hospital here
50 you see we are badly broken up. One o
the Orderlies has Just informed us of tn
arrival OF mail at headquarters from home
and you can imagine the rush for the letters
The Pennsylvania railroad sea shore ex
cursion Thursday, September LIST, offers al
that may be desired, low rates. first-clas
accommodations, on regular trains and 70