Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-07-14
WHY s1BoNEY WAS BURNED.


Town Destroyed aspa Precaution Against
Yellow Fever.
or Juraguicito, July u, via Kingston,
July 14.-This miserable little town of
Juraguicito (Siboneys lies in ashes to-
night. 1t was burned under the orders
of the army health authorities. Almost
every building of the SO which struggled
along the irregular bluff was set on
fire during the day. and the Cuban in
habitants fled to the caves in the over
hanging hillsides for shelter. The ac-
ton was taken at the urgent request
of Major Legardo Of the hospital corps
and served the joint purpose of Kidding
the hospital camp of the unhealthful
and dirty buildings and driving away
scores of Cuban followers whose pres
ence was serious inconvenience to the
hospital 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
end of the street, one which had served
as division headquarters during the
early days of the landing and later as
a postoffice, was set fire to. This build
ing was one Of the most imposing in
the city, with its long, broad verandas
and we'll built stoop, and as the flames
burst from the windows and swept over
the roof the Cuban jewellers in the
neighboring houses began to rush for
safety They were assisted by de-
tachment of soldiers in removing their
effects, and the buildings were set fire
to as rapidly as vacated. The old wood
en- structures would ordinarily have
burned like finder, but the heavy rains
made the flames slow in spreading. The
dwelling houses filled the camp with
sitting black smoke, which was WISH
BILE for miles.
In spite Of the protests of the ragged
Cubans the work Of destruction pro-
ceeded steadily all day. The building In
which field telegraphs and telephone Of
fees were located shared the common
fate. The work was not completed I'M
til after dark, when the torch was ap-
piled to the last building of the town.
The debris will be cleared away as rap
idly 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
snip Relief, which lies offshore. It IA
most fortunate that the transfer was
made before the rains set in, as it Is DIFF
ncult to provide proper shelter from the
storms. A number of men sick with
fever, measles and other ailments are
stlll here. Malarial fever continues to
give the physicians trouble, but so far
only one death has resulted.
Mr.. Nicholas Fish will leave for the
north tomorrow with the bodies of
hamilton Fish, Jr., and Captain Ca
prom VINO were killed with the rough
rioers IN battle. The men of General
LaWtons division yesterday cut large
water main which Is believed to be the
source OF the water supply q Santiago
ue 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 has poured
from the pipe since it was cut and has
proved valuable to the Americans.
~ leW deserters who came out of San
.iaso To-Day reported that the citys wa
Ter supply is scant and Of very bad
quality. The reports of wholesale d.
ser'iohs from the Spanish forces are
untrue a few deserters reach the
american lines almost daily, but there
nave not been hundred deserters from
the Spaniards in all.
knmnnx