The times., 1898-06-20
TAKES UP RED CROSS WORK
d.. Alexander Kent Goes TO As
SiSt Clara Barton.
STATIONED AT JACKSONVILLE
When the Camp AlEer Troops Go to
Fernandina. He May Accompany
the TrOops-The Condition of AZ
fairs in Gen. Lees Command.

DF. Alexander Kent, VINO lelt mere last
Tuesday morning with the Red Cross
Society, has written several very inter
esting letters to his people in Washing
ton since his arrival at Jacksonville, Fla
DIR. Kent is one of the vice-presidents
of the Red Cross Society, and as such has
been intimately acquainted with the
minutest details of that charitable or
ganization. Miss Barton called on him a
few weeks ago and asked him to take
charge of the work of the society at the
depot at Jacksonville, as she was going
20 Cuba with food for the starving re-
concentrates DIR. Kent quickly made up
his mind to do as requested, and. to-
gether with Miss Barton, Mrs. John Ad-
Olson Porter, DR.. Hubbell and George
keenan,, he left the city Tuesday morning
for his headquarters in Jacksonville.
AT present he will be stationed at that
point and supervise the work there. but
it is probable that when the troops from
Camp Alger reach Fernandino. Fla. DR..
Kent will have charge of the Red Cross
work in their camp.
Miss Barton is going to Cuba with
fourteen hundred tons of provisions she
has for the reconcentrados. and which
Commodore Watson has promised TO pass
through the blockade. DR.. Hubbell and
Mr. keenan, will accompany their chief
on her relief expedition and Mrs. Porter
viii go as far as Tampa.
Miss Barton was compelled to stop at
Jacksonville all day by an accident to
one of the trains, very much to her re-
gret, as she had intended TO go straight
through 10 Tampa. She improved the
time by introducing DIR. Kent to Gen.
Lee. whose headquarters are at that
point, and who promised to assist the
Washington clergyman as much as possi-
BILE in his work among the soldiers of his
command. The party also met Col. Leon
ard Wood. of the Rough Riders, and
Lieut.. Guild.
In letter to his daughter. dated June
10. DR.. Kent writes:
About 5 o'clock this afternoon Gen.
Lees carriage and another came round
with Coils. Wood and Guild and took us
out TO camp. We were greatly pleased
with the situation and the general condi-
ton. There are 5000 men under Gen
Lee. The ground is admirably situated
for camping: dry, sandy and most of it
covered with enough grass and other
growth to make little sod. The water
supply is excellent. 1t comes from an
artesian we'll: has a little sulphur when
it first comes out of the ground which
evaporates in a few minutes and leaves
an excellent quality of water. 1t IS
wholesome in either state. and when cold
seems as pure and good as our Takoma
water. This flows right through the
camp in pipes and can be had by every
company in it's own street All they have
TO do is to turn on a faucet, as we do in
our house. and Il flows into the buckets.
When the soldiers first camped here
they began to dig trenches into which
10 throw the garbage. The mayor quick
ly called a halt, and when military men
said that this was their custom, he re-
piled: You can't do it in Jacksonville.
IT is against the city ordinances and can
not be permitted. But If you will permit
the city will take all your waste to it's
crematory without any charge 10 you.
And so this is being done. Therefore the
camp is as sweet and as clean as one
could wish.
THE men all seemed TO be well fed.
We drove through the camp when they
were eating and saw their rations which
seemed to be ample and of good quality.
We talked with several, and ali seemed
/ contented with their fare.
The landlady at the Windsor Hotel has
| opened large basement, larger than the
( one in which we hold our meetings, for
I the use of the privates. She has fitted il
up with chairs and tables for writing and
4 has done everything she can to make
! them comfortable. The weather is warm
but not so hot as we have been having in
| Washington, and yet the people say il
! has been warmer than usual. The mos
/ quitoes are lively, but they do not bite
! badly
In another letter DIR. Kent described q
/ visit TO the camp early in the morning
! 1t is about a mile and half from Jack
sOnyille.
! In the absence of DR.. Kent there viii be
I no services in the Peoples Church. II
was their intention TO close the church
! during the hot months and on the depart
! ure of DR.. Kent it was decided to hold
/ no more services after yesterday. Mr.. j
/ L. McCreery spoke last night.