The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-15
D HOSPITAL
Men Who Were Heroes at San
Juan, If Ever Men Were.
EXCELLENTLY CARED FOR
At Key West, Once They Get
Into Their Quarters.

wounded men. brought from the battle
near Santiago. Although the vessel ar
rived before sunset, the stupidity OF e
harbor pilot landed her on a sand-bar
| from which she had 10 be dragged by tugs
| This delayed the discharge Of her passen-
! gers until long after darkness had fallen
In the immediate background against
olouded sky, hung the many lights OF
| the fiet in harbor. In front of them
doomed the black hull and lighted state
rooms OF the Iroquois. In the foreground
stood the United States post-office and
! cUstOm-hOuse. surrounded by a broad
veranda bordered by heavy pillars and
! arches and reached by a fight of stone
! steps. On the little grass-plot and in the
! streets in front of the building stood a
throng Of spectators, divided into two
groups by a cleared passa geway leading
! to the foot of the steps, and kept open by
a squad of marines. Emerging singly,
in pairs, and in threes, from the darkness
Of the verandah, into the dimely lighted
square. came men, here one with ban
! daged head. there one tn arm in sling,
here one hobbling painfully with wounded
leg or foot, there one supported by those
less severely hurt than he. The light was
sufficient to outline the manned and Grip
pied forms as they passed down the steps
and through the divided group Of specta-
tors who stood in what seemed an awe
struck silence. But the light cleaned
from the white bandages, and emphasized
them. It was scene for painter and not
for a writer. Such lights and shadows
do not lie in an ink bottle.
Personally I was in no mood for cheer
ing. Among those who found their way
with slow and painful steps to the con-
veyances waiting 70 take them TO the hos
pitfalls, were friends and aquaintances
whom l had met in the camp at Chicka-
manga, strong, active men. But 1 did
feel that in all that gathered company of
spectators a large part of whom were
either Cubans or of Cuban connection,
there were those who should have cheer
ed to the echo those menwho had offered
their lives, and had received pains and
scares for the land of those very people
who pushed and crowded in curiosity to
see each sufferer as he passed. Hero
has come to be a very doubtful term
which often verges on the melodramatic.
But as I sat in the hospitals this morning
and listened to the simply told tales of
those men; as I heard their stories of the
unf1inching ranks which marched steadily
up the slopes of the hills at San Juan, in
the teeth of a calling fire from an in
trenched enemy; the term lost it melo-
drama in a glow of tragic courage that
numbered those men with others of fields
which are now historic for the deds of
heroilsm. of whichthey were the scene. I
stiu think that all that was done was
quite worth a hearty cheer for those who
did it. on the part of those for whom it
was done
1t may have ben unavoidable. but 1t
is certainly unfortunate, that no better ar
engagements were made for the removal Of
the wounded from the vessel TO the cars
and ambulances which were to take them
to the hospital buildings. They were
landed at the end of along pier. over
whose rough structure they were obliged
to pick their way in semi-darknes, avoid
ing as best they could the various mater
with which the wharf was numbered
This overcome, there was 4 flight of stems
10 ascend. the veranda to traverse. stems
10 descend, and walk, for many of them.
or twenty or thirty rods, to open street
cars on which is undoubtedly the worst
STREET car system in the United States
Some Of the les severely wounded went on
foot to the hospital a mile or more away
But this was not ahardship. as only those
We're included among the walkers who
were fully up to the trip. AmbuIances car
ried al they COULD, and made their trips
as frequent as possible. BY a little after
eleven o'clock all were off excer1 those
whom 1t was necessary 10 remove on
siretchers. These were taken by strong
and gentle hands an carried to the amb1-
lances, which took them TO the different
hospital buildings prepared for them.
At the hospitals there SENS nothing
TO criticise and everything 70 comend
Among the patients are many whose
wounds are trifiing. though of nature
which units them for service in the field
There are some with ugly flesh wounds
some with bullet shattered bones. There
are no amputation cases in this detach-
ment. and there are none whose removal
quences. Such viii probably come bv
some Of the vessels expected later. The
cases now here are those Of les serious
character. and all are doing wei. The
wounds Of some have healed 50 rapidlv
that there is talk of sending the nen. back
almost imediately. The wmounds Of men
whose blood is clear, and who are in
sound physical condition. heal rapidly IN
der the appliances and treatment Of mod
ern surgery.
The principal hospital tslllding was
convent until q few weeks ago. whom II
was offered by the nuns for its present
purpose. for which ii Is admirably adaptes
Il consists Of 4 central rouutuda with
aankinS wings. giving large and airy
rooms in which the cots are placed. II
Is surrounded by spacious grounds with
amplsshade. Adiaoual buildings have
been erected upon the grounds for the
extension Of the capacity. An unused
tobacco factory and school house. both
hospital are also being utilized for hos
pi,al purposes. The tobacco factory may
not sound very attractive. bu, I found it
quite q pleasant room when I visited IL
this morning The room was clean and
airy. and each iron cot With It's white
sheets was surtOouGted by white canopy
from the ceiling for protection against
flies and mosquitoes. TIE place was far
from uninv.1nS. Il one does not object
20 the smell % iodit37m. There remains
behind these the United States Marine
Hospital, "a whsch none has. as vet
ben asibned. though orders have ben is
sued fer the reception Of a portion OF
those who are 10 arrive al an early DAY
by the Cherokee and another vessel. which
Is 10 follow. There is also ahosu.;al