The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-10-19
bob BEERrrs TALKS
INTERESTINGLY of HI. Visit to Porto Rico.

and Robert Z. Beefits, notice of whose
thrilling experience on burning gov
ernment transport en- route from Santiago
to New York, was made last week, ar
rived in the latter port Tuesday evening
and came TO Somerset ON Friday. ave
would have been detained in New York
for two weeks had it not been for Gov
ernor Hastings said Mr.. Beerits, in
speaking of the party's escape from GU ar
antine. ''You possibly remember that il
was reported that smallpox had broken
out on the OLDHAM. When we sighted
Fire Island we were met by the quaran-
tine boat aud informed that we would be
held for two weeks. The ship doctor of
the OLDHAM explained to the quarantine
physician that the report of smellpox on
board was mistake. and asked him to in
quire from his superior officers if the re-
port had not been officially contradicted.
He promised to do so and returned an
hour later to say that it had not and that
we would be kept on board the Obdam
until after it had been thoroughly fumi-
gated, etc. A short time after this a tug
came putting up with Governor Hastings
party on board He had come down the
bay for the purpose OF securing the mem
bsrs OF the sixteenth Pennsylvania Reg
iment who were on the Obdam, and as
soon as the the tug came within hailing
distance he called out: II want all mem
bers of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania and
III Da-,xe.-1 lea 10 NTH rYna -
We hastily collected our traps and went
on board the tug with the Governor and
We're soon landed in New York.
~ don't want any Porto Rico in mine, Z"
continued Mr.. Beerits. Its beautiful
place and all that, but the natives are un-
civilized and filthy. Why. do you know,
they don't know anything about wash
board down there; and when they wash
their clothing, which is not often, the
women take it to creek and rub il
against smooth stones until it is c.esn, or
partially so. The children of both sexes
run stark naked until they are eight or
zine years old.
''I saw no inducement 10 60 into busi-
ess, unless it would be to go into dairy
ing. People down there know nothing
about butter, the little they have coming
in small tin cans from Copenhagen. The
natives, however, are sure of the quality
of their milk, since the milkman drives
from three 10 six cows, with their horns
roped together, through the streets, stop
ping before the residences of his custom
ers to milk their order from the cows
udder into bottle. They have excellent
drug stores, but there is not a soda foun-
tain on the island The hotel accommo-
dations are miserable, meat being the
principal item on the bill Of fare, but If
the guests visited the meat market they
wonld not eat even that.
"The military road from Ponce 10 San
Juan, distance Of so miles, is as smooth
the entire distance as a sawed stone
pavement. We made the journey in one
day, 10 two carriages drawn by diIninu-
tive ponies, that were kept on a dead run
between the ten mile relays. We expert
enced some difficulty in getting through
the Spanish line. the commanding officer,
General Henry, having declined to issue
passes TO us, but a newspaper correspond
ent gave us tip and we undertook to get
through. Arriving at the most advanced
American outpost we were held up by
General Ernst. until he wired to General
Brooke, at San Juan, if four young gen.
tlemen, bearing passports, should be al
lowed 10 pass. Two hours later we were
foI -. nj
we entered San Juan without further in
terruption. We called upon Admiral
Schley a. his hotel, and he accorded as
an interview of an hour and half We
caught only slight glances Of the Spanish
and Porto Rican upper classes, since they
only leave their homes on Sunday even
iDgs for promenade. The natives are
not permitted to walk upon the same
sidewalks used by them. Some of the
Spanish senorettas are very pretty, but
they are never allowed to escape the vig-
lance OF their chaperones. No, l don't
want any more of Porto Rico in mine,
and as for Santiago, it is the dirtiest and
fonlest smelling hole imaginable.
About our experiences on the burnin g
transport? Well, it was pretty exciting
for an hour or two, as yoa can imagine il
would be when the steel partition divid-
ing the coal from the ammunition was
so hot that when one expectorated ag sinst
il, it woalu be followed by a report as
loud as the crack of pistol, and the sa-
livs would disappear in yapor.
"Some OF the soldiers were terribly
frightened; one fellow. remember, ran
below only to reappear on deck wa
life-preserver and eight days rations
strapped around his shoulders.
sTnere was excitement every hour.
however, from the time we landed at
Ponce until we returned to New York.
The widest kind of rnmors were set
afloat hourly. One time ii would be that
France and Germany had formed an alli-
ance with Spain. ana that Great Britain
and Russia had taken up the cudgels for
America, aud, strange as il may seem,
nearly every person on the island believ-
ed the rumors.v
AInanaex for 1899.