The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-01
fsnecial 70 Tie IIerald.l

Mt. Pleasant, Sept. 29.-John Knud-
sen, a young man OF this city, who has
been with a government pack tram
with General Miles in Puerto Rico for
the past two months. returned home
This week. He brings g decidedly IN
teresting budget Of information con-
corning the island, its inhabitants, the
war there, etc. The transport on Whlch
he embarked at Tampa carried 1,oOo
men and 1850 pack animals. me con-
seuuent overcrOwding of the vessel
prevented IS being kept in a proper
condition of cleanliness, and the voyage
was very disaSreeable. An incident OF
the voyage was q shot across the yes
sells bows from gunboat, which had
hailed them without elicitins reply.
The shot had the desired erect ana
the captain of the transport was
treated TO a tongue-laShinS by the
gunboat's commander, which astounded
even the soldiers and packers.
After the men diSembarkeG at Ponce,
however, they began to realize what
hardships were in store for tnem- The
heat was intense, the inVariable AFTER
moons torrents of rainfall soaked
everything, the mud was halt-Knee
deep, rations (when procurable) were
musty and barely fit to eat, and there
was a constant activity necessary on
the part of ALL and especially the pack
ers.
Under the circumstances our forces
had little difficulty in driving back the
Spanish forces and capturing their
strongholdS; but, in Mr.. KnudSen's
opinion, had the island and those same
defenses been manned by determined
and fighting foe, the result would have
been otherwise. Had the United States,
for instance, had 5000 trained soldiers
on the island they could have with
= that rDl1l6 have hpRn
made against them. The mountains
Were almost impFegnable, and could
easily be converted into invJhnerable
retreats. One American regiment was
in such location in a small valley in
the mountains that had 20 of their foe
been possessed of sufficient alertneSS
and daring, that particular body of
men would have been absolutely at
their mercy. This was due to the fact
that there were but two approaches
leading to the valley, and they were
but narrow grades, around almost per-
pendicular mountain sides, where the
work Of a few good men would have
been sufficient to have held an army
at bay.
SOLDIERS STARVED.
The gross mismanagement in the
commiSSary department, concerning
which such sensational reports are
heard, MIR. Knudsen reports as being
an absolute fact. Scores of Uncle Sans
faithful servants had persisted from
starvation, and they We're still dying
of the same cause; and at the time
ships laden with the life-SuStain-
ing necessities, were lying in sight,
with their cargoes decompOSing and
being cast overheard.
The government is not to be censured
for this state of affairs, however, nor
anyone in authority. 1t is the result of
ignorance among members of the vol
unteer army in charge of the commits
Sary, who are ignorant of how to prop
erly conduct their different duties. This
department is greatly overworked.
The hospitals are veritable death
holes. Many of the doctors, young
medical students, will amputate a limb
or cut and slash their patients for the
slightest cause. Mr.. Knudsen declares
he would have almost persisted before
going into the hospitals.
The Inhabitants are less than half
civilized They have no schools and
only one church-the Catholic. In
matters Of dress they are very slack,
the children under II years of age be-
ing allowed to go absolutely naked.
Afterwards a single calico dress is Suf-
hcient for the women and oVerallS and
4 shirt constitutes a full dress suit for
the men. There is little or no labor
performed, and habits of idleneSS vi
ciousness and loosenesS of character
are a consequence.
The soil of the island is very fertile
where the mountains will allow of its
cultivation. Sugar-cane and fruit. prin-
cipaily bananas are of prolific natural
growth, and are the principal articles
OF diet. \ very little corn is raised
Flour retails at $25 per sack, a duty
of SIC being included. Taxation is
very heavy. A chicken, hog, sheep or
any animal killed for purpose of con-
sumption requires a heavy tax.
On the return trip the vessel touched
at Santiago, and the remains of Ger
vera's fleet were seen. The Merrimac,
lying about one-half mile from the har-
Dor entrance, ON the inside, was seen
also. Santiago is an ugly-appearing
city, built Of low, cheap-looking huts
There was no activity or business APP
parent at all.