The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-23
In Waman's Realm.
THE TEXAS CARGO.
A Sketch of Red Cross Work Aship
QNdrAfieId.


A Sketch of Red Cross Work Aship
andnAfeId.
The chiefinterest in the Texas which sailed
from Key West Monday, is in her valuable
Red Cross cargo, its destination and the
snip S passengerslist, says the New York Sun.
The cargo represents thousands of dollars
contributed by the American people. 1t con-
sists OF food. clothing. medicines and other
means of help for the destitute, suffering Gu
bans-altogether j 200 tons of supplies, sent
down on this specially chartered ship by the
Central Cuban Relief committee insNew York
The supplies may be too late to accomplish
the mission Of relief in Cuba. but they may
be in good time for American soldiers and
sailors. the carss of whom. in time of war,
when sick and wounded, is the legitimate
work of the Red Cross
The passenger list includes Miss Barton,
four Red Cross surgeons. ten trained nurses
and Mrs. ]. Addison Porter
The party realize that this expedition is
no pleasure excursion They men and
women OF serious purpose and high aims
Knowing well the meaning Of hardship, self
sacrlhce and danger. Some are veterans who
have been under fire in service as SOL
diers and nurses. All have been tried in
more than one experience where disaster
maze the work of mercy no less test than
the horrors of the battlefield. Ten of the
party have worked among the reconcentrados
be more appalling, condition Of human
wretchedness more repulsve than they have
faced in that line of relief in Cuba What
ever part the Red Cross ship is destined to
take IN the INVASION her passengers will be
found ready and equal to the emergency
Ihey nave cool, quiet. strong leader, who
maintains discipline through frmness and
Kindness and by personal example inspires
loyalty and faithful performance of, duty
MISS Barton Is no longer young in years, but
in thought and action she still holds TO the
V1g0r of youth.
HER LOYAL FOLLOWING.
Letters have come to her recently from Red
! Cross societies beyond the sea, with words of
sympathy and offers of assistance. Among the
first Is the Red Cross of France-true to the
creed-sendlng one-haf of substantial help in
money to the American Red Cross, the o.her
half to the Spanish Red Cross. A letter of
especial value and encouragement was direct
Red Cross at Geneva, Switzerland-the first
president who held the office after the first
twelve nations. including Spain. signed the
treaty in 1864. 1t is most appropriate that the
| first Red Cross hospital ship, now being fitted
out at Boston, should be named the Moynier
But with all that comes to Miss Barton Off
c1ally she could have no finer tribute than the
loyalty and devotion of those who work with
her and under her direction
1t Is said that Gen. Blanco entertains per-
sonal regard for Miss Barton. When she called
to take leave Of him before her departure
from Havana, he expressed his regret, and
assured her OF his protection so far as in him
'.Your departure, Miss Barton" he said
means more to me than the departure of
of war; ~
Miss Barton accepted the assurance of the
captain-general. hoping as many believed at
the time that 1t, would be only a Temporary
interruption of relief work. Then she added
Cen Blanco:
eff there is war, general, 1 would rather be
at the other end of the guns
NO MONEY
Miss Barton receives pay. Neither
do the four Red Cross sisters from the Red
Cross hospital in New York who are going
back to Cuba having been there with Miss
Barton in relief work for the reconcentrados
Sister Anna, Sister Isabel. Sister Blanche and
the only American Red Cross nurses ever in
Cuba. The first three are graduates of the
New York Red Cross hospital under the in
struction of Dr.. Lesser and his wife, so
Sister Minna, is graduate of st. Elizabeth's
hospital in Berlin, and she received special
These young women are all; under thirty.
strong and fine in character, and devoted to
their profession, Though one is a Roman
Catholic, two Epscopalians and one Lutheran,
they know only the common creed Of the Red
Cross-the relief of suffering humanity. When
DR.. and Mrs. Lesser were obliged to return
to their duties in, the Red Cross hospital in
New York, after they had the Lee orphanage
we'll established in Havana, they sent for the
four trained nurses. Sister Blanche was
placed in charge Of the orphanage and Sis
ter Anna, Sister Isabel and Sister Minna were
on duty at Los Fosos-that municipal shelter
in Havana, neither hospital nor prison, but
the abode of indescribable misery and squal-
or. disease and death Los Fosos sheltered
500 women and children. with hope and life
starved out of them, whose faces had gaunt,
fierce expression, more like that of hungry
animals than human beings. 1t was
from Los Fosos that the babies were taken
to the orphanage. Every day for weeks the
in the morning until 5 o'clock in the after
noon, bathing, dressing, feeding and COM
forting these helpless and hopeless creatures
repulsive in filth and rags-at best little more
than half naked skeletons. One could under
stand the feeling of patriotism, the sentiment
inspiring the trained nurse in the care of our
own sick and wounded soldiers, but the relief
of an alien population under the appalling
conditions of the reconcentrados could in
spire no such sentiment. The American peo-
pie cannot know, therefore, may never es-
sisters the first of. the American Red Cross
to give their services in Cuba. taking their
lives in their hands much among the dis
ease-stricken reconcentrados as if they had
gone on the field of battle.
HELP FOR REFUGEES.
Relief work INTERRUPTED In Cuba was taken
up at Key West and Tampa. where hundreds
of destitute refugees have been fed and clothed
by the Red Cross. This relief IS extended to
the prisoners on the Spanish prize ships. who.
1
the authorities at Key West When the facts
were brought to Miss Bartons attention,
action was prompt and efficient With
sistants she visited all the Spanish ships and
supplied ECO men with food 1t would have
been difficult for any Imagination to conceive
that a war existed between the United Safes
and Spain, and indeed, the officers and crews
of these ships were not aware Of war unit
| their capture. 1t was the captain OF the Pa
anna, big, handsome ocean liner, who said
to Miss Barton s4
."Ah, madam, we cannot fight your people,
You are cool and fight from the head. We
are impusive and fight from the heart"
The daily routine of life on the State Of
Texas while at anchor was one of study, prac-
tice and all-round discipline. There were
Spanish lessons. medical lectures and, daily
clinics by DR.. Gardner and Dr. Egan, which
attended by men from ships and camps.
Not day passed without surgical and me a.
cal treatment given to soldiers and sailors
brought on board, or, in other cases, visited
by the Red Cross doctors and nurses He'd
the State of Texas possessed the accommodate
tions she would have been a hospital at
! anchor so many were the applications from
ships and camps
ANOTHER SHIP.
The American National Red Cross relief
committee have concluded tie purchase of
| the medical supply boat for which they have
been negotiating. The boat selected is the
| steam Yacht Admiral formerly owrad NV p