Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-11-23
SANTIAGO CURIOS.
Collected by Harry {. Bradbury Dur
ing the Summer.
Spanish Shells and Bullets and Tools from the
Maria Teresa.

VINO returned, Monday afternoon, to this
city, from a trip to Santiago, brought
many interesting and valuable souvenirs
with him, from the historic place. which
were briefly mentioned in Tuesdays Jour-
nal. lie also had the experience of being
IN the port soon after the surrender of
the city, which he values very highly.
MI. Bradbury is young man who is
wen known in Augusta, and he has
worked here very much for his brother,
K. s. Bradbury. His home is in Fairfield
where he went Tuesday.
In July of this year he signed as engi-
neer fon the schooner Charles E. Balch,
for cruise to Cuba from Gardiner, with
load of ice. This schooner was accom-
panied by the Mary Morse, and between
them, they carried 1000 tons of the frozen
water for the relief of the sick soldiers
about Santiago. This ice was the gift of
the Red Cross Society, aand it proved TO
be worth its weight in gold to the suf-
ferers who were burning UP with fever
The two schooners were lowed to Cuba by
the tug, Triton. They left the mouth of
the Kennebec river July IL, and were 10
Gays on their journey to Santiago. Their
journey out was an uneventful one with
the exception of the time when the tug
run short of COAL and dropped the two
haWsers to come back alongside the
schooners, to take what coal they had on
board. There was some difficulty expert
enced in picking up the two immense
hawsers, but it was finally DONE They
We're at the time in the Gulf stream, and
Mr.. Bradbury says they could see the
ends of the hawsers hanging down, or at
least they imagined they could see them
the water was so clear
The crew was not allowed ashore when
they first reached the place, as the fever
was raging fiercely. Every morning
lighters would be sent out to the ship,
and take away about six tons of ice for
the days consumption. Near by was an
hospital ship, and aoout every morning
there wouldbe mattresses thrown into the
sea. Everything that was infected with
disease, was thrown into the sea. both
by those on shore, and on the ships.
The ships containing the soldiers bound
for the United States passed right by the
two sehooners, and Mr.. Bradbury always
saluted them with his steam whistle.
They were bound for home, and the
bands were always playing some gay
tune The Spaniards also passed by the
schooners when they were sent home.
The captain of the Balch had a supply
of tobacco on board for the army, and
also some for the fleet, and he endeavored
to get rid of it. He saw General Shafter
about it, and that officer not only insult
ed the captain by his actions, but abso-
lutely refused to make any attempt to
communicate with the fleet about it. Mr..
liked down there, and that the feeling
between the army and the navy, was
very bitter.
After they had been there quite lit
tie time, the men were allowed ashore,
and it was then that Mr.. Bradbury col
lected his curios. He visited the trenches
back of the city, and found a box of am
munition of the Spanish, containing the
immense brass shells for the II pound
guns. He took two of these, removed the
powder, and carried them aboard the
ship. These shells were beside a large
gun that had evidently been brought
ashore from one of the ships, but had
not been in action as it was not mounted.
He brought home a bag of bullets that
were taken from large iron shell. One
of these shells contained $50 of the bull
lets. There is an explosive in the shell,
and upon explosion it throws about the
bullets, which do terrible execution. He
also found some of the barbarouS brass
bullets that We're fired in some of the
Spanish rifles. Then he had some tools
that were taken from the flagship of Ad-
miral Cervera, the Maria Teresa. These
with other little notions, made up the
collection that in later years will be very
valuable. He also got a good supply of
real tobacco of the Spanish sort,
which he now enjoys giving his friends.
During the five weeks the schooners lay
in the harbor, it was impossible for them
to learn any news from the United
States, and they did not know SO much
of what was going on in the city of San
tiago, as we people here in Maine who
read the morning papers.
The schooner left Santiago, on Septem
Der 5, passing out through the channel by
the wreck of the Merrimac, and in sight
of one of the vessels of the Spanish fleet
laying on the beach not far from the
city. They went to Brunswick, Georgia,
where they took aboard load of hard
pine for Bath, where they arrived last
week.