The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-14
BUTCH[R[D THEIR HORSES
VERY FEW WERE LEFT TO TURN
OVER ON THE sURRENDER.
One Manner In which the Spanish
O0eeRs 1t Santiago Deprived the
Americans OF Lawful War Prizes
-Nail Distribution 90 the Soldiers.

copyrsEhted. 1885. BY the Associated Press.
SANTIAGO. July 2s.-Tnere are two
ways Of looking a. the value Of horse aesa
here ssnce the war began. You can buy an
animal for 8 gold piece with all the
srapp.nss thrown In. Dead. meat At so
much pound in the market, It comes high
in more ways than che The reasons for
ard q dead horse Just now are obvious
Gen. Shafter's report says that On July a.
I43 horses were turned over By Gen. Torai
al the sum total Of the Spanish cavalry
under his command. I. is well known TIA.
100 is nearer the number that should have
been turned over.
When Santiago surrendered on July Il,
l.. 60 spaniards stood IN urgent need. hrst
OF food, second Of cash. These crafty Cas-
tilians bethought themselves OF an ingen-
.ous plan FOR satisfying their love Of flesh
and gold. They knew our boys would Ell
SOY a repast Of fresh meat" after their
severe diet Of bacon and hard tack. and
would be glad 10 pay almost any price In
the restaurants for It. So gvodly num-
ber Of fire chargers and tough old war
horses were put 20 the sword and distrib-
uted AT fancy prices 10 the inns and chop
houses Of the district for the especial bene-
az OF the Americans.
For a time this horse flesh brought ex-
cellent prices, but after many equine
steaks had been served the American
troops gradually begun to realize what they
were eating and would have no more Of IL.
A slump in the market followed.
IT the chaotic condition OF SPANS mill
tary regime in the city, order.ies would
mount their officerS steeds and ride into
the market place. offering their mounts to
the first conner for almost anything they
could get In this simple manner. unham-
psred by the formality Of bill Of sale,
many horses changed hands always to the
advantage Of the seller, who was getting
something for what had cost him nothing.
and incidentally depriving Uncle Sam Of
lawful prizes Of war. And thus, at least
partially IL explained. the fact that the
Spanish cavalry horses turned over TO
Gen Shafter had dwindled to the ridicu-
ious figure Of lI3.
The first American postofiice In Cuba was
opened on June % Gil Baiguiri river. Eber
Brewer was the postal agent. From the
first day United States postage stamps
were sold and money orders issued. An i'm
mense amount OF mail had accumulated at
Tampa since the departure OF the army,
and It's prompt delivery 10 the men al the
front after its arrival was a task Of some
magnitude After sorting the mail by regi-
ments and companies, Mr.. Brewer brought
a horse. loaded the ANNA! with a heavy
pouch OF mail and started for the front
10 make deliveries. 1t was the first mail
I'm Cuba under American auspices.
He was gone thirty-six hours and imme-
diately after his return made another trip.
this time having tvo mules on which he
loaded the mail.
Mr.. Brewer. during the four days before
Santiago, took neither sleep nor rest.
In the eantime 40 sacks of mall had
accumulated at Raiquiri and All improve
nent In the system Of mall distribution
became imperative. II was decided 10 move
the postoffice closer to the front. and on
July 6 the Siborey postofffce was opened in
place % the old Baiquiri office. By this
time Mr. kempner had arrived as assist
ant TO Mr. Brewer and in two DAYS every
piece Of mail matter was At the front, sent
there by pack mules. wagons and carts.
Three days later Mr.. Brewer was taken
sick and removed TO the yellow fever hos
p,tal. where he died July IA The dreaded
fever had begun 10 spread so rapidly that
an order was issued to burn every build
ing and hut at Ssboney. Consequently the
postoffiee was burned with the others and
on July u thu postoffice was moved into
a canvas tent, where business went Oh till
July Il, when the postoffice was finally
moved into the building occupied by the
Spanish postoffice. with Mr.. Kempner at
It's head In a short space OF time since
IN. establishment Of the Office considerable
business has been transacted. Money or
der. 10 the amount OF mere than $s0oo
have been issued and $500 worth OF
STAMPS and stamped envelopes have been
sold
A million pieces o. mall matter have
thus far been received ard distributed. and
wore than half A million letters have been
I"-i-a5 States