The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-07
From Ally Slopcr

from Spain and preparations are being
made to receive them with the usual
fuss and feather. Always when q new
regiment comes the houses Of Havana
are bedscked with flags. bands play,
men embrace and kiss one another af-
ter the ELUSIVE Spanish fashion and
shouts of viva Espana!" I'LL the air:
the newly-arrlved officers are wIned
and dined and each private Is presented
with silver dollar Poor lads! 1t Is the
last they will see for many day
and more OF them will succumb to
smallpox, yellow fever and calentura
than will die OH the field OF battle-far
more than will ever see home again.
There Is always more or less yellow
fever In Havana, but at this time OF
year It is not considered contagious. In
the hospital de San Ambroso, where I
have gone every day for week to
visit the few wounded men of the
MAINE" who yet remain here. there are
at present only five cases OF yellow fc-
yer in Its wards-much below the usual
percentage. 1t Is said. As to smallpox,
there Is to-day hardly 4 case OF 1t In the
city; yet-"for the protection OF the
United States" so says the extremely
impolite doctor In charge of that
brenoh OF Uncle Sans interest-all
persons leaving for that country must
be vaccinated four days In advance OF
departure, or exhibit satisfactory marks
Of recent vaccination. Nobody's word
for II will answer, nor the certificate OF
any reputable physician; each must 60
to the consulate and expose him or her
self then aud there, or remain In Gu
ba. II that sort OF thing is insisted on
the year around, proper conveniences
should be provided for the victims, at
least q private room to which ladies'
may retire while taking Off their bas-
ques. The office Is n large public room
on the ground floor. with windows open
TO the street. clerks sitting at desks
and men constantly coming and going,
the only attempt at privacy being a
little screen behind which one may par
TALLY hide.
Yesterday went out on tho bay In a
steam yacht. viii, party of Cuban Ia
dies and gentlemen, to get near. View
OF the wreck OF the Maine. Such q mel
ancholy heap Of old iron as Is our once
beautiful warship, with a single spar
American flag floats at half mast,
There arc yet bodies underneath It,
| probably fifty or more. and the swarm
| of black vultures. the scavcnger- birds
OF Cuba. which circle around 1t and
perch upon every available point. offer
grucsome suggestions. A diver was 20.
| Ing down as we approached. after the
two officers who arc supposed to lie near
the strong box, and a nearby boat
bore several collins. ready to receive
| any remains that might be brought up.
II Is uncomfortable how tho big, beau.
tlful war vessel could be reduced In the
twinklinc OF an eye 10 such pile OF
rubbish. The great catastrophe Ia still
the talk OF the hour In Havana and has
grcntly intensified the bitter feeling be.
tween the races Many declare with
certainty that the Cubans did 1t In or
der to force the United States to make
war upon Spain, and so aid the cause
OF Cuba Llbre: while others assert with
| equal positlveness that the Spaniards
wero responsible for the disaster with
the same end In View berause=--sInce
they cannot overcome the rebels, they
WISH to close the Island with less dis.
Honor to Spain, through being conquer.
cd by stronger foreign power. ON.
GERS OF the Maine say ,hnt It was no;
4 possible for q bomb to have been plac-
Cd beneath her, large enough to have
any eject upon that enormous mass OF
steel ana iron, az her keel lay within
two feet OF thu mud at the bottom OF tho
ha"bor. Oh. that dreadful night OF tho
explosion! When the MIR was filled with
Tho shrleks OF the wounded and sroana