Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-25

Washington, September 24.-No de-
lay in the evacuation of Cuba by the
Spaniards will be permitted beyond a
time before which the health of the
United States troops would be endang-
cred by the occupation of the island.
Meanwhile the United States forces are
being put in readiness for the occupG-
ton and every bureau of the War De-
partment will have its supplies and
equipments ready when the time for
movement comes. No time has been
yet fixed definitely and none will be
until the department is advised by the
military commission that the health Of
the troops will not be in danger from
the Cuban climate. 1t was stated by
one official in the War Department that
troops would go to Cuba about the mid
die of October, another said about the
25th of October. and certainly not later
than the first of November.
The matter of barracks for the troops
has been considered by the department,
and Acting Secretary Meiklejohn said
to-day that the Spanish barracks in
Cuba will be thoroughly cleansed and
fumigated before being occupied by
United States troops. No barracks that
were not pronounced in satisfactory
and healthy condition would be used
II barrack accommodations already built
by the Spanish were not sufficient, this
government would provide its own bar
racks. More care is being given to
the matter of sanitation and health Of
the proposed Cuban expedition than
has attended any expedition of the
army. The department has had plenty
of time to make these arran gements
and is utilizing it for completing every
arrangement necessary for successful
occupation.
The officials here are watching with
interest the progress being made by
the military commission at Havana in
securing the evacuation of the island
Of Cuba. The commission has been
very slow in making reports to the
War Department, but from the latest
report it appears that the body would
like to have more definite instructions
as to procedure. 1t seems that the
Spanish side has said that they could
not begin the evacuation of the island
until the first of November, and that
it could not be completed before the
28th of February next. In view of the
alarming state of the Cubans who are
suffering from hunger and their inabil-
ity in the present uncertain conditions
of obtaining work, the President de-
cided that he could not assent to the
consumption of so much time. There
fore he caused the commission to be
instructed to demand that the evacua-
ton by the Spaniards begin not later
than October Is, and that it be complet-
ed by December 81 next What the re-
suit of this demand will be is not yet
known, but it is said that the admins
tration is determined to tolerate no
dilatory tactics on the part of the Span
ish forces in leaving the island, al
though disposed to permit reasonable
indulgence.
Notice has also been taken Of the ex-
pressed purpose of the Spanish Captain
General to remove from the island the
remains of Christopher Columbus, with
part of the surrounding monument.
If a monument is not "permanent
fixture" then it is hard to decide what
is, and it is possible that attention will
be called to the infraction of the terms
of the protocol, although this must be
done with haste in order to succeed in
its object as the removal is said to be
fixed for next Tuesday.
The officials of the War Department
pronounced to be without foundation
the alarmist stories coming from
sources in San Francisco to the effect
that Germany had shown any DISPOSE
ton to arm the Philippine insurgents
with view to melting them TO harass
the American army at Manila The
officials stated to be positively untrue