The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1898-09-03


and the secretary of war for giving them
the opportunity to incur these dangers
and hardships. They realized that in
the hurried organization of an expedition
by government which had no one with
any experience in such matters it was
| impossible to have everything arranged
to perfection and they will testify that
under the circumstances, the conditions
were much more perfect than any one
| would have reason to expect, and that
the president and secretary of war and
others who planned and dispatched
these expeditions deserve high COM
mendation.
Zone reason why our army was lack
ing in some respects in equipage was
that telegram was received from Ad
| mlral Sampson stating if the army
reached there Immediately, they could
take the city at once, but if there should
be delay, the Notifications of the Span
iards would be perfected, so that there
might be great difficulty in taking it.
On receiving this dispatch from Admiral
Sampson, the war department directed
the army to move at once, and as all
connected with the army will recall, the
orders were received after dark, and the
army was in motion, had travelled nine
miles and was on the ships at daylight.
when the expedition sailed for Cuba
it went there escorted by large fleet OF
@arehips. At that time, it was regarded
as impossible for a merchant ship to sail
on the ocean safely from any American
port to Santiago, but as soon as the
fleet was destroyed, so that it was possi-
BILE for unarmed ships to sail safely to
Santiago, the generous people of the
United States subscribed money without
limit and dispatched ship after ship
loaded with luxuries and delicacies for
the Santiago army, and everything that
! could be accomplished for their comfort
was done by the president and secretary
of war.
"After the surrender had been COM
pleted and arrangements perfected for
transporting the Spanish army to Spain,
the president and secretary of war cent
shipping to Santiago and transported
our army to one of the most healthful
locations in the United States. The
point selected by the secretary of war
was so situated that thorough protection
was given to the people of the United
States from the danger of yellow fever
contagion. The soldiers, upon their
arrival at this place, received every care
and bounty which could be procured by
money. The president and secretary of
war directed that their health and com
fort should be cared for without refer
ence to expense, and in addition, the
people within circle of 100 miles We'd
with each other in shipping to them
carloads and steam boat loads of luxuries
of all kinds.
''I have just finished my daily in
spection of the hospitals. With rare ex-
ceptions the sick are cheerful. have
nurses and doctors to care for them, and
in all my tours 1 have not found single
patient who made the slightest COM
plant. 1t is true there has been great
suffering. The climate of Cuba was
very severy upon all our soldiers, but
instead of com planning, the hearts of
those braYe men are filed with gratitude
to the people for the bounteous gen
erosity which has been extended to
them.
"There is no doubt that there have
been indivual cases of suffering and pos
sible neglect among the soldiers, not
only in Cuba, but since their arrival at
this place. Nearly 10000 men were
brought from yellow fever district to
the United States. It would have been
criminal to have landed them and
allowed them to go promiscuously among
the people. 1t has been stated by the
physicians that if it had been done, yell
low fever would have spread through
many of our states.
"To avoid such catastrophy a point
which is more thoroughly isolated from
the people than any other locality which
could be found was selected. By these
wise means the country has been saved
from scourge of this fearful disease.
Every one will realize that to land g, 600
men and put them on bare fields, with
out any building whatever, conld not be
done without some hardships. Over
5000 very sick men have been received
in the general hospital, and as many
more sick have been cared for in the
camps, and yet only about 60 deaths
have occurred in these hospitals.''