The herald., 1898-11-13

quarters of the commission at Vidado. All
the commissioners with the exception OF
Admiral Sampson stop at the Salon Trocha
The admiral has taken cottage with his
wife. The Vidado is little flower garden
of a place, mapped out like park, with
houses in it all the colors of the rainbow.
1t is situated picturesquely just beside the
sea, and what it lacks in healthfulness it
makes up in picturesque beauty. Its ap-
proaches, however, show the two great Gu
ban characteristics-neg and dirti-
ness, the one of course naturally following
upon the other.
To reach the Vidado one takes train
of three surface cars hauled by dummy
engine, at a little joint station and cafe
behind the Prado, which, when it pulls
out, winds its way along the seashore,
past Cabanas fortress, past Moro castle,
both of which stand just across the mouth
Of the bay, past Fort Reina and perhaps
half dozen other small forts, through
squalid districts, through plazas with man.
sions in them, past ramshackle bathing
houses, but always with the sea in sight.
1t is very pretty ride and very interesting.
On at last arriving in the Vidado and
going to the Salon Trocha, the first thing
in which Americans go about things. For
the whole downstairs part of the salon,
with the exception of the dining room in the
center, had been converted into offices for
the commissioners and their staffs. Of
fees with big tables in them, with maps
and papers and chairs and desks-loo]zing
quite military.
In one of these 1 found General Butler
k,l L 81 l.. \
table, surrounded by some of his staff,
looking if anything a little stouter than
when he first arrived. He received me very
cordially and we chatted on variety of
subjects. On only one were his lips sealed
the work of the commission. Whenever
ventured to turn the conversation in that
direction the general would invariably turn
it adroitly in another, sometimes with the
remark: "You are trying to interview
me-"
AS a matter of fact, what has been accom-
plished in any direction would not fill
good-sized nut kernel. The custom house
still charges its exorbitant duties, and the
Spanish officers and soldiers still throng tile
streets just as if there were no such thing
as an evacuation commission.
True, every week the Spanish military
authorities send on the home-going steam
ers quite number of their sick and wound
ed soldiers, and last week quite number Of
officers were passengers, but they have been
doing this of their own accord, in their own
sweet way, and in their own good time.
The little American colony here longs for
action That is why it welcomes the de-
termined words of Admiral Sampson There
have been meetings enough, say the mur-
murers. One day it is necessary for the
correspondents to cable the report of a
secret conference between Gen. Parade,
the president of the Spanish commission,
and Gen. Butler of the American commits
sion, with the stereotyped addition, "No
agreement reached regarding evacuation"
The next day all the news that is worth
forwarding is that few poor devils of sick
Spanish soldiers have been sent home. 1t
is amusing to note the grandiloquent way
in which the Spanish commissioners impart
this information. Evidently the regard the
shipment of military invalids as an i'm
portant part of the evacuation. Following
this comes the information that notes have
been passed between the two commissions.
and meeting is to be held in few days
The correspondents laugh as they confide
the important tidings to the mercy of the
cable.
Occasionally we have been treated to a