The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-08-24
SANTIAGO SOLDIER ON
CUBAN CONDITIONS.
The Country in a Horribly
Devastated State.

lumbia on his way home on furlou ga !,
cbatsed Interestingly to a represeu,a-
tive of The State yesterday about tie
state of affairs 10 Cuba. He had beer
in the Santiago district, arriving there
the day after the big fight, and is now
off cn furioEuh to try and recover
from ao attack of insermi,ten. fever,
which he contracted 10 Cuba.
Eyes" said be, Il will talk to YOU
about Cuba, provided you don't use nv
name. because | am still a mem bsr of
the United States army, and I might
be punished for what | say
"Conditions in Cuba? "Well, they
are horrible. The Cuoans are starving
to death every day. and their pligt. is
growing more and more serious. I
cannot see suythiDg for them 10 the
future bus wholesale death. unless our
government promptly sends them food
and clothing. The imagination can
hardly take in the completeness of the
devastation of the country there. The
armies Of Spain and Cuba have swept
back and forth over the land, carrying
ruin with the torch at every trip, SO
that now there is nothing but few CO.
coanuts for the natives to maintaio
themselves OF. What was missed by
one army was picked up by the other.
cannot see bow the Cubaps are to
keep alive much longer. Ttey are
starving by the hundreds daily now.
It was pitiable TO see those poor csea-
lures banging about our camps, picking
up hard tack and old clothes the SOL
diers threw them. The women aed
children, as we'll as the men, we're
either ragged or altogether naked, and
with their faces sunkea and hsegard
from want Of food They we're The i'm.
personatiou OF misery.
"Tbere Is 20 crop on tue island, and
all We mad fer roads were ditcbes, soue
l6 and 20 feet deep. which had been
washed ont among the underground BY
the heavy rains.
"Of course the soil is very fertile,
and Cuba ought to make a rich and
prosperous place, but it will be a long
time yet before residence there by civil
lized people will be possible, though it
doubtless will 10 time be of great con-
mercial importance, especially to the
south. The lumber market there is es-
pecially rich. But I would rot advise
anyone to &c there just now, because
Of the conditions have just told you
about
''The b ealtb conditions in Cuba, bow
ever. are not any worse than they are
among the soldiers in Florida. There
are prevalent 10 Cuba all styles Of
fever, tut there is 40 smallpox, and the
yellow fever is Of mild type. 10
Florida malarial fever, and especially
typhoid fever, is playing havoc amoog
the troops, aud deaths are becomiog
alarmingly free |. Every day
large number o. sick sre transferred
to Atlanta aud elsewhere. bat the hos-
pital file up as fast as it is cmptied
Il will tell you two Interesting iuci-
dents that grew out Of :be Santiago
eight among the wounded.
"Oae of these occurrences shows the
uOiqce effect OF the present day stee!
b1l!ets A private ir ssopt rank vas
shot through the right iuog, auc, though
'he bullet that passed through this vital
part Of the body zilledthe fellow just
behind hin is the rear rank. the uan
with the wouod through bis lung IS to-
day as we'll AID lively as Jay bird.
The clean. sharp wound healed without
suppGsation. aad when | left him 10
Florida be was waking sbout ou. Of
doors as if nothing had happened 20
him
'.Tbe other incident is this 4
North Carolina regular just before be
LETT for Cuba had talk With his girl.
9OQ soc duFlecU utu W tahS eQHltiCs
along With him to Cuoa as mascot.
He protested against the absurdity and
puisance OF such an awkward mascot.
bu. when she insisted With tears 10 her
eyes aud declared rhe would peveI
again Gee bin alive unless he carried
the squirrel with him, be consented, al
though she could give no other reasoo
than that she felt this would be bis
ooly salvation. The soldier kept his
promise to always have the little pet
aear him, and it rode upon bis shcul-
der when be went ioto the fight A
bullet cut of the tail Of the squirrel.
and as be turned to see what was the
matter another bulle, slightly wounded
hin 10 the head. The missile would
have pierced his brain had he not turn
ed TO look at the squire! jas: at thai
time. The North Carolln,ao is row on
his way home on a furIough to tell bis
swe,'hear: about his narrow escape y
The State, August %