The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-08-22

THE TACOMA BRINGS $50 ARMY
MULES.
With Ninety Horses and Seventyfive
Men-They are Going First Glass to
Manila.

The American ship Tacoma, carry
ing horses and mules from San Fran
cisco for General Merritt's army at
Manila, arrived in the otiing last night
and was brought up to the Oceanic
wharf early this morning.
The military commander of this
unique expedition is Lieutenant Cdm-
eron of the Fourteenth cavalry. L. ).
A., a handsome. soldiery looking
young man, who has taken the great
est personal and professional interest
in it. He planned the project AMI it
has been executed so far under his
direction.
1--WE have not lost an animal he
said this morning, due to the sea
voyage. \ day or two before the h ~
ses were put aboard the ship, they
were turned out to pasture on the
Presidio hills. | protested againS5 t
at that time, but it was done. The re-
suit was what ] feared The cold fog
of that district put them in condition
that immediately after they were pvt
aboard ship some of them began TO
develop pneumonia, with high fever.
| lost one house within thirtv-slx
hours after loading, showing that It
was not the sea trip that killed them
Three others died later, all from pnau-
monia. There were thirty-one sick in
all, but all are better now except TWO
which are pretty sick. / have 90 hor-
ses and $50 mules. Not mule was
sick on the trip.
I'VE had very smooth seas all The
way, so there was not much chance
10 nly 6,
when we got nearly to Honolulu we
did not have enough wind, and we
We're two days making 220 miles.
I'VE shall probably remain here a
week. | have engaged pasture for the
horses and mules near the prison and
they will all be turned out on it. The
reason for remaining here so long as
that is to make some changes that we
have found necessary. In many re-
spects coming by way of Honolulu
and stopping here is a good thing.
The voyage here has been in the ma
| ture of an experiment and we know
now just what we need"
The condensers on the Tacoma prov
ed inadequate for the needs of the
vessel, and in order to condense suffi-
cient water for the animals it was ne
| cessary to use all the boiler capacity
| for the purpose so that the electric
| light plant with which the vessel is
supplied was not used at all. Even then
| the supply of fresh water was more
scanty than Lieutenant CAMERON liked
it to be. While the Tacoma is here
| the condensing apparatus will be over
| hauled and enlarged.
| The horses and mules are kept in
strongly built and padded stalls be-
tween decks, arranged according to
designs made by Lieutenant Cameron.
| Over each stall is "A device by which
the animal can be slung up in case he
| gets sick, and on the deck where they
stand are cleats, so that each animal
can brace himself against the rolling
of the vessel
Between decks the Tacoma looks
like well arranged and well kept
stable. Everything is clean and fresh
showing that the animals have been
well cared for.
They are being landed today by each
being placed in a box which is hoist
ed up through the hatch and over the
side to the wharf.
The men on the Tacoma are Lieu
tenant Cameron in command; DR.
Emerson, acting assistant surgeon
L. S. A.. DR.. Alexander Plummer, vet
erinary surgeon of the Fourth caval
ry; 30 enlisted men of the Fourth cav
airy; a train master ana Is team
sters from the quartermaster's de
partment; and an engineer and assist
ant engineer in charge of the conden
sing apparatus and the electric ligh
plant.
Captain Charles Davis is master o
the Tacoma and the crew numbers @
men all told.
With the changes that viii be mad
here. the electric light plant will b.
available for the remainder of the voy
age and electric fans to provide venti
lation will be used in the hot lati
| tudes