The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-15

suddenly We put into this place. which is
a British possession. for coal two days ago, In
American fleet OF the southern coast Of Cuba,
but We fell up against the British Government
and a British man-of-war here good and hard.
Ihey would not let us buy any coal here,
claiming they would be violating the neutrality
laws IN doing So. as they claimed we were con-
nected with the United States navy. They tied
US up here for two days without coal, during
which n, time tim we made very vigorous kicks.
Tented and told US We could have all the coal
we wanted; We taking it aboard now and
are pling it all over the deck, that We will
have enough to last week We go
ing ing 70 al leaXe here In an hour or two and try
seems every possibility of a fight with the
spanish he St, any minute provided the Ameri
have not been able to do up to date / have
got the war fever bad and out for gore
fhe 5 name OF the re boat am on is the Dandy
her YOU win know i am there. ! have no idea
pose there are one or two letters waiting there
for or me M from you i am very well and have
this war racket. With my love. ~
Dear Ada I have been too much rushed for
the last few days to send you even a line: l
to Key West, and will take the steamer from
the latter place for Cuba. will reach Ha-
dress will be Hotel tel Ingeitarra. Havana. Cuba
You must understand that the chances are
ninety-nine in a hundred that all incoming
letters to Havana are opened by the Spanish
authorities there. please be very careful
and do not write anything relating to the
United State-Spatn controversy or l will prob
ably never get them. I learned this in New
York. 1 have been treated most kindly by the
New York papers which 1 represent and they
have practically assured me that 1 shall have
nice position when l return to New York;
that Will probably be my permanent home
when get back. l am going to try with all
my power to live down the past with all it's
sorrows and If anything arises in Cuba to give
ahar1 TO bt,Nor holt 49,
my future is assured God grant that every
thing is well with you. 1 want to hear from
you. a."
PORT ANTONIO. June is:
Dear Ada Pleass esoSss the ut. typsTsTtesr
you know that sP to date am all IL right te
and had no opportunity to NAH letters
have not had letter from soul for month
and don't know how I am going to get one,
for l can't tell whether 1 will be In this part
OF the world week or four or five months.
When you get this 1 wish you would address
a line to me and let me know If you are all
e sena If 70 T6ha as ts Port Un
jamaica: may get It or may not. Anyhow
l will like to hear from YOU ! have spent
Cuba. forty miles east of Santiago. on the
southeastern coast of the island. There are
small fight nearly every day. have slept
in trenches and rife pits at the American
camp and have had glorious time listening
to bullets whistIing over my. head. These
spaniards cannot hit the side of house: We
are expecting the troops from the United
them into Cuba or remain the boat to see
the naval end of the fight. I can't tell you
be s yet in WHAT y M a ns my Rn a m my
element, though get as dirty as a pig on
the old boat and knocking about around camp,
look like a singed cat. 1 have not been able
to do as much for my paper as $, S would like
are the worst that can be imagined and 1t Is
almost impossible to get anything through;
something by mail. I suppose You have seen
some of 1t IL you still get the. papers. 1t is
thing but linen clothes Don't feel any alarm
about at all. I will pull out Of this all
right. With my love. ~"
KINGSTON, Jamaica, July a.
My Dear Ada: am leaving here to-day for
Porto Rico, as the campaign at southeastern
the papers we have taken Santiago and smash
ed the Spanish feet, so there is nothing more
Porto Porto Rico on our yacht wanda do not
believe the campaign there will last long and
take me place 1 suppose the next thing will
be Havana, but we Will hardly attack that
before October on account OF the climate. I
have ordered my mail forwarded in care OF the
United States Consul at st. Thomas. Danish
West Indies. but 1 can't say whether / will
the present are too uncertain. But please ad-
dress me there for the present. as It is the only
address I can give now 1 know that my let
ters must seem very few and far between and
very unsatisfactory, but living in the rush and
excitement that I am In now it is almost Inn
possible for me to settle myself at any time
to write any letters. l have not understood
quite one or two of your recent letters. You
windfall financially, but did not give any par
ticulars, but God knows II any good fortune
more glad of it than l am; for myself can
say that everything seems to be working out
all right. have seen nearly all the big
events of the war including the destruction OF
Cervera's fleet. and the account of the great
affair which you read in the papers was mine
am simply imbued with the war fever and I
can barely put my mind on anything else /
have gone through all kinds of experiences, sea
fights and land fights, and have also lived in
that yellow fever camp near Santiago, and I
haven't scar or a blemish on me yet and
never felt better than | do now. It is more
healthy in Porto Rico than 1t is in Cuba and
there is no danger Of contagion there. Do not
feel any alarm about me. for am bound to
our dispatch boat much from now on; will prob
ably be on shore in Porto Rico with the army
If you could see my makeup you would think
breeches, with broad sombrero and belt and
revolver and all the other paraphernalia Of war
little to eat besides hard biscuits and bacon
but am getting fat on 1t and am enjoying It,
find myself getting very cold blooded with
constant contact with all kinds of scenes Of
war AS a sample Of some of my recent ex.
plots w tb tell yoS o the days ago
the Spanish war vessels that we destroyed on
July s. and cut off part OF the skull of dead
Snaniard I found on the deck ] wanted II a.
a souvenir, but 1 afterward threw it away as
II was anything but altar of roses. =.
God bless you and don't be alarmed IL nv
letters are infrequent. With my love. 81"
Letter brought to l. W. Lees, Chief of Police
and opened by /. w. Lees and Attorney George
A. knight after consultation with and consent
|. of George A. Knight TN separate letter
brought by postal authorities.)
PONCE, Porto Rico, Saturday, Aug H.
Dear Ada: have been here about dead to the
world for. about two three weeks without
any means of getting any mail and very little
chance of sending any away. Just before left
Kingston wrote to you asking you to adj
dress me at St. Thoma1 but have never been
there yet, having come here direct and have
received no mall We got the news to-day
l4i.o Ind haar daclor L