The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-14
HORSE STEAKS FOR BEEF
Why Toral Had Only 143 Horses
to Surrender.
FED THEM TO YANKEES
Spanish Trick Was Discovered and Now
There Is a Slump In the Horse Meat
Market-Immense Mai Ser
vice at Santiago.
Copyright 1898 by Associated Press.

Copyright 1898 by Associated Press.
Santiago, July 26.-There are two
ways Of looking at the ALI Of horse
flesh here since the war began. You
can buy an animal for a s. gold piece
with all the trappings thrown in. Dead
meat at so much a pound In the mar
ket comes high-in more ways than
one. The reasons for the discrepancy
in values between a live and a dead
horse just now are obvious. General
Skaters report says hat on July "a
143 horses were turned over by General
Toral as the sum total of the Spanish
cavalry under his command. II is well
known tina 1000 is nearer the number
tina should have been turned over.
When Santiago surrendered On July
IL II. 200 Spaniards stood i'm rgent need,
first Of food. second Of cash. These
crafty -Castilians b%ethought themselves
Of an ingenious plan for satisfying
their lust Of flesh and gold. They knew
our boys would enjoy a repast of fresh
meat" after their severe diet of bacon
and bareback. and would be glad to pay
almost any price in the local restaur-
ants for il. So a goodly number of fine
chargers and tough old war horses were
put to the sword and distributed at
fancy prices to the inns and chop
houses of the district for the especial
benefit of the Americans.
For a time this horse flesh brought
excellent prices, but after many equine
steaks mad been served the American
troops gradually began to realize what
they were eating and would have no
more Of IL. A slump in the market fol-
lowed.
In the chaotic condition of SPANS
military regime in the city. orderlies
would mount their officers steeds and
rid into the market place, offering
their u to the first conner for al
most anything they could get. In this
simple manner. unhampered by the for
mality of a bill of sale, many horses
changed hands, always to the advan-
tage of the seller. who was getting
something for what had cost him moth
ing. and incidentally depriving Uncle
Sam OF lawful prizes of war. And thus,
at least partially, IL explained the fact
that the Spanish cavalry horses turned
over to General Shafter had dwindled
to the ridiculous figure of 143.
The first American postoffice in Cuba
was opened OF June 90 at Baiduiri.
Eben Brewer was the postal agent of
the United States. q From the first day
United States postage stamps were sold
and money orders issued. An immense
amount of mail had accumulated at
Tampa since the departure OF the army
and its prompt delivery to the men at
the front after it's arrival was a task
OF some magnitude. After sorting the
mail by regiments and companies, Mr..
Brewer bought a horse. loaded the an
NAL with a heavy pouch OF mail and
started for the front to make deliveries.
1t was the first mail in Cuba under
American auspices. Mr.. Brewer during
the four days before Santiago took
neither sleep nor rest.
In the meantime 400 sacks of mail
had accumulated at Baiquiri and an
Improvement in the system of mail dis
tribution became imperative. 1t was
decided TO move the ~postofice closer to
the front, and on July 6 the Siboney
postoffice al opened i'm place of the
old Baiquirf office. BY this time Mr..
Kempner had arrived to assist Mr..
Brewer, and in two days every piece of
mail matter was at the front, sent
there by pack mules. wagons and carts.
Three days later Mr.. Brewer was faK-
en- sick and removed TO the yellow fever
hospital. where he died July IA. The
dreaded fever had begun to spread so
rapidly that an order was issued to
burn every building and iut at Siboney.
Consequently the postofice building
was burned with the others and on
July ~ the ~postofice was moved into
a canvas tent, where business went on
until July 81. when the p~ostoffice was
finally moved into the building occu-
pied by the Spanish postoffice, with Mr..
Kempner as United States postal agent
at its head. In the short space of time
since the establishment of the office
considerable business has been trans
acted. Money orders 10 the amount of
more han $4,000 have been issued and
$1,000 worth Of stamps and stamped en-
Velopes sold. A million pieces of mail
matter have thus far been received and
distributed and ma,e than half a mill
ion letters a W been forwarded to the
Limited Sfnfas