The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-29
Was Locking the Door After
Dobbin Was Gone.
CuBANS' HUTS PIGSTIES
Suferings of Men Enroute to
Hospital.

from the conda grafton climbing tn,
mountains in angry masses mark III,
opening OF the second stage ofthe hor
rors Of the Cuban campaign-the stage Of
disease following that Of battle. Wher
! came down here, i'll from the front, tht
other night, 1 learned that five developed
cases OF yellow fever had been reported
three Of them Of newspaper correspon.
cents who had been living or writing IN
the Cuban houses at Siboney. and two Of
them Of soldiers. Next day there were
twenty cases. Then the next thing that
was done ought 10 have been done be-
Tore. The burning of the Cuban houses
was ordered. Since then the burning has
oeeh gong on as fast as the occupants
could be cleared out of them. EEverv-
body who can get away from the pace
mas hedfrom it. but the hospital remains
III IT, and a great many men of the quar-
fermaster's and commissary department
departments will be forced to remain here
steadily. as Slboney is the American base.
The reinforcementS were pushed on I'D
INTO the hills as fast as they could be dis
embarked; and it is hoped thatthefever
viii be stamped out by the burning and
isolation that is now going on.
Meantime, hundreds are coming down
at the front with maIarial fever. which
is scarcelyq less badin its prostrating eff
fects than the yellow fever. Wet clothes
and sleeping on the ground are telling
heavily on the troops. Thetrenchesand
ar md al
slope Of San Juan hill are terrible places
in wet weather The weather, too, has
undergone a change for the worse. In
til day or two it had been bright and
sunny, and, though heavyshoweTs fell
nearly every afternoon, the sun dried out
the mems clothing and tents at Ieast once
a day. Butnow the rain is constant, and
the sun does not shine at all. The men
must lie in their wet clothes in mud or IN
mattedwet grass. Dry fuel for camp
fires is becoming very scarce. If the men
were suffering from malartal fever be-
fore, one wonders what will become of
them now. Theyare becoming depressed
and uneasy. This is especially the case
among the volunteers. The WEAKNESS
and disbursement Of someofthem is
overcoming their pluck. 1t Is the SUI
ppreme test of the struggle The soldier
who keeps up his pluckand cheerfulness
now is a brave man. even if his knees
shook when the shells were bursting in
the woodsthe other day.
It should be understood that Siboney,
where the yellow fever has broken out,
IS at least eight miles from the American
lines tsan Juan. There seems very lit
lie likelihood that the fever will be car
red up to the troops there. That il
should have broken out here wasinevi-
liable. I am told on good local authority
hat it is always present during the
months from July to October at Agrfa-
iores, Siboney and Daiquiri. All three
If these places lie under high hills on
he coast at points where streams come
nto the sea, and leave very small. low
iats or bottoms which are covered with
cuban huts. All these Cuban houses are
n a state of filth almost incredible. The
loors or walls are neved washed. Oc-
.asionaIly the dirt on the floors is roughly
swept out of doors by the aid of a very
oarse palm-leaf broom, much OF 1t re-
mains to cake upon the floor and walls. |
he houses have very few windows. and |
hese are without sashes: they have swing |
ng doors which are thut tightly as soon |
S the sun comes into them. Inside these |
wung from beam to beam. That the /
ouses should perpetually reek Of pesu- |
ence is naturally TO be expected The /
Tonder is, that, since IL was necessary 70
Sc as bases two such known headQuar-
ers Of yellow fever as Daiquiri and Sib-
ney the houses were not burned when
he troops landed instead of now. With
hese villages thus wiped out by fire. and
he quarters OF the army definitely estab-
shed under canvas. it is possible that the
ever might not have broken out among
he Americans so soon. even If it broke
Ut at all.
The suferings OF the sick who come
own from the front are pitiful. I was
IL into an ambulance up there myself
18th seven private soldiers and Travelled
nus down to the division hospital. Every
ne OF these men mad malarial fever. as
had, and suppose they felt as muc as
did; that is. 1 suppose their headh and
lsir backs achsd. and their nerves were
,nse with fever, and their strength sunk
nothing al all. There is scarcely cow
attn in a Newhampshire mountain which
not a better road than The one we
-aveled. The ambulance swung from side
side, il sIumped heavily into dl,ches,
I'd az eveyr other moment seemed about
capsize. Now and then We had 70
-oss a stream the banks of which were
eep and muddy. and 20 the danger Of I
lpsizing was added the danger Of a
-enchlng. We came to q baadaKiug sta
on and there the ambulance mad 70 wait
the fun glare OF the sun while the hos
tal steward in charge Of Il received
me instructions. The waiting IL ehs
IN was worse for the fevsred heads than
g j0i.ing % the roads. The sick Enen
-oaned and moved restiessly- Under way
-s.n. tfey gfoaned from the pain q ths
* far L wzs 70 the hospital.
Arrived there a. .ast, ws al had 20
eep on the ground. and me nightly chill
erned 10 freeze us % the bone. No mat
: how hos the days are II Cuba ire /.
Ehts are always uneomfeFtaoly cold
le climate "a IS q fever. To rs VINO
IRE rackei wch ca.3s TIE cod % ne
ght seemed batter ana the caupness
-uck - oar vltz1s. WA; suffer from
aszriaI fever couti recover under sscn
-cguls ts1ces?
vas tosiaaats enough 70 hzd a fFiez5
30 had a horse. and Sho ass sitting %
!: rs OF the horse nex. Do--lag ard {
* b. M s<ls 70 ssboaey. wkers
s11 medical asensaacs za5 dry place % {
N. But taeas are ID cots. except z z
,eE Instances tor re SEX soldiers. Tnsy 2
E sleeping "a rzs ggouzd yef- Ard ies
DDS q Fz5a Na1s3 sesi YESTERDAY ard
). nEh. xe-e OF me sozs N1zcA rake =
ester tezs q Easckery. They are ss- 10 g
E ski w1sh 10 way 10 Eet dr.
eas cnerGE3 csz sezaa: y a. tas ssa1laT 3
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