The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-26

No attempt has been made to Identify
the dead. nor had any systematic method
OF burial been followed In fact, the
Spaniards, being unable to keep up with
the terrible mortality. were heaping up
the dead and cremating them. Many of
the female refugees who arrive here are
cultured and refined. They have tramped
over the trail. in many cases carrying
their children in their arms, and on reach
ing their journeys end were entirely ex-
hausted. All their household effects and
clothing they left behind. The poorer
classes are a pitifuY spectacle to behold,
and are living witnesses of the trials and
hardships they nave gone through. The
majority are emaciated and only half
nourished, and it is the exception, and
not the rule to see any well-built and
strong-limbed Cuban.
Mrs. Jane z. Payne, an intelligent Jai
maican, who has resided in Santiago for
thirteen years., now a refugee here, has
always taken an active part in nursing
yellow fever cases there. She says she
fears an outbreak here unless the sani-
tary conditions are improved. She claims
mat IilCAC al Z dIW dy , d lew ISOhdIeQ cases
early in the season Of an epidemic. This
time last year. when the disease was very
prevalent, there lwere many cases al
along the seaboard, from Guantanamo to
Santiago, and she says there is yellow
fever at Aguadores. The condition of the
wounded Spaniards in Santiago, she said.
was a scandal to humanity The deaths
wee s. numerous that the authorities
were ashamed tc bury them during the
day, and hurried them out at night by
the cart-lCad, cremating them in the out
skirts. Many of the soldiers who had
been on outpost duty had, she knew, died
the hospitals fl ON sheer exhaustion and
starvation. The only food served to tho
army when she left was a little rice and
white beans; bread or meat they never
touched. The suffering that the women
and children We're exposed to in the weary
march over the mountains here cannot be
described. One woman saw her little boy
swept away by a river. The greater part
of the women and children were three
days on the trail. Some of them were i'll
with Cuban fever and were found lying
by the wayside, unable to proceed further.
Red Cross ambulances have been sent
TO their relief. Before the refugees left
the outskirts of the town the Spaniards
had commenced to loot their homes.
A train of Spanish wounded arrived to-
day, and another batch of prisoners.
bring bringing the latter up to about
800. Many of the prisoners had to be re-
moved to the hospital tent which has been
reserved for them, and one of them died
today from ba Of M;
makes the ninth death in the hospitals
here since the attack on Santiago. The
Spanish sick and wounded are isolated:
a guard surrounds their tents, and no one
is allowed near the place. The medical
say these cases came from
infected localities.
This place is not by any means in a
sanitary condition. No at
tempt has been made to clean up the filth
and debris which are evident everywhere
in the ''shacks" and shanties which were
used by the miners before the war. I'm
til yesterday the place was inundated by
all kinds and conditions of Cubans, whose
condition and lack Of cleanli-
ness were too apparent. Today an order
was promulgated by DR.. LeGarde rele-
eating them to the surrounding hills, |
where there is ample shelter for them in |
the abandoned huts which abound
These Cubans, however, prefer loafng |
about here, selling machetes and other |
to the troops. asking for aims |
and food and, when occasion presents it |
self, doing little pilfering On the whole |
-ney are puny, miserable race. who have |
thoroughly succeeded in disa busing the |
minds of those who meet them as to their
possessing and nobility of character. The |
men are indolent, and never offer their !
services to the quarteTmaster's depart |
nent. A crowd of them were put TO work |
-Oday assisting to unload the medical |
stores from the Relief. They went about
I in an indolent, careless manner. and |
TO be performing a very un
pleasant work. Our men make the same
complaint of them at the front: they are
never seen in any hot place, and. apart
rom supporting tn emarines at Guanta-
lamo' they have done no good fighting.
There are hundreds of them loafing about
lere. When asked why they don't so to
he front, their invariable answer is that
hey cannot find their general Disagree
lble stories are current OF their offering
'ropensities at the front. and, taking one
hing with another. the Cuban is not held
n much esteem by the American sol
iiers.
The Cuban Of Siboney is rapidly becom-
nS money maker. When we landed
lere nothing was too good for US. It was
ne old Spanish saying which then OBJ
aimed: My house, my horse. my heart
re at your disposition. senior" Things
ave changed since then. The American
Iollar is now the objective point with
he Cuban The scale OF prices is also on
he Increase Agaves at first were given