Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-02
A LETTER FROM PORTO RICO.
Richard Waugh Writes-Hnppening
i'm and About williamsburg.

|
WILLIAMSBURG, VA, September l.
CSpecial)-Dr John w. Rawllns, of this
city, who has a grandson, Richard
Waugh, in the Signal Corps at Mayaguey,
Porto Rico, yesterday received a very in
teresting letter from him. The communi-
cation Is dated August 20, 1898, and is in
| part as follows: I'VE left Ponce little
over week ago for this place, and reach
ed here Sunday night would have writ
ten before, but l spent four days in the
| hospital. We were i'm camp at Ponce I'M
| Ill the afternoon OF the 18th OF August.
| We then went to Yauco by rail, and 1t
was all the little engine could do to pull
| the train, loaded with 30 mules, 10 horses,
8 wagons, and 10 men. The cars just bare
~ held six mules, and We Ghe mem rode
on nat-cars. On our arrival at YaucO we
went TO sleep in a large warehouse that
had been used a barracks for Spanish SOL
diers. The next morning we left for Sa-
hanna Grande. Our work was TO repair
the telegraph line from Yauco to Maya
guez, and as Spanish soldiers and sympa-
thizers had torn the wires down in many
places, ii was quite job. The roads were
miserable in many places. and occasion
ally wagon-tongue would break or a
get large poles and pry them out.
\ LITTLE SCRAP"
"At San German we camped. and our
guards had a scrap with some natives
who. when halted, didn't halt They fired
four or five shots, which has been all the
fighting I've seen. A mile or so from san
German the Nineteenth Infantry had a
skirmish last Saturday, and killed a few
Spaniards.
"Cabo Rojo is a kind OF out-of-the-way
place, and We were the first soldiers they
had seen there. Myl what a welcome. A
crowd Of nearly 1000 natives gathered
around US, and they cheered us until our
heads ached. Everything in the town was
ours and the Alcalde gave us a banquet.
and we waited an hour for that. The fol-
lowing was the
Wheaton bread and fork,
Roast goat!
English canned butter
Irish potatoes.
Wine, coffee, and sugar;
Cigars, cigarettes.
AN ELABORATE MENU.
when one considers that flour is y and
10 cents per pound here. and that the but
ter must have cost a dollar or two per
pound, while the potatoes are so scarce !
they can be called quite a novelty, the |
menu seems more elaborate
I'VE have not received any mail since |
coming TO Porto Rico. About all the late |
news we have is that peace IS either de- |
clared or Will be declared soon"
On the back of one of the sheets Of pa
PER is pen-and-ink map Of that portion |
OF the island over which the Americans |
have control. 1t is neatly executed and |
shows the railroad and telegraph lines |
and gives the names of all the leading
towns"
\ large number Of hands arrived here
yesterday from the upper counties TO work
on a new siding east Of the depot. The
force will be under Mr.. w. \. Evans.
Mr.. Robert Charles left yesterday for
Abemarle. where he will conduct school
during the ensuing session.
Editor w G. Johnston OF the Gazette
who has been quite sick for several days
was able TO be out yesterday.
Mr.. Dabney Richardson and Miss NettIe
Ennis, who have been visiting at the home
Of Miss Ennis, in Fredericksburg. return
ed yesterday
Spencer Lane. after a delightful visit 10
Mr.. Edwin y. Lamb, at Norfolk, got home
IroieSsor StuDDs ana FAMILY who have
been spending the heated term in Glouces-
Ter, are home again.
Mr.. Dunlop Moncure. son Of DR.. James
D. Moncure, Superintendent Of the East
ern State Hospital. is sick with typhoid
fever at Jacksonville Fla. Mr.. AIoncuro
s member Of the Richmond Blues. Com
)any VI.
Miss Cora Smith, who has been spend
ng the summer on the Maine coast. the
guest Of Mrs. r. NJ. Smith, returned home
yesterday evening.