The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-09
TWO MILITARY GOVERNORS
MAI. GEN. J. #. WADE TO RULE
WESTERN PROVINCES OF CUBA,
And General Greene to Look After the
City of Havana--Disturbanc in the
Islnnd-Praise for GEN. Wood.


Roumania sailed to-day from Savannah. Ca,
carrying the entire First Regiment of North
Carolina, with it's transportation, to serve
as part of the garrison of Havana. The Sec
ond Illinois Regiment is loading at Savan-
nah for the same destination.
The quartermasters department is making
most satisfactory progress in the prepara-
tion Of DOCKS railroads and camp sites in
the neighborhood Of Havana for the recep-
tion OF troops. Acting on Colonel Hecker's
recommendation, work is now being prose-
cuted with the greatest rapidity on what
is destined to be one the largest military
docks in Cuba. This is located at Triscornia,
to the eastward and just across the bay
from Havana. The dock will be four hun
dred feet long which. 1t is calculated will
give five fathOms of water alongside for the
berthing of ships. Two of the largest trans
ports thus can be at the dock Simultaneous
ly and discharge their cargoes with rapldity
The outer end of the dock for length of
one hundred feet will be clear. Beginning
at that point and running shoreward in the
center of the dock will be a large ware
house, to which access can be had from a
steamer on either side. There will be q
double line of railway on the dock also.
This will turn southeastward to strike the
united lines of railroads at Guanabacoa and
will enable the stores to be landed about
five miles from Havana at a point where
they can be readily placed on the existing.
railroad system and carried to almost .any
part of the province or the city. Attention
has been paid in the selection of 1riscornia
to the feasibility of establishing other camps
to the eastward of Havana and it Will be
easy to find suitable grades for the con-
struction of such auxiliary railroad connec-
tions as may be required The quartermaster
general has given instructions that no labor
is to be employed in these government
works save that of the Cubans, wherever
it is possible to do so, and the expectation
is that employment will be afforded to a
number of Cuban soldiers If they care to
disband and go to work. 1t is estimated that
the building Of the dock will occupy sixty
days
Major Hopkins, military aid to Secretary
Alger, started from Washington for Savan-
nah to-day to take passage on the trans-
port Mobile for Havana The Mobile is the
first of the big steamers to be fitted out
specially as a troop transport and it is the
object of Major Hopkins to make thorough
inspection of the workings of the vessel on
her first voyage in order to profit by the
experience to make any changes that may
suggest themselves in the two transports
now being fitted out at Cramps.
The Navy Department has been informed
by cablegram from Captain Chadwick OF
the arrival of the New York at Havana last
evening 1t is said at the department that
no date has been set for the return of the
New York and it is probable she will ba
placed completely at the disposal of Admiral
Sampson, who will return on her to the
United States with the other evacuation
commissioners as his guests IL they are dis
posed to accept the opportunity.
A most gratifying improvement in the
health of the troops stationed in Cuba and
Porto Rico is exhibited by the reports to tho
War Department from the commanding off,
GERS. The long daily lists Of sick and de-
ceased soldiers have shrunken and are
sometimes entirely missing. Thus, for In
stance, it is reported to-day from General
Henry, at San Juan. that there have been
no deaths on either the 9th or 7th among
the United States troops at Porto Rico. Re-
ports from the troops at Santiago are al
most as encouraging and even in the Phil
ippines the conditions have materially im-
proved.
The administration has practically de-
cided to send a commission to Cuba, consist
ing of representative each from the War,
Treasury and Postofflce departments. and
the matter will be brought UP for action at
Tomorrow Cabinet meeting. The object OF
the dispatch of the commission is to deter
mine and if possible execute in a general
way what is needed throughout the island
in the assumption of the government func-
tions by the United States toward the Island
of Cuba. A complete postal service Is con-
templated at the earliest practicable mo-
ment and military customs service will be
perfected. Postmaster General Emory
Smith had conference with all four Of his
assistants for two hours this afternoon, go
ing over his recommendations for the postal
administration. This will be centralized at
Havana, and while many details Of employees
viii have to be made from the postal service
here. the policy will be to retain ccnsid-
erable number Of natives now in charge Of
various postoffices.