The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-29
Honored For First
Time in Cuba.
SANTIAGO LETTER.
Grewsome Work of Disin-
terring Bodies Goes On.
Santiago de Cuba, March Il, 1899.

~ AilC LLbALOl VI L ne SDN.
st. Patrick's day was duly cele-
brated here today. The soldiers united
in a great military athletic tournament.
at which Gen. Wood presided. Horse
races. foot races, mule races. etc. came
Off with great spirit The Cubans
seemed d0mbfornded at the affair,
Things moved too quick for their dull
comprehension; the yelling cavalry
men and foaming steeds rushing by
made the kinks straighten in their
wool and it Is doubtful if the natives
ever saw men hurry so fast on foot as
did the sprinters.
The burial corps is still at it.
About go bodies were disinterred this
week. and if the undertakers do not
strike, as they threaten, the work will
be completed in a few more weeks.
There is a great 6eal of dissatisfaction
among the undert6kers relative to the
hours of work, the use of disinfectants
ana sundry other things. Superinten-
dent Rhodes has told them to state
thelf case and he would do all in his
power TO strafghteE matters out. 1t is
evident that we have with us some men
totally unfit for their position, and
some far above their, so, naturally,
There is a conflict. One man wants TO
use certain chemicals, others oppose if
and war is threatened
commencing Monday the 18th the
party was divided, and part under D.
II. Rhodes went in one direction. fine
rest. in my charge. in another The
second Massachusetts, bodies are all I'm
except Corporal NJ. F. Ames and Priv
ate Kelly of Springfield. Corporal
Aihes VIII be about the last one moved
as ne is in the yellow fever cemetery.
ana that Will be our last point. Kelly
cannot be found. Many graves, here
totore unknown, have been located and
identified. The dead grass and brush
W1I! De burnt off and parties sent out
to look for isolated and unmarked
graves. -N> =
we have had considerable trouble
WITH our laborers, they having struck
Twice, once for a. raise from 81 no IN
$i.So. then for $1.25 to $15O. which is
ABOUT $L47A2 more than they are worth
All hands will be glad when the work
Is complete. 1t is very dangerous as
Wen az fearfully unpleasant. The
sight is unpleasant, the odor worse and
being buried in the earth without coz fo
ms makes them grewsome and foIlI
10 handle. The natives refuse to touch
anything like bone, piece of clothing
or nesh; there are hundreds of bodies
marked Unknown and each one has
10 pc thoroughly searched to find marks
OF luentlhcat1on. A large per cent. of
tnoss so marked have been fully iden-
tlned' letters, filling and bridge work in
teeth, articles found in pockets rnarlxs
on clothing, etc, aiding anxious narents
claims. inch
quite frequently we find yaluabIes
such as money, jewel1y, etc. These
artlcles are placed in the care OF the
war department and may be had nv
proper application.
On the remains Of A. d. Stewart was
silver ain 9oiiAS
Papers received here from Worcester
state that the Cubans are forming in
oailos or guerfallas, and that it is IN
saIe TO travel about the country This
IS out a mild way of putting if for. if
IS a positive fact that there is a deem
rooted feeling here against the Amer
lcano, and before many DAYS there
VIII be a grand uprising The natives
th me United states are treating
them fully as bad as did Spain. and
mat they jumped from the frying pan
INTO the fire. The infantry regiments
are being mounted, extra mounted M
nee scour the county armed to the
teeth and all with good cause.
1t IS fearfully hot here now. averag-
ing about 80 degrees, and the few
farmers are suffering, the land is bIist
ering and cracked, fields brown ana in
many places black from fires III
The cane fields are grown fun of
MOSQUITO brush. and sugar houses used
TO shelter the reconcentradoes Here
ana there the sound of hammers can
be heard, as some, more fortunate
cuban builds his shack upon what was
once titled and settled piece of Land
ON every hand, marks of the fearful
Struggle are TO be seen, ruins of fine
buildings, cane fields and rafineriee
| RACED to the ground; the fields and
roads streWn with empty shells and
| bones OF cattle and mules. dilapidatad
| blockhouses and country dwellings,
bridges down. etc. 1t viii take ffty
years to put Cuba back where she was
| five years ago and then the whole is
land will not be worth any one of the
noble fellows whose bones we are try
| ing to return to the grieved ones At
home. War is hell
The Roumanian, with 500 bodies on
board, will sail for New York on the
| I'D and return here at once for Tho
remainder. All the Massachusetts
people will sail on her. and will have
the Second regiment bodies on board
Application must be made to Col. Kim
| ball or General Luddington of tha
quartermaster department for these
bodies, or they will be sent to the ma
tional cemetery.
Three of our undertakers arc sic1,
| and two of the regimental representa,
tives; nothing very serious. but il does
not take much in this beastIy nIace to
knock strong man out
| There is one army officer hero u.ho
| is deserving of all the praise poseible
| not only as on efficient official but ro,
| his large heart and gentIemaplv con.
| duct to all. He is Mai. Knight chi :
| quartermaster. Through his erfort.,
| the graves of our dead have haer no
! tected since last fall, many undlscoyrr-
| ed ones located and marked. He visits
! the different points when unempIovod
and renders all the aid i'm his noH,ot ~
the party. When it seems ir nm" ei 10
| TO identify some unknown he sn,.s
! look a little longer. boys. it's foo Ma
| 10 send him to Arlington un1lnou,n ;,
! II some Of his feelings could have han,
| innoculated into some of the ofinioII
! who had the burial of our dead in tLoiT
charge there would have been bur few.
| unknown. '"' i0"
To see 500 baskets piled up ON tbc
wharf and to think Of tbeiT co Uu ~ .l,c
| fills ones mind with sorrow. Cro,,. iis
| of natives gather about daily "nd
| chatter like magpies, little thinllino of
the grief the pile Of boxes represented
Ana out in the country where the marry
Is at work. natives gather i'm iTtnSo
crowds and anxiously watch as bod,,
after body is lifted out aud searched
me slghtless' Noiceless army seems to
| interest them more than their owe, ~
| fairs. '"h al
! have secured the great bowlder t1at
was placed at the head Of Fred "a
Tafts grave in the LITTLE cnnnntnu. -.