The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1899-04-07
SECOND LETTER FROM
THE UNHAPPY ISLE"
Miss Laura Yeamens Again Talks
to Times" Readers About
Cuba and its People.
CIENFUEGos, CUBA, I
March IA, 1899. !

uioiNh - NNNS'
Editor TIMEs:-The Sixth Ohio is
still encamped at the old camping
ground called Camp Candeleria. Sew
eral details of men who were sent out
to guard different points have return
ed. Company 1, which was stationed
at Sagua La Grande, a point near the
northern coast, returned to camp last
night. They were replaced by COM
pany of the 31st Michigan. There is
yet battalion of the 9th Ohio at
Santa Clara and several companies do
ing guard at large plantations. The
largest portion of the Sd Cavalry regi-
ment are encamped between our camp
and Cienfuegos. The Sd Engineer
Corps has a nice camp about a mile
out from Cienfuegos, while the 31st
Michigan is encamped about thirty
miles out.
The rumor is that all the volunteer
regiments are to be mustered out and
sent out of the island by the first of
May, leaving the regulars in the field.
By that time the rainy season will
have begun, bringing with it much
sickness, so it is to be hoped that the
rumor is true The soldiers are anxi-
Gus to be home again; they volunteer
ed for active service and as they had
no chance at that they are tired of
this.
We have been very fortunate in the
caring of our sick. So far we have
lost but two patients, one from the
9th Ohio and one from the 31st Mich
igan. The sick list is decreasing, but
we still have about forty patients,
mostly convalescent. So far the 9th
Ohio has been the healthiest regiment
here.
Arrangements are being made to
get us into barracks in the city.
Then the division hospital will be
started and the sick will be sent from
the different regiments in this prov
ince. l dislike to leave camp, there
are so many pleasant features, but OF
course unpleasant ones also, especially
in rainy, windy weather. We had an
unahppy experience not long ago,
when our tents were blown away leav-
ing us exposed to the pouring rain.
A few evenings ago large fire broke
out and was making rapid headway
toward us, but the soldiers set out
back fire around the hospital and
camp.
1 had a few days leave Of absence
short time ago and made trip to
Santa Clara with some other ladies
from camp. We started from here at
TAO a. M, arriving there at 10 a. M,
and you may know our coach was
slow, as the distance was only forty
miles. At soldiers rates, which means
about one-half, we were charged S1.SS
each. The first class cars here are
miserable things and would not be
used for second class In the States,
We went right out tolcamp, which
is mile from town. Unlike our
camp, there are no palm trees, but 1t
is near range of mountains,
The town is quite pretty place,
though the streets are very narrow
and the sidewalks so narrow in some
places that it is difficult for two to
walk side by side. The principal
places of interest there are the plaza,
which is very much the same as the
one in Cienfuegos, the cathedral,
theater, pustofice and cemetery. We
visited the leper hospital, quite a nice
brick building in yard of beautiful
flowers and shrubbery. There were
eight patients, and 1 shall never for.
get the sight; one poor man had lost
his eyes and nose, and another had
just a stump Of an arm and one foot
badly decayed. We gave them some
pennies, which pleased them.
We next visited the cemetery, a
very old one, The first part after the
entrance belongs to the wealthier
classes, and some Of the statuary is
very fine. After this came a large
square enclosure. We saw many
graves where the bodies had been dug
up, and different parts Of the skeleton