The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-16

be used as a covering with comfort
The dew is almost as heavy as rain.
Orchards of cocoanuts, oranges, lem
ons and bananas are within close proX-
unity Of the camp, while we are closely
surrounded by groves of bamboo, rare
palms and tropical flowers and vines
of all description. beautiful and fra
grant. | cannot refrain from men
tioning the outrages being perpetrated
upon the fair name of America, the
birthplace of freedom. and the syno-
nym of right and justice, by the regi-
mental commander. Think of it, that
an army of thousands of United States
troops should be refused the privilege
Of attending the House of God for
worship on Sabbath! Scores of men,
honest in their purpose, asked permis-
sion to attend church. but were posi-
lively refused permission to do so, and
no chaplain provided for this vast
army of young and susceptible men.
At this rate we will soon degenerate
into a state of Indifference far worse
than that of the oppressed nations our
brave and peerless army and navy
fought and suffered so bravely to free.
! 1t would he well for Christian minis
ters to sound such things as these from
their pulpits.
PRICES ADVANCED.
Articles of merchandise of all de-
scriptions seem to have been advanced
in price since the influx of the Ameri
can army of occupation. and then, too,
all of the leading stores are owned by
Spaniards, who expect to enrich them
selves at the expense OF the Ameri-
| cans. and are anxiously awaiting an
"army payday" Natives already
know the value of American money,
and as fast as they get it they hide it
away and dispose of their Spanish coin.
For an American dollar you receive
one dollar and forty cents in change,
| Spanish. The soldiers are learning the
value and exchange of money rapidly
and are picking up the language quick
| ly. or at least such words as are in
| daily use in ordinary business affairs
l doubt greatly it, in our own America.
you could find a city of similar size
! where people are as orderly, polite, and
| clean in appearance as here.
The manner in which these people
! were oppressed, business destroyed and
homes ruined, during the past four
| years, is most appalling and almost
| incredible to any, save those who are
| here to witness it. No Cuban was al
| lowed to till the soil, make repairs
! about his home, keep open his place Of
| business, and even forbidden to move
/ about the city for months, which fact
! occasioned so many deaths from star
walton. as they were dependent solely
upon the scanty supply of food kept in
their homes for subsistence.
The Plaza the resort and prom
| enade for the elite of the city, so long
| deserted and in state of decay and
ruin, is rapidly being placed in its old
| state of splendOr. and the saddened
| hearts of those who frequented it are
now made glad by the delightful con-
| certs given there semi-weekly by the
| different regimental bands. The re-
cent influx Of United States troops has
| given them confidence in their future
and inspired them with greater energy
| and activity than they ever knew be-
| fore.
| CLEANING THE STREETS.
! Streets are being purged of their
| filth, homes are being repaired and
frightened, owners of land and PLAN
tations now go forth in the early
morning to work to place them in their
| old-time state of produCtiVeness, with
no fear of being driven back by a troop
| of Spanards. Within the short period
| of a month, crops of corn, lettuce,
| tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and all man.
ner of produce have been raised, and
are sold upon the streets and in the
market places.
The street cars were all destroyed.
| as we'll as most of the rolling stock of
| the only railroad, leading from here,
were destroyed at the hands of the
! Spaniards. The railroad is indeed a
\ primitive affair, the engines burn wood
| only, and the passenger coaches are
| genuine curiosities, no glass in the win
| dows, no backs on the seats, and void
of all upholstering. The only ice plant
| here was almost totally destroyed but
| is fast being repaired and in a few
| weeks United States troops will be fur
nished with ice for the preservation of
| fresh beef.
The most serious thing we suffered
| from was the detention of the mail at
| Havana. No mail or Official commune
cations We're received car a month. oc-
| casioning much annoyance and distress
| at headquarters. This error, however,
is to be corrected at once and mail
| will be received at least twice a month,
| This is great field for missionary
work. In this city of 46, 900 people, there
are hut eighteen churches, all Roman
Catholic, and presided over by Spanish
| priests. Many Of the young ladies here
have been educated abroad, mostly in
France, and are fine musicians Pianos
are found in a majority of the homes,
and | have heard some of the most
talented performers among the Senor-
itas here / have ever listened to- The
children are bright, cleanly and WELL
behaved, and quick TO grasp the Eng
lish language. The character of the
buildings are very quaint, ancient, and
romantic in the extreme The churches
are ancient. and rusty on the exterior
but magnificently decorated inside
with all manner of precious woods
gold and silver.
ARE ABSOLUTE FACTS.
Such statements as l have made are
absolute facts, as my position in the
headquarters of the subsistence de-
partment of the army is such as tC