New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-04


Now. suppose civilian has no right to have
opinions in these matters. yet II did occur to me
at the tire to ask what was the use OF the
coonels board. they called 1t. when every
commander was certain to decline responsibility
for their plans and was going to Insist on locat-
ing the camp site for his own soldiers.
Il had almost forgotten about the pier at
Marianao. That was built by one section of the
colonies board which seemed TO be Independent
of the rest OF the board. They called 1t Hecker s
pier. Well. Colonel Hecker had no sooner got II
built than some other colonel or general found
that II was all wrong I think they got some
engineer officer who was on duty TO make re-
port condemning II. They said that II wouldn't
stand the first rough weather. Well the pier
is there yet, but il was never used for unload
ing troops supplies. j always used TO SYM
pathze with Colonel Hecker when he went
around to his friends Of the opposition bureau,
or whatever II was and ask them to come out
and see the pier
We'll. there was something else. After the
colonies board had returned to Washington
Colonel Hecker. on his OVID account built a six
mile military railroad a sort of a belt line
connecting with the roads leading out OF Ha-
vana. / understood that General Humphreys
and the Engineer Department. or Bureau. or
whatever II was called. were opposed to that
road. but thorugh some bureau arrangement In
Washington was made to take the responsibili-
ty. Warehouses were also put up for Government
supplies. and | heard that the plans were not
satisfactory to the engineers. and that the Quar-
termasters Department was Directing to the
location Of the warehouses. don't know what
the real merits of the controversy are but when
| return to Havana l expect to see that some
other railroad and some other warehouses have
been built.
TURNED DOWN BY GENERAL BROOKE.
But did you ever hear of the Isle OF Pines?
You know that is American territory. 1t takes
two hours to run down from Havana to the
south coast, and then half day or all night to
cross over in the light draught boat. Well. COM
ing back to the days of the Evacuation Commits
sion, 1t sent delegation to the Isle OF Pines 10
take a sort of general survey Of It, the delega-
ton made very thorough examination. and l
guess II got some useful information Inc next
thing was the report that the United States
would establish a soldiers sanitarium or nos
pital there because the springs are benencla
| suppose that some medical bureau or otner
sent down some surgeons to look into the heal
ing properties of those springs. but CONFESS
that my record does not cover the medical COM
mission.
that regiment or so of the American troops
should be located there Then Colonel Hecker
who was the surviving and independent mem
Der of the colonies board, went over with stan
officer or two General Brooke did not seem to
think much Of the notion Of stationing regl-
ment there, nor did General Lee Lee hlmselr
went to look over the isle. He reported. sup
pose unoffcially, that there was no means or
getting q regiment there short OF week. or IN
getting it off of there in case of emergency In
side of month. A little boat which could carry
forty OF HltN passengers III tiSHl eHucS~S
makes the voyage to the mainland. l think 1t
draws two feet Of water. Sometimes the COWS
wade across but while the soldiers could roll
up their trousers, they could hardly march fifty
miles over coral reefs without getting into
trouble with the aiigators. Well, General
Brooke turned down some bureaus recommen-
daton for the regiment and don't know
whether he has since sent few men over with
corporal or whether he has left a company or
the Cuban Army which was there in charge
MORE INFORMATION WANTED.
But this is not all that has been learned
about the Isle of Pines. The customs service
you know is in charge of Army officers. and
they seem to enjoy some independence OF the
bureaus of the War Department. Anyhow. they
are not afraid of the bureaus the bureau
chiefs. The customs collector at Batabano is
Captain Fault / think the collections there
the first quarter amounted to $40. At least
they were not large enough TO keep the collector
busy. So Captain Faultz took advantage of his
leisure and made a trip through the Isle of
Pines. He reported his observations. and his
report is very good one. too. But in spite Of all
these visits to and reports on the Isle OF Pines
! suppose there at least half a dozen other
bureaus in the War Department which want in
formation about the isle. and Of course II would
be beneath their dignity or beyond their powers
to make Of any of the Information hat has
heretofore been gathered. Now, / am not dis
posed 10 be critical about the War DEPARTING mt
internal organization. but from what | have seen
in Cuba during the last six months
hope The Tribune will keep or giving us infor-
nation about the reels for the red tape which
they have there"