Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-08
STATE NEWS.
KENNEBEC.
SIDNEY.

0lDNCl
Howard Totman of Fairfield, was al
James II. Beams, Sunday.
Miss Carrie Sibley is in Augusta Will
her aunt who is very, sick.
Frank Smith of Stow. Mass. is visiting
his cousin Mrs. Charles w. Hammond.
Mrs. George Trask. left Monday, fol
Auburn called there by the illness of hei
mother.
Albion Perkins. who had a severe pap
alytic shock and 1t was thought could moi
live. is improving in strength and is able
to ride out.
William Cain and granddaughter Miss
Lucy Gibson, both of Clinton, visited
Seweli a. Clark last week
Another entertainment under the au-
spices of Rural Lodge f. and A. NJ, was
held at Grange hall last Tuesday eve
ming. when the comedy drama, Josiah )
Courtship," was excellently presented by
The Cushnoc Grange Dramatic club. Pull
lens orchestra from Oakland discoursed
very fine music. The entertainments: con-
cluded with supper and social dance.
The hail was crowded with people.
Arthur II. Smiley recently received the
following letter from his brother Ber-
trand. who r. with the Sth Massachusetts
Regiment in Matanzas, Cuba:
Matanzas. Cuba.
Sunday, Feb. ", 1899.
Dear Brother: Your letter of the 18th
came all right and ] was glad to hear
from home; but more SO to think am
escaping the cold winter you are having
up there. 1t is duh here in camp, but /
Went to Havana for Il couple Of days the
first of the week and found it quite Il
cnange from life. we took the
train at 80 a. NJ. and got to havana
about ~. 1t took us all that time 10 make
about so miles. 1t is a very rough road
and | was very glad when we got TO our
journeys end
The first thing we had to do after get
ting there was to find Gen l.udlows Of
flee and get our passes signed, so we
getting Il lunch took us until most II
Then We hired a boat and went down the
harbor to see the wreck of the Maine and
the L. $. boats. Brooklyn and Texas. Then
we went up the other side of, the harbor
and got a good view of Fort Cabanas ana
MORO Castle. both very strong looking
forts and l don't see how it would be pos
sible for boat to get inside with either
fort in action as the enamel cannot be
more than 800 feet wide in the narrowest
place.
BY this time it was most . NJ so VIC
went ashore and took the car for the
burying ground. and here are sights well
worth all the time and money ii cost to
get there.
The first place we struck was the
graves of the victims of the Maine. They
are decorated with flowers and American
flags placed there probably on the ami
versary of the explosion.
From there we went to the house where
they put the bodies of the poorer class
n quick lime until the flesh is eaten off
he bones, then the bones are put in the
ooneyard. We went to. the house and
found the main room locked up, but aft
er considerable talking, making signs
and showing our passes they finally I'M
locked the door and made molions for us
room perhaps 25X30 with three tables in
it about feet square and perhaps two
feet high. On one of these tables were
two boxes about feet long, inches
deep, , feet wide at one end and perhaps
Is inches at the other. both lined with
zinc In the first box were three bodies
One laid on his back with head to the
narrow end; the other two laid face
down, head to the wide end and over
-hese was a thin sprinklng of quick lime
In the other box was but one body and
lhat was covered with lime the same as
After looking at these as long as we
cared 10, We went to the boneyard :.
nave often heard the expression Hell. $
xitcheh,' but never exactly knew what 1t
meant until ] struck this place. When
i was first made it was. they say, 50
feet deep and it is 100 feet square and
mas IA wall around 1t about II feet high
ground. They say there are 100000 skel-
atons in this place. | got over the wall
and had my picture taken. while sitting
with Il skull in my hand on a small cas-
ket that had been thrown in there. Not IA
very good position, but it will prove
was there all right.
From there we went to the cathedral
a small but nice one. and then, to the
tiremens monument. This is, the finest
thing ! ever saw. BY tins tinIe it was
supper time 50 we went back tS town TO
look for supper and lodging. (which We
found in Hotel Novice With breakfast
and dinner all for $l.25. which we
thought very cheap considering the hisn
After supper We made Il split in oui
party two going one way and two the
other. and started out To see the city. !
ana the fellow that was with me took in
the Cuban theatre. Il must have been
good for it seemed to take well with the
crowd. | could understand only the last
part of il and that was The living pic
lures and you can bet your life they
were pictures. | did not dare to stay to
see it through for fear | might be
troubled with bad dreams. so came out
and took Il walk through the streets.
We stayed out until most II then Went
back to the hotel and lid some writing
50 did not get to bed until about 1.50 ana
hen did not rest very well as | was not
used to a soft bed. 1t is the first time !
think | shall have to sleep on the floor
when | gel home again.
We had to leave the city at 30 2. NJ.
| so spent the forenoon in looking around.
We saw the monument where Chrlstopher