The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-03-10
SOUTH PORTLAND
WALTER b. wEEks's oBsERvA-
/ TioNS ON HIS TRIP TO CUBA.


Walter Ii. Weeks at the b,eaking out OF
the war with spain was employed ut the
Lowell bicy cle factory and enlisted as
machiniss on the Montauk. A fer his
discharge. from the service at Philadelphia
be secured position on the steam yacht
Alcedo and while on board this craft and
under date OF Feb. 10 he writes from
santiago de Cuba as follows: We left
Philadelphia Jan. 8. In a heavy snow
storm and arrived In savannah, Ga,
about three days In or and laid in Savan
nah about four days. 1t was case of all
bands putting on summer underclotnes
10 was 80 warm. Savannah is a very
middle of which runs large lawn and
there are u lot Of soldiers campsd on the
lawn in one street. We left Savannah
Tor Matanzas. Cuba, where We arrived
after n three days run. We found beau
tiiul harbor and still warmer weather.
On the north side Of the bafbor about one
thousand soldiers are sncamped with three
troops of cavalry on the adjoining hills.
Eve ry morning they have dress parade
and we can see 1t all from our deck and
hear the martial strains OF the military
band.
The streets are very narrow here and
there 10 room for one to walk on the side
walk at q time. We left Matanzas for
Cienfuegos aud got about 60 miles past
Havana when fun commenced. We ran
into o heavy gale Of wind ana had to lay
to for 8 I-2 hours The waves ran noun
tain high and when the wind abated we
turned back Tor Havana &c wait for the
$50 TO 20 down and on entering tine har-
Dor the surf went right over the light
house At Moro Cattle which by the way
Is quite an antiouatd affair. On entering
the harbor we steamed past the U. ). >.
Brooklyn and Rssolute and dropped an
chor stones throw from the remains OF
the Maine, which Is u hari looking sight
We happened TO be here Feb 10, just one
year from the day she was blown up.
Her foremost is out of water and draped
with some kind of green leaves and bunt-
ing with an American flag at half mast.
Tho same day most every house in Ha-
vaua was drnped in mourning in memory
Oh Inc mains anu ,'As'o"s ,e',io0e "'ie
neiu !" 'ne o"u''"'' """ BUSINESS
suspended.
here ratrollinp the streets all the time
with their rifles on their shoulders to
keep peace. Things arc not SO very peace
able here judging from what soldier
salt. One told me that The had to load
his gun and fix his bayonet eight time
in one night to stop trouble and that he
knew of eight soldiers that had been
stabbed since he had been here.
Wa left Havana for Santiago instead of
C....,,.,a .u,,,.d .h.ra .ftsr
oieni"ee'e ""u
pleasant trip OF 10 hours. we saw the
Spanish war ships that were detroysd by
On, navv They are high and dry. We
oaf n"'' .,-,N
Also passed Gloss 10 inc 'ierrinh"o as
steamed into the harbor Of Santiago
which is about ten miles up and beau
e.-..., ,,s ha.,va.r tho
'iioi Sal was "hoiuou "' ~
mountains. IL Is terrlpiy not uo"h mere
and as we are going still further south we
or. nkelv tn melt before we get back.
~. q, ..o,n;r,
,,acs and thence to Porto Rico and
Hayt ii, from the latter place we return to
the United States.
THE I1NIvERSAIIST SHIPPER AND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS oNrour