The evening times., 1899-01-19
WORK OF THE RED
CROSS Tn PORTO RICO
Summary of What Was Done
for the Soldiers.
Gen. Guy V. Henry Forwards a Re-
port to the War Department.
Rigid Plan of Distribution Main
tained-Preference Given the
Sick and Conyniescent.

The report of the Red Cross work in
Porto Rico, which was given TO Gen. Guy
" Henry and by him endorsed and for
warded 10 the War Department al Wash
ington. is at follows:
THE Red Cross began operations in
Porto Rico on August 90, when Field Agent
Horace F. Barnes arrived at Ponce on the
steamship Concho with the first load of
relief stores. Gen. w. T. Bennett and MIR.
Scott were added later TO the working
staff
Ponce was chosen as the headquarters
of operation, and an Office was opened, free
of rent. by the Government in the custom
house. The general plan adopted was to
receive goods at Ponce and send them by
boats and wagons TO all the hospitals and
camps where any sick might be, acting
in council with the chief surgeon at Ponce
and with the surgeons at the other en-
campments. In the first Two weeks after
his arrival the field agent landed one car
go at Guayama for General Brooke's di-
vision hospital, one at MayagueZ for Cen
eral Schwans division hospital, and one at
Arecibo for the Sixth Massachusetts Regi-
ment which sent I'D wagons 10 receive it
period he visited all the Spanish camps and
hospitals at Arecibo and San Juan. and was
granted every courtesy by General Macias
and other Spanish commanders and sur
geons, though finding they did not require
Red Cross supplies.
From August 10 November the Red Cross
received large cargoeS OF relief supplies
from New York. transported gratultously
by the Government on the transports Con-
| cho, Seneca Yucatan, Obdam twice on rhe
| Berlin and the Chester, Port Victor and
the Missouri. These cargoeS consisted
| chiefly of light. nutritive foods, suitable
| for the sick and convalescent, medicines,
| and also underwear and other comforts
| adapted TO supplement the provisions made
by the Government. In value these goods
| represented not far from 100000.
| Their distribution was maintained on a
rigid plan of giving strict preference TO the
sick and convalescent. of whom Porto Rico
| contained a large number, especially dur
| ing the rainy season. To as great an eX-
| tent as was possible these goods We're OBJ
tanned by the sick men. for whom they
| We're given TO the hospital surgeons. In
| some instances sick officers receiving these
| goods have been known TO turn them over
to their sick men, rather than to seem to
take any official advantage.
| In reaching the various camps and hos
| pitfalls the Red Cross was afforded free
transportation by the Government. which
was the more appreciated since several en-
campments received weekly supplies. The
Government also afforded free use of mules
for the Red Cross ambulances. as well as
stabling quarters and forage
The Red Cross worked necessarily in
many practical lines for the benefit of the
army. notably in providing ice until q
Government supply arrived at Ponce: in
| erecting a camp of ten hospital tents to
| accommodate detachments of GONZALES
cents awaiting transportation; in supply
ing all transports carrying home the sick
and convalescents with suitable nutritives
for the whole voyage; in giving first aid
to many injured men at the Playa and
carrying them TO the hospitals; in looking
up missing men inquired for by letters
| from home: i'm securing reports from ma
tive and army surgeons as TO their dag
nosis and treatment of the diseases mos
prevalent in Porto Rico; in providing fol
struggling soldiers and in daily perform
ing the numerous offices of personal kind
] ness to soldiers which serve most usefu
end. but can hardly be matter of record
During its work in Porto Rico the Rec
Cross has avoided the role of critic OF
censor. and sought 10 conform to tht
wishes of the commanders and surgeons
while watchfully providing for the need!
of the sick. Hence from the first, al
the military departments have treated il
as part of their common fraternity freely
granting its requests, subjscting it to NJ
restrictions and cordially accepting ant
forwarding its benefcent operations. 1t:
Iabors closed on November 10. when the
Government assumed the care of the sicl
| and conyalescent of the army in a more
special degree than before. At the sug
gestion of Chief Surgeon Hoff, the Rec
Cross then turned over the remainder o
its stores 10 the medical supply depart
ment at Ponce. at the same time receivin!
expressions of cordial esteem and grateful
] appreciatioD of 10 worl. already dime n,