The Iola register., 1899-08-25
A MILITARY ORDER.
War Department Inaugurates New
System of Depot Battalions.
THE CONDITIONS IN PORTO RICO.
Gen. Davis Gives Additional Details About
the Work of the Recent Hurri-
cane-Number of Home
less People.

Washington, Aug. 23.-The order for
bringing to the United States five bat
talions of soldiers serving in Cuba,
published at the war department yes
terday establishes depot battalions, q
system that has not been known in the
United States army heretofore. The
order also provides that troops, batter
les and companies will hereafter be
formed into battalions in alphabetical
order except that the light and siege
batteries, being mounted, will not be
placed in any battalion. The troops
ordered from Cuba are known as depot
battalions and are to be stationed as
follows: Battalion f, First infantry,
at Fort Leavenworth, Kan; Second in
fantry, at Fort Thomas, Ky; Fifth i'm
fantry. at Fort sheridan, Ill; Eighth
infantry, at Fort Smelling, Mimi;
Tenth infantry, at Fort Crook, Neb.
While these are known as depot bat
tal!ons, those remaining in Cuba will
be known as active batalions. The
order continues:
Oacers and enlisted mon who orc unfit for
duty with tlc active b.. iions viii bc trans
iprrcd to the depot battalion and sufficient
hummer OF bI'tiN anu tnllNlNO men WILL II pos
Sole. be transferred 20 the active battalons to
bring them mp 90 maximum strength prior to
tlc departure of the depot battalion~ ana there
after when ne iWcut has depot battalion
,.5cars and enlisted men, grade for grade as
lsgriy rs pos iblp, will bc transferred between
tae active ANA depot battaliuus upon the recon-
.uluii1u of rcgmcu,al commander, and to
tIa ~ta, Ia of the headquarters of the depot
utttIli % win bs sent AN recruits, invuids and
o,hcr trausientS pertaining to the respective
regiments,
THE CONDITIONS IN PORTO RICO.
Washington. Aug. 29.-A cable dis
patch has been received at the war de-
rartment from Gen. Davis giving addi-
tional details of the conditions in Porto
Rico. He says:
Eatious from Nucvitns may be unloadcd In
quarantine but IT seem, to me supply can custer
come from states. the fear Of yellow fever from
Cuba making extra precautions necessary.
Press reports that Porto Ricnns refused 10 dis
charge relief supplies without double pay are
untrue. MACPHERSON arrived saturday after
noon and unloading proceeded Sunday morning.
Dock hands refused work without customary
Sunday pay. soldiers of Porto Rican battalion
volunteered to take their places, but longshore-
men returned to work when they learned the
nature Of supplies on board and unloading was
completed by them. Some refused any pay
whatever. Taeiy original strike was
due 70 msapprchcnsion. Stories that
laborcrs in the interior refused to work be-
cause they are to be fed by the government is
principally sensational talk and Mysteries
can resolve this matter easily. as no issues will
be made to those able to work unless they do so.
Cargo OF MACPHERSON has been forwarded to
distributing centcrs ana part was issued yester-
day evening. In a few limited areas the coffee
Is half safe, remaining areas the crop is almost
totally ruined and the trees so injured that next
years crop will not exceed - per cent. average.
Bananas furnished onc-half the food and sweet
potatoes, beans, rice, corn and vans all OF which
are green here supplied the other half to 80 per
cent OF the inhabitants. All the bananas, beans,
rice and corn are destroyed and half the pota-
toes. now estimate over i,O0O dead and 1OOO 900
hungry, one-half this number being homeless.
Hunger will increase rather than diminish for
many weeks