Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-16
A TRIP TO SANTIAGO
By Way Of the Line Run Under
Government Control.
WASHINGTON men ON TIE STEAMER
Lawyer ONeiI's Mission to Find
His Brothers Body.
W H A Z Gu B A N E E D S
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

n IeS uldT iiIe OIL steamers is now running
between the United States and Cuba. The
line is operated under the control of the
government, which has chartered several
large vessels for the purpose. Besides
carrying the mails the vessels also take
West Indies. Any government employe 60
ing or coming from the Indies is furnished
with a pass, but meals are not included in
the privilege, and the employe is compelled
to pay the steamers price for meals-Sl.5 80
a day as long as he remains on the boat.
The writer sailed on the Berlin, which
was scheduled to leave New York on We'd
nesday, December 81, but thick fog in
the harbor caused a delay of two days.
On Friday morning the steamer left New
York for Santiago de Cuba. 1t had on
board a large cargo of supplies for the
troops in Cuba and Porto Rico and about
800 passengers, nearly all being government
employees Among the number were thirty
custom and postal clerks, going to their
new post of duty. They were selected on
account of their experience, and came from
different states.
Two congressman.
Two representatives in Congress, Mr.. John
B. Lacey of Iowa and Mr.. Charles T. Lam
dis of Maryland, were among the passen-
gers. They were taking sea trip for
their health, and returned on the same
steamer, going by way of Porto Rico. The
vessel stopped few days at Santiago, and
while there the representatives visited the
battiefelds and displayed great interest in
the dilapidated trenches around the city
and the former Spanish foruhcauons
around the place.
Mr.. John B. O'Neil, an attorney at-law
from Washington, was also one OF the pas
sergers. His mission was sad one. He
was going to the batt!efields to find the
body of his brother, William ONeil, who
was captain of Troop A OF the Ronsn
Riders killed in the charge up San Juan
Hill sealed casket was brought along
in which to carry the body back to the old
home of the soldier at Phoenix, Arlz- Sew
eral others among the passengers were also
going after bodies OF 1rlendS klleu III lhe
same battle.
The trip was uneventful and most pleas
ant weather was enjoyed. Early Tuesday
morning the beautiful green hills along the
Cuban coast were sighted and at noon the
channel leading to Santiago harbor was
reached. AS the vessel steamed up the
channel many picturesque scenes We're en-
loved On the right was MORO Castle, in
its dilapidated condition. that added charm
to the view. The battered walls showed
clearly that the fort had suffered from the
guns of Admiral SIMPSONS fleet. \ large
gun which was shot off its carriage by the
accurate American gunners was seen, still
lying just where 1t fell on the east side of
the bank.
The Merrlnac, winch was sunk by Lieut..
Hobson and his men last June TO obstruct
the entrance to the harbor, is still lying al
most in the middle of the channel The
waves gently splash against her sides and
sometimes wash over the deck. Along the
beach. lying sidewise is the Spanish cruis-
er Reina Mercedes. She is a total wreck
the work of the American rapid-fire guns.
The sight. when one remembers the great
fatality on the Spanish side on July 2. is
one that would strike a chill to the coolest
heart.
The HarbOr Scene.
The channel gets wider and wider as the
steamer nears the harbor, and the view is
as pretty as one could possibly desire.
Words cannot convey the impression that
is left in the mind after taking in all of the
panorama that meets the eye from the
deck. To the left the banks that were
most to the waters edge and covered with
trees, the fruit of many being plainly WISH
BILE. To the right the bank is a mass of
broken hills, and through the opening one
can see many miles down the valley. Now
and then through the openings of the hills
San Juan Hill can be seen, and the battle
field where the American troops fought so
well on July l is for moment spread be-
fore the vision. The straight and tall CO.
coanut trees, the palm and the banana
trees, with their large leaves, add greatly
to the beauty of the scenery.
AS glimpses were caught of the battle
field of San Juan it brought back to my
mind many of the stirring scenes of the
time. The events are still fresh in my mind
and will ever remain so. I we'll remember
the charge OF our troop up the steep hill
the whizzing and Sizing of the bullets
from the Mauser rifles as they flew through
the air on their mission of death the shout
ing and cheering of the men, the dismay Of
the Spaniards at the impetus of the rush
and the brief but short struggle at the ton
OF the hill with the few remaining foreign
ers in the trenches. The sadness and sor-
row of the campaign, the exhilaration and
excitement of the charge and the little
pleasures and humor of the camp are in
delbly printed on my brain.
On every hill was a block house, and thew
sun stand, being plainly visible from the
steamer. Even the large number of barbed
wire fences running in all directions, which
the Spaniards placed so much reliance
upon, can be seen. Many of the block
houses are full of holes the work of our
troops on July l, when the memorable
charge was made. The scenes made quite
an impression upon the passengers of the
boat who were not in the campaign, and
they eagerly listened to the story of the
newspapers, but which were now many
times more interesting on account of the
close proximity to the scene.
The Santiago of Today.
Upon entering the harbor the channel
opens out Into :. large bay. On the right
Is Santiago. A lower place to build city
could not be found anywhere. At times
when the water in the bay is high, was
informed on the steamer, the streets of the
city are flooded. To the left Of the harbor
Is lowland or plateau, which Is almost
entirely bare of vegetation of any size. 1t
extends back for Several miles, and then
commences series of small hills, each sue
ceeding one higher; so that along the
horizon they drift into huge mountains
The harbor is too shallow to permit large
vessels to go to the docks and the passen-
gers on the steamer were taken ashore in
small boats, while the cargo was discharged
and carried ashore by the use of lighters.
The Santiago of today is not the Santiago
of last July, when the place was surren-
dered to the victorious American forces.
The few months of American control have
witnessed wonderful and appreciative
change. Instead of meeting that sitting
stencil. the odor Is now far more pleasant,
though there is still plenty of room for
Improvement. The old Spanish law permit
ting the residents of the town TO dump
their Stops from a front window into the
street has been repealed by the American
general in command. much to the dissatis-
faction Of the natives. who still insist upon
keeping up the old custom. The town has
been thoroughly drained, and a sewerage
S11oI, hou In, Oft \