The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-01-07
AN IMMUNE LETTER.
Mr.. Yodkols Tells of His Experience at
MAnzanillo. Cuba.

man2anillo. Cuba.
The HERALD is in receipt Of letter from
| Lewis Joe Yedkois Of Co. L. 4th L. S. V.
lmmunes, now at yiguial, Cuba: "The head.
quarters are at Manzanilo. The regiment
now has its companies doing garrison duty in
all the interior towns in that section and has
raised Old Glory over twelve towns since its
arrival. The regiment expects 10 remain at
its present duty until relieved by the regular
troops, which is expected to take place early
in the spring. The health Of the regiment
is excellent, and most Of the diseases we
brought with us from the swamps iu Florida
have disappeared, AT present the climate ia
very hot and dry, but all the interior towns
are supplied with streams The evenings
and mornings are pleasant, but after a. m
1t is best to keep in the shade. Our com.
manding officer has taken charge Of all the
towns where our companies have raised flags
and everything is under court martial law
In this town our company has splendid
quarters and barracks vacated by Spanish
troops. They consist Of two large buildings
about 200 feet long and 30 feet wide, and are
situated on a hill fully 100 feet above the sea
level, directly back Of and overlooking the
town and surroundings. The barracks &C
cupied by the officers aud sick are built of
crushed stone and cement. The other build.
ings are built Of pine boards and matched
palms. Around the town, for distance
Of about 500 yards, there is a line of
Spanish block houses and they, in turn, are
surrounded by rifle pits and barbed wire
trochas. They are interesting structures and
one could spend hours at each of them. at
every turn finding something new and pleas
ing to the eye. There are two old Spanish
forts here in which l found quite a number
of relics such as Mauser cartridges. buttons
etc. From all appearances these forts are
very old. They have old-fashioned guns
bitches with drawbrdges, walls with peep
holes, relics of cruelty and barbarity, and ali
relics of a fallen nation. judging from ap
pearaECes, the town must be a very ancient
one and has had very few improve.
ments since it was first built. All
the business buildings, and most
of the dwellings, are built of
cement and plastered outside The windows
are grated with heavy iron bars and the
doors are massive structures Of wood. bolted
together with large, rounded bolts, and thew
have the appearance Of so many iails The
sidewalks are elevated some distance above
the streets, are but three feet wide, and made
of fiat tiles, or bricks. The streets are moth
ing more than ruts, down which the water
rushes in torrents after every rain fall. Be
fore our arrival refuse of all kinds was
thrown into them. The rains were expected
to carry the refuse into the sea, or river. Ii
depends upon the location of the town.
We now have a street cleaning brigade. slop
barrels, city dump and other modern con.
veniences for cleanliness, which are con
ducive to good health. The poorer classes of
Cubans are hired for this work. They are
paid reasonable wages and ntious are issued
to them by the government. Well, as for the
women here, they smoke big. black home
made cigars, just as the men-that is the
working class but the better and more re-
fined people dress aud live like the people in
the states"