Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-10


erative influences of the new govern
ment, American push and enterprise
VIII witness ere long the return of the
former thrift and prosperity, and there
VIII be gradual influx from the
States At present there are very few
Americans on the island
Mr.. NeWcOmb left Bath early in
December, in the four masted schooner
Henry J. Smith, in command of Capt.
John Adams, and bound for New York,
with cargo of ice. After leaving the
kennebec severe gales were encounter
ed and as "A result the schooner was
blown many miles from her course, to
the CUR stream, to the southwark of
Cape HatteraS. The schooner braved
the elements and sailed into New York
two weeks overdue, on n trip that
would ordinarily have been made in As
hours.
The schooner proceeded light from
New York to Baltimore. and there re-
celNed Il large cargo of coal for Glen
fueSoS. Five other four-maSted
schooners came out Of the Chesapeake
with the Smith and the race to Cape
Henry was exciting sport and particu-
larly momentous for the Bath craft
which passed the cape an hour ahead
Of the rest Of the fleet.
The Smith arrived at CienfuegOs.
early in January, after a passage Of 16
days. There was about ) days Of
stormy weather but Withal the trip
was a pleasant one. A number Of
English speaking people were met on
shore and the meeting resulted in be-
in irfFnlInnA -. -, 4 H..
swell organization Of the city.
on all sides were evidences Of the
warfare of few months previous. The
last Of the Spanish troops were en-
harkcd on hoard the Spanish trans
ports the day the Smith arrived in the
harbor, and the schooner passed close
To the steamers as they weighed an
Chor. The soldiers We're thin and poor
" clad, but We're in joyful mood at TN"
thoughts Of returning To their native
land. The second week AR Ncwcomb
was there the "a United States Nolun-
teers, Engineer Corps. arrived ana a
Week later the Regulars.
Mr.. NeWcomb secured 4 position MS
secretary Of the Northumberland Gu
ban 60. Of which l.. \. Cloudy OF Port
land is the manager. The reception ana
banquet which was rendered TO Maxi
mo Gomez and staff. after the entry of
his tattered forces into the city. was
an destinations function in official cir
cles ana Mr.. Ncwcumb and Mr., Cloudy
received special invitations from the
mayor. Mr.. Nrwcomb had the pleas
ure Of a brief conversation with Gen
Gomez. who assured him that he was
! glad 10 meet Americans ana hoped to
soon see more of them in the country
Mr.. NewComb enjoyed many short
| trips into the country surrounding the
city. and visited not few battlefielis
still strewn with the bones Of the
patriotic dead. The trocha which stills
surrounds the city was inspected ana
may Well be considered impregnable
Ii is made of barbed Wire. two parallel
fences with wires at intervals Of a few
inches being interiaced in every direc-
ton. and making vertable network
of barbed wire. At intervals of 100
yards all around the city in the line Of
the trocha are block houses. built Of
granite.
Before leaving the city Mr. New
comb visited a sugar plantation some
miles out Of the city. The owner was
very wealthy ana the plantation is said
To be the largest in the world.
The harbor Of Cienfucgos Is cons.d-
cred one Of the best in the world II is
entered at a narrow passage. and the
city is situated at the innermost point
The Spaniards built several forts on
either side Of the entrance To the har-
Dor and with heavy batteries could
have prevented the entrance Of a hos
tile fleet for perhaps an indefinite
period.
The United States government are
now erecting Il buildings on the point
at the entrance to the harhor. known
as Passa Cahelloss, ana as soon as
completed will be occupied as resi-
dences by the government officials one
as a hospital and others for the commits
sary stores.
The return trip in the Smith was de-
void Of particular incident except for
the first few hours. There is but one
tug beat at Cinefuegos, and the ability
Of the owners to bleed ana take adj
vantage of patrons is wonderful. The
schooner was laden with 3.001 l51
pounds of sugar-a very valuable car
go, and the rate for an "offing'' was
so. The money was paid and all was
well until they We're some distance
from the harbor. when the captain Of
the tug turned about to return.
They could afford to go no farther for |
SIS. and after brief dickering the |
schooner would be toWed some distance |
farther for SO extra. Another stop |
and $40 more was paid. The schooner |
was dropped in a dead calm and the in |
solent tug puffed back to the harbor |
The calm continued and the schooner |
drifted back and at the same time to- |
ward the shore. There was not |
breath of air, and the water was so |
deep that it was useless to think of |
dropping anchor.
They floated back nearly to the en-
trance to the harbor, and Mr. New
comb on going into the cabin found the
captain packing his trunk preparatory
TO leaving ship, as he fully expected to
go on the rocks now but a short dis
lance away. In a few minutes came a
slight off shore breeze. and as the sails
gradually caught it up, the schooner
moved out of danger.
The cargo was uninsured. but the
extra $40 which was paid for the tug,
saved the ship from disaster. as the
breeze would not have arrived in time |