The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-04
CLARA BARTON in CUBA
THE PEOPLE TURN OUT EN- MAssE TO
WELCOME THE RED Cnoss.
Conditions That Exist To-day I'm the
Interior OF the Island-Homeless
Widows and Orphans.

sometimes happened that reports OF greater
distress than really existed at the points
indicated have come TO the Red Cross man
ayers and supplies sent out in response TO
those appeals which were needed much
worse elsewhere; and. again, communities
OF starving people have not been heard from
at all until pitiful remnant was accident
ally discovered. Besides, the United States
army is issuing rations in many Cuban cities.
and it is not our intention 20 duplicate that
good work. Therefore Miss Barton decided
TO make tour Of the island TO see for her
self what had been and should be done. in
order to make the best possible use Of her
diminishing stores. Several OF her staff, In
GLIDING your correspondent. accompanied
her. and also a number Of trained nurses.
who are to be left, one by one, at points
where their services are required.
We left our new headquarters in the Tuli-
pan suburb of Havana at 5 o'clock on q
mid-May morning, in one Of the beautiful
yellow-topped ambuiances recently present.
ed by Auxiliary Society No. !. Of Philadel-
phia. and were driven 10 the Cienega station.
where we took the train for San Felipe. Tho
country still wrapped in its vapory
vestido de noche might clothes), and houses
and palm trees sprang out OF the mist at
our approach. For time the track follows
closely that magnificent highway which con-
meets the capital with Guines-one OF the
four good roads in Havana province Span
ish blockhouses are thick upon it. set four
or five yards apart-some small, round and
red. just large enough for a solitary SEN
tinel, others square, squat and yellow. ca
pable Of sheltering a dozen soldiers, ana
others more pretentious forts. two-storied.
tile-roofed and watch-towered-aE now alike
deserted and falling into picturesque ruin.
Early as it was men were afield. blowing.
hoeing and planting-not by any means be-
cause these farmers are more industrious
than those Of the north, or will get in more
hours Of labor between the twilight which
begins and ends each day. Cuban custom.
born Of torrid climate, commences work
at the first peep of dawn and takes long
siesta through the noontide hours. Those
who are blowing at o'clock in the morning
will go 10 breakfast at 10 or IL, as viii also
the carpenters, masons. painters and other
artisans, and from that hour until +. m.
or later all native workmen will be absent
from the field Of action.
ASTONISHED THE NATIVES.
By the way, ii has always been believed
in Cuba that only oxea can plow the land,
which during the dry season becomes an
! hard as a macadamized road. and that q
[
half an acre in TWO and a half days An
American gentleman who is doing some ex-
perimental farming in Guines valley has
| demonstrated the untruth Of the proposition
| TO the unbounded establishment OF the ma
| tiyes. Happily, his farm lies in the one irri-
| gated section of the island or perhaps he
| could not have done it. He softened the
| hard-baked soil by turning the water on
couple of days. and then. with a pair OF
| army mules and an American steel pillow.
| turned up an acre of ground in one day. TO
| the depth Of twelve inches. Hitherto, for
| 400 years, only the surface of Cuba has been
| scratched with wooden plows. not more
! than four inches deer. leaving all below in
virgin richness; and the inefficient old
| time methods have yielded so well, our
| American friend naturally expects some
wonderful crops from his more thorough
| cultivation.
Ever since recommendation San Felipe
station has been so thronged with chronic
| me7ticants whose rags and sores and
| swollen feet were stock-in-trade. that our
| party dreaded TO run the gauntlet of their
| opportunities. To-day, wonder Of wonders!
there Is not a beggar in San Felipe. for the
| good Dr. Hubbell went there a week ago
| with three Red Cross women and gathered
| them all into a home Arrived at the little
| station about 5 a. IA. We found ourselves
| besieged by a crowd Of different complex
| ion-nearly the entire population, men,
| women and children. headed by the mayor.
| the Judge. the doctor, the priest and dele
| CATION Of ladies bringing flowers TO honor
| Miss Barton, and thus escorted-after the
i iutroductions had been made and speeches
| delivered we marched in triumphal process
| sion through the stony streets Of the poor
4 I,,f ha
| in San Felipe-coffee was served. breakfast
| being yet four hours ahead. according to
| local custom. Then we visited the brand
| new asylum, with the populace still at our
| heels. What q change one week OF compare
| tive comfort had wrought In the erstwhile
| hegears whose faces had become so un-
| plea sanity familiar in our frequent trips
| through the place, Clean clothes. full
| stomachs ard assured protection had made
, them altogether different creatures True.
| the home was shabby one, furnished
with discarded army cots, blue granite table
| service and stands Of cracker boxes covered
| with calico. but the walls were freshly
| whitewashed, brick floors well scrubbed.
cotJ covered with clean sheets and the
storeroom stocked with rice. beans. bacon
bareback. coffee and condensed milk
enough for many long day.
4 Before the war san fe1lpe ndQ a pop1la-
ton OF about 5000. and now has less than
1000. The outskirts are fringed with long
| streets OF reconcentrado huts. a perpetual
menace TO the health of the community.
| with their Astounding filth. itch. scurvy,
smallpox and vermin of every sort In 1886
the death rate OF the town was 100: In 1897.
| something over 1000 Its pink-painted
church. with three rusty bells In its little
tower. is now more picturesque than ever.
since the spaniards turned 1t into a fort
and punched holes for their guns. breast
high, all around the walls. The interior is.
| Of course. a total wreck. with nothing left
toiadicate that it ever was a sacred edifec.
except the empty inches where saints cnce
| stood and gilded sounding board. shaped
like the Spanish crown, suspended above q
tottering pulpit
A QUAINT CAyALcADE.
Our next objective point was san Antonio
de Banos. seven miles inland. and only TO
be reached on horseback. Horses were cas-
lily found-lean, spiritless animals-but only
two side saddles TO distribute among ave
ladies. and both OF those with the horn on
the wrong side. according TO the ieft-ieEged