Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-01-05
On The Shores of Havana Far Away.
CAMP COLUMBIA, HAVANA,

CUBA, December %, 1898.
DEAR MOTHER.-I thought | had
better drop you few lines to let
you know that we reached here
safely, and that we enjoyed the trip.
We had good second-class boat
and it made good time. 1t was a
seventeen-knot an hour boat and it
took us fifty-two hours to make the
trip. The name of the ship we came
over on is the Minnewaske, and she
is four hundred and siXty-hve feet
Havana. 1t is fine city, but it is in
very bad condition, everything is
so filthy and dirty that it is no won
der they have yellow fever down
here for in some parts OF the city
they live like hogs, that is he lower
class. They live along the harbors
and from the sewerage and filth L
think the fever starts. There are
two hundred cases here now, but
they are way off by themselves in
a building used for that purpose.
Well, have seen the remains of
the Old Maine. 1t is total wreck
and not much of it can be seen. The.
first night when we came in we an
chored within fifty yards of the
Maine and remained all night, and
the next morning we steerned into
the docks and unloaded. There is
several large war vessels here, the
Texas, Brooklyn and New York have
been here for several days, and l
hear there are several others expect
ed soon.
The old stars and stripes are 90
ing to float over the city of Havana
the first of ] anuary, and the flag is
o.nir tn ctoy Tha f1,o. tI,o+ o.,,ac ,,,>
on Old Morrow Castle, is going to
stay and the Forty-Ninth is
going to help raise it, SO l expect
to see some excitement that day; for
we drive all the Spanish soldiers out
and then hoist Old Glory. We sail
ed right by Old Morrow when we
entered the harbor, which we did
at o'clock p. NJ, and it was the
finest scenery ever saw; it was Just
grand for the harbor was full of
large vessels and they were lit up
with electric lights. If this harbor
was cleaned up it would be one of
the finest in the world. for there is
such fine scenery all around.
will enjoy myself for a few
months anyway, for we go to the
city the first of the year and will
be there for some time as we will
do provost guard duty. have seen
most Of the city already, and talk
about parks, here is where you see,
them, for they are full of beautiful
flowers and all kinds of trees. and
everything is in bloom now. This.
is the first Christmas l ever passed
that / could sit around without an
undershirt on and see wild flowers
and green grass all around me. /
am glad we came here this winter
tor it was pretty cool nights up at
Savanna, Georgia, but down here it
is like Iowa in June. We are camp
ed about eight miles from Havana.
close to the sea side and can see the
old ocean plain, as it is only about
one and one-half miles from orr
camp, and that is where we 90 to
| battle.
Water is pretty scarce here, as we
have to haul all we use, and it is
not very good when it gets here,
but | think they Will make some
other arrangements soon. We have
large tents and six men can sleep
in one, as they are twelve by sixteen
feet, and then we have got cots to
sleep on, so you see we are pretty
comfortably situated, and we have
got tair camping ground There
are lots OF cocoanut trees here in
our camp, but they do not give
very much shade. l have seen lots
of banana trees, and they have
fruit on them and the fruit grows
upward. Oranges are plenty and
sell four for five cents.
CHARLES a. DELAHOYDE