The morning news., 1899-03-16
MAINE MEN ARE BACK.
TRANSPORT KILPATRICK IN PORT
FROM sAPELO QUARANTINE.

Disinfected-Were UnIOaded i'm
Boats and Had to Undress and
Bathe-stowaways Were Put I'm
Irons-ArtiIlerymen Are Glad to
Get Back to Goods COuntry"-They
Did Not Like Cuba and Are Jubi-
liant Over the Prospect of Being
Mustered Out of service-FOund
the Lower Glass of Cubans Low
Indeed.
The transport Fitzpatrick arrived yester-
day afternoon about $3.50 O'Clock with the
Maine battalion of heavy artillery. The
men remained on board last night, and
will march early this morning TO the camp
site that was occupied by the Third Ne
braska. Everything was in fine trim on
the ship, and the men in good health and
overfowlng with happiness at the thought
of being soon mustered out of the SER
vice.
The Fitzpatrick left Havana last Thurs
day morning under orders for Sapelo,
where she was 10 have clothing and per-
sonal effects of the soldiers disinfected be-
fore coming on to Savannah. The men
had gone aboard the day before, having
marched in from their camp at Buena
Vista.
Saturday morning the vessel hove to Off
Sapelo and a pilot came aboard. She was
then taken 10 within about a quarter OF
mic OF the pier that runs out from the
quarantine station, the most God-foTsaken
spot, one OF the officers said last night,
that is to be found IF there is any
place in the world that does not bear
Gods stamp" said the officer, 'ft is that
station" He complained of a lack of ia
cilities for dsinfectng the clothing and
effects Of the men and an absence of ac-
commodauons for them while it was in
progress.
Sunday morning the boats were lowered
away and steam launch took them in tov
for the pier. There the men got out of
the boats and were put to dsrobing All
their clothes were put into a hotbox,
Where 265 pounds of dry steam was on.
They We're kept in for half an hour ard
the men in the meantime had 10 battle.
Some did it in the tubs provided. while
others plunged off the pier into the. water.
When one party had finished up its dis
injecting another was brought from the
ship.
As the men came from The vessel to the
per, they were checked by their officers
and the surgeons. This sifted the thing
down fnalty to about twenty men, who
had no transportation, and who did not
belong to the battalion. These were nut
In irons by the commander of the vessel
as stowaways, and also taken to the pier
to be disinfected. There was a plenty of
kicking by the officers and men about
having TO go through all the trouble and
work of being disinfected. but the author
ties had to be obeyed. The soldiers could
not see why there was any necessity
for II, when there was nothing but case
of measles aboard the ship. All the time
the battalion was In Cuba there was but
very little sickness. Not a man had small
pox or yellow fever.
The artillerymen spent Sunday, Monday
and Tuesday nights on shore. The hos
pital at the station was said to be big
enough for the accommodation of the bat
talon, but il was found that no more than
a battery could sleep in it, The rest of
the men pitched their shelter halves and
made themselves as comfortable as they
could.
Tuesday was spent in getting the men
back to the vessel and disinfecting all the
baggage The trunks and boxes were
opened and their contents put in the steam
box. The work was thorough, and may
have been the means of avoiding infection.
The vessel left for Savannah yesterday
morning.
The Maine boys say while they were in
Cuba they never referred to the United
States in any other way than as Gods
Country" They think Cuba is essentially
that of someone else, and their opinion
of the island and its people are of the
poorest. One man of intelligence says
the class the soldiers saw was the lowest.
Viest most immoral set on the face of
the earth. and that it would be hard for
a respectable American to imagine any
human beings having reached the stages
of degradation to which they have fallen.
There seemed something pathetic about
the stories the men tell of the starvation
that hangs over the poorest of the Cubans
They say children and grown people hang
about the camps and even dig into the
sinks for kitchen refuse. Disgust was
aroused in the soldiers for the natives,
and they are gaid to be once more among
good Americans.
The Maine Artillery left Savannah Jan.
II on the OLDHAM. The command had been
encamped here for two or three months
and many acquaintances among the cit
izens will be renewed. While the battalion
was in Cuba no provost duty was done,
nor did the soldiers have anything TO do
except have their regular drills and camp
duties. They were very greatly relieved
10 learn that no provost duty is awaiting
them here.