The times., 1899-03-24
BRINGING BACK
THE Heroic DEAD
The Steamer Roumania Sails
From Santiago Today.
Almost One Thousand Bodies Of
American Soldiers Abroad.
Fitting Burial of More Than Three
Hundred mt the Cemetery
at Arlington.

The Government transport Roumania,
which left Santiago yesterday for New
York, will bring to the United States the
bodies of s74 American soldiers, disin-
TERED in Porto Rico and the vicinity Of
Santiago. and of this number it is est
mated that more than one hundred will
either be unidentified or unclaimed, and
they will be buried in the Arlington Ma
tional Cemetery. The transport is expected
TO reach New York Monday. and the bodies
of the soldiers to be buried at Arlington
Will arrive in Washington Tuesday next
Three hundred alternate graves have
been dug at Arlington for the reception OF
the bodies. leaving room for that many
more in the plot assigned TO the soldiers
OF the Spanish-American war. One o. the
most beautiful sites in the cemetery has
been selected for the resting place OF the
dead heroes of the late war, and the plot
will be beautified and cared for with more
than usual tenderness.
When the Roumania reaches New York
the bodies aboard will be taken In charge
by the depot quartermastsr at New York
Colonel Kinball, and those which have
been claimed by relatives and friends will
be shipped 10 points designated throughout
the country, and the remains of two of the
District soldiers who were buried in Cuba
will be shipped to their families in tn S
city After all these bodies have been dis
posed of the remainder will be shipped by
express to Washington, to Major T. E.
True. the depot quartermaster here, who
will supervise the interments al Arlington.
The bodies will be laid out between the
graves. and the numbers and inscriptions
on the caskets placed on the records of the
cemetery, and headstones erected at each
grave.
IL is the present intention of the War
Department to make another trip to Cuba
with the Roumania, but for sanitary rea-
sons this may be abandoned. All of the
remains OF American soldiers buried in
Cuba and Porto Rico however, will be
brought to this country next fall, and the
unclaimed and unidentified will be inferred
al Arlington. and the officials OF the ceme-
terry expect that at least thousand new
graves will be made In the cemetery next
winter.
Arrangements have been made in New
York TO honor the return of the dead he
roes with appropriate ceremonies, and all
flags will fly at half mast when the Rou-
mania steams into the harbor
II has been suggested that as such a
great number Of the soldier dead are to
sleep within the shadow OF the Capitol in
the beautiful city OF the dead by the Po-
tomac, that some steps be taken to honor
the fallen heroes with some fitting cere-
mony. The department will doubtless fur
nish an escort from the troops stationed
at the Washington Barracks, and the flags
on Government buildings Will be placed at
half mast when the procession goes by.
Appropriate ceremonies Will be observed
at the graves, and after a yolley from the
firing squad and bugler sounds taps the
bodies will be lowered. not a few into
nameless graves.
The War Department has encouraged the
burial of the deceased soldiers brought
back from Cuba in Arlington Cemetery
rather than in obscure cemeteries through
out the country, where the graves might
not be properly cared for. Unusual at
tention will be given the graves of all bu-
ried in Arlington, and the beauty of the
spot and the knowledge that as long as
the Government lasts the graves will be
kept fresh and green has influenced many
10 have the bodies of husbands. fathers
sons. brothers. and friends inferred there
In due time II is expected that a monu-
Inent will be raised TO mark the last rest
ing place OF the honored dead who fought
In the war against Spain.