Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-11-24
IMPRESSIONS or CUBA.
Lieut.. Wien Writes Very interest
ing Letter of his Trip to Porto
RIGA and Cuba.
sec de Aviia. Cuba, oct. 81 Iooo.


spend it in the fuitillment of'your wish.
As you remember, i received telegraph
&c orders on August 10th while ! was with
you; those orders, you also remember,
were for me to join the Army Transport
Mcclellan as soon as possible as she was
then ready 10 sail at a moments notice.
! reached New York on the early morn
ing Of August nth and with my baggage
reported 10 the Transport Quarermaster
at Pier p Brooklyn before IL a. m.
After being assigned TO my state room
! found plenty oil time but no space
on my hand, however manage to
grin, squeeze and bear it.
Those orders thar We expected to arrive
IN such hurry came just one week later
so that it was p. m on Saturday, August
18th when we weighed anchor and
steamed out Of NewYork Harbor. The day
was fine and clear and we had good
view of the city We were leaving behind;
confess felt a peculier sensation, one
that is Undesirable, | remember that
was not as light hearted as have been on
several occasions. When this sensation
became keen. | turned my back on the
city of New York and the United States
and began to look forward, and 10 think
OF the future before me. When | got far
out TO sea found quite a solace in think
ing OF the many good times had on my
graduation leave OF absence.
There is not much to describe about
the open sea, at least am not able to
give very vivid description of it. All
impressions are not the same but my i'm
| trysfs 81 he
the bottom of an immense blue bowl.
Any direction in which looked could
see the brim just little above me, but
oh so many many miles away. The first
evening out we saw quite number of
vessels, some quite near, others far away.
But ON the six succeeding days very few
could we see; TOR three days we did not
sight single SAIL and the only life out
side of the ship that was visible consisted
of now and then small school Of flying
fishes.
Our course was South 20 degrees East
and after very pleasant voyage OF six
days we reached San Juan, Puerto Rico,
August 24th. | got up and went on deck
at 2:3o a. m. to watch the lights of Moro
Castle when twenty-seven miles away. AT
first it required very careful observation
to see it but after short while just lit
tie speck could be seen on the eastern ho-
rizon; then it became palmer and after
awhile we could see two liz hts, then three
and by half past four. the lights of the whole
CITY. AT FIVE o'clock we were al the en-
trance to the harbor, it was then dark
and when we were told that the vessel
would net 90 in until day break we natur-
ally expected to remain outside for at least
another hour. Not so: for something hap
pened. Almost as quick as flash the
stars were driven from the Field of Night,
the night went along with them from
Heaven. and we were enveloped in day.
light. Then we entered the harbor. On
the left of the entrance stands FL Moro
the once magnificent piece of Spanish
sgenius of the early Seventeenth Century.
Magnificent now only as ruin of her
former self Tall and commanding, re-
fusing like an aged giant TO bend under
the hardships, the scars and the sears of
many year.
On the right of Moro stands the
Fortress of San Crstabal more modern
than ElMorro but not so impressive,
AT err having ten satisfied with the
drinking in of these works of man, my
eyes wandered straight before me and
there beneld the works of God. The
rugged outline of the palm covered hills
against the southern sky, the bills them
selves full of verdure offering. an appro-
pirate background for the harbor and
quaint old city of San Juan was vastly
hor
ever could be.
We finally made our landing much to
our delight, for six days on the sea is a
good thing to make one appreciate the
land. AT the wharf TO meet us were many
of the officers of the Eleventh Infantry
We were taken up to the barracks and
nothing was left undone in order that our
stay should be pleasant one, and they
succeeded. In the afternoon we were all
taken over the city, and had my first inn
preston of Spanish town. The city has
about forty-fve thousand inhabitants and
it is not spread oveF anything like the
space that, Martinsburg occupies. The
streets are very narrow, and the sidewalks
well tworpeople cannot pass each other
on them, but nobodp uses the sidewalks, |
everybody WALKS in the middle of the |
street. The houses are mostly Of but a |
single story, all painted blue with white
borders around very large doors and VIM
dows, the ceilings are quite lofty and the !
windows extend from top to bottom; in
stead of glass in them they have heavy |
iron bars that give more an appearance of
a prison than Of residence; one soon be- |
comes accustomed to that and many 9TH
er things. neglected to tell you of what |
material the houses are constructed-they |
are all of kind of concrete which seems |
TO be quite cool and very durable. There |
are several plazas or public squares in the
city and they are no less novel than the
houses or the streets; in the center is a |
fountain and radiating from this are many
brick walks, between these walks IS a |
superabundance OF shIubbery, no sign OF
grass just the fountain, the walk and the
thick growth of bushes.
In the evening a dance was given in our