St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-03-27
A St. ]. A. Boy in South America.
Thrilling Experiences in the Colon bian
Revolution

Thrilling Experiences in the Colombian
Revolution.
A recent number of the Christian In
structor, Presbyterian weekly publish
ed in Philadelphia, prints an interesting
letter from Colombia, South America,
which gives an account of life in South
America during one of the fercest of the
many revolutions that have marked the
history of so many of the South Ameri-
can countries. The writer, Dr. S. B.
Harris, is brother of Rev. J. w. Harris
of this place. He formerly resided in
Ryegate, and in 1887-S9 was a student
at st. Johnsbury Academy. DR.. Harris
studied his profession in PHILADELPHIA,
and went to Colombia in August, 1899,
locating in the inland city of Rucara-
manga. Shortly after his arrival re-
volution broke out that lasted over
year, and in that time DR.. Harris had
thrilling experience. During the time he
acted as an army surgeon. A portion of
the letter is particularly interesting as
describing the state of affairs that exists
in South American country during
revolution against the government DR..
Harris writes as follows:
"The province of Santander, of which
Bucaramanga is the capital, has been in
such a turmoil for IA months that no
farming could be carried on. Neverthe-
less it has been obliged to provision
twice as many troops as the number OF
its regular inhabitants, and perhaps four
times as many animals. During and
after the last great battle (ofwhich there
were about 20, and which lasted 16 days
and Is nights, the soldiers of both
parties looted the city and country to
their utmost ability, so that a quart OF
milk cost dollar; an egg, from Is to
so cents; salt, from so cents to So per
pound, and sugar about half that price; ;
bread often unobtainable, and from 10
to SO cents for one little biscuit, and
these of poor quality. Butter was an
almost forgotten luxury, and meat very
scarce and of miserable quality. Then
when you consider that doctor cannot
charge more than So for a consultation
and SIS for visit, and that more than
half the people cannot pay anything and
of the well too do a large per cent. cannot
pay for long time; and that simple
drugs like iodoiorm and quinine, which
are in daily need, cost 5000 per pound,
it makes things interesting, and compli-
Gates philanthropy considerably. have
bought few mules which are and have
been earning something; but when there
are such numbers of unfed and unre.
strained troops around, it often becomes
necessary to hide the mules and feed them
on barley at 81 per sheaf, and even on
simple grass at higher rate. AS SAM
pie of those who are chosen to carry on
the government, l may remark that
had my saddled mule stolen from me in
broad daylight by the drunken mayor,
while was using it to aid the wounded
and dying of the same party to which he
belonged, and | was hurried off to prison
with guard of soldiers for the terrible
offence of protesting against his physical
abuse of poor old woman whom he had
robbed of sheaf of grass, which she had
carried on her back mile, as her only
means of obtaining food. 1t is needles S
to say that the people of the city were
so incensed at him, that it became neces-
airy for him to set me at liberty in a few
hours, but he made good his escape with
the mule as we'll as many thousands of
dollars worth OF goods and animals that
he had taken from others, and the secre-
tary of state was not above appropriate
ing the saddle when he knew from whom
it had been stolen. But when dogs fight
over bones it often is the case that
both lose and it was so in this. All
that branch of the party has been over.
thrown, and another faction is running
affairs with the vice,president in the
chair and the president prisoner" The
letter was written under date of Dec. 13,
1900, and states that the week before
they had received the first mail since Sep,
TENDER, 1899. At the date OF writing,
DR.. Harris was at Begota, but expected
to return to Bucaramanga and continue
his work.