The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-05-31
WRETcHED SOLDIERS
Oh 1 TRANSPORT
Experiences of the Men
Aboard the Kill
patrick.
COPY OF LETTER WRITTEN HERE
SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST THE
MEDICAL OFFICER AT SAN
FRANCISCO.
Asserted That the First Man Stricken
With Small Pox Had the Disease
COPY OF LETTER WRITTEN HERE
Asserted That the First Man Stricken
With Small Pos Had the Disease
When He Went Aboard the
Boat

>
On Board Transport fitzpatrick.
Honolulu Harbor. H. L.
April 20. 1901.
We arrived here on the 18th instant
ana Immediately went into quarantine
oeing anchored about two miles from
the city. Honolulu is the garden spot
oi the world anG you can imagine our
disappointment at not being allowed
20 set foot within its borders. II the
coahng Is competed tomorrow we will
start Tor Manila, with the poor salts
Iactlon OF having seen these beautiful
Islands only from distance.
The Hawaiians are badly scared
over the smallpox reports from the
mother country and are adopting strin-
gent measures with all steamers and
their passengers. All mails from Am
erica viii go through quarantine he
fore distribution. All arrivals will
nave TO go through quarantine.
When 1t is considered what a hard
time they had to stamp out the hu.
oonle plague on the islands the author.
ties cannot be blamed for their nre-
cautions and their treatment of US.
Our commanding officer tried to get
permission to land us so as to thor
oughly fumigate the boat and give the
men a chance to stretch their legs
and clean themselves and clothes hut
the board of health would not listen
to it.
The beautiful city lies before us like
panorama, making glorious picture
day and night At night the CITY an
pears as a blaze of electric lights of
all eolors. There is zigzag trolley
line back of the city which ends at
the top of the mountain. The electric
hgnts on this road make a brilliant
slght and 1t is our main pastime
watching the cars go UP and down.
Although we have lain here a week
today is the first time that the on.
listed men have seen any local paners
yesterdays issue says that the people
OF Honolulu sincerely sympathize with
US IN our bereavement, but. really
they could not let us land. The local
papers sent over large bundles of LATE
issues for free distribution to the men
and notice in said papers informed
US that the citizens were collecting
reading matter, fruit, table luxuries
and tobacco.
The notice particularly called for
TOBACCO, the reporter being informed
tnat the men were entirely out of This
necessity. The young man was imnos.
ed upon by some wag on board az
the men are well supplied with the
weed, having purchased on credit from
the commissary On board any amount
they set down Any person familiar
with soldiers knows that they invari-
ably purchase in wholesale quantities
when doing SO on credit.
me dining rooms are crowded day
and night with the men gambling for
tobacco and the tables are heaned
nigh with the different brands. It re.
sembles Monte Carlo on a cheap scale
A Serious Rumor Prevalent.
There has been persistent rumor
that the medical officer at the Presi.
dlo, San Francisco. camp allowed tbe
hrst man stricken with smallpox 70
go on the transport. knowing that he
had the disease, but that he did so tn
prevent the command being ouaran-
tined at San Francisco. 1t is almost
impossible to believe that an official
would risk the lives of a thousand
people by allowing a man broken ont
with the dread disease to mingle with
them without restraint. It is a fact
that the man. Private Joe Kelly Com. |
pany M. 18th Infantry. went on the |
sick report at Presidio the morning |
OF departure. and that his face was /
then broken out. The next day anoth- |
er case broke out and the Honolulu /
papers state that the medical officers /
on BOARD advised the commanding of /
ncer 10 turn back to San Francisco |
which he declined to do.
mere are now at the Marine Hos
pitai on shore from this boat two cases
OF smallpox and fourteen cases of
measles and mumps New cases are
at once sent on shore.
The past week has been spent in
Inmigating the mems clothes and quar-
Iers and coaling the ship by the crew.
IN order 10 do this me men have been
lrlyen from one end of the boat to
ne other. being compelled to huddIe ii
.ogether day and night on deck Their
lining room Is all choked m with
cal. and they must eat any old place.
The fare has not improved a partic1a |
iince my last letter II there are anv
human beings on this earth having
! more miserable existence than the
enlisted men on this boat
would ike TO hear OF them for svu-
athy's sake.
Some Sad Experience. Il
They fumigate one deck at a time
he men have TO leave everything in
heir quarters except one suit Of
iothes on their back and their mess
II They are then ordered on deek
'ithout blanket where they must
say for thirty-six hours. The nights :
re very cold here, and the men have
Uttered intensely The majority OF
hem keep moving during the night
nd OF course get no sleep. The 9th
rs hide themselves in all manner Of
fContinued on FSfsh ps-a9