Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-07
AMERICAN WARSH|P
FEEDS PRISONERS
At Camp Niblack Paymaster Neal
FarWelI of the Tacoma Fur
niShes Food for 1,40O.
NEVER HAD SUCH FARE BEFORE
No Embarrassment OF Housing and
Guarding Zclaya Men, All Sleep
ing I'm the Open.

Bluehelds, Nicaragua, Jan. /, via
| New Orleans, Jan. THE readiness OF
an American warship to cope with the
unexpected has been shown here In
many ways, but in particular by the es-
adjustment of Camp Niblack," where
Paymaster Neal Farwell of the Tacoma
is feeding 1,400 prisoners taken at the
battle of Recreo, and feeding them in 4
style undreamed of In their native bush.
The camp was informally. named by
Farwell after his commander, but that
was second thought, after a big range
oil steel rails had been improvised. a
shelter for the sailors provided, and
nothing else was needed save the name
and an American flag.
When ii was suddenly decided by
ThomaS p. Moffatt, the American con-
sui. that the increase of the towns pop
ulation by 1,400 of the dlrtiest human
beings IN the world endangered the
health OF the Americans, lei Bluff"
was chosen as camp for them The
DUH JutS in between the sea some so
miles east of Bluefields and a shallow
lagoon Tall cocoanut palms, wild ba-
mana trees and giant cottonWoods pro-
OF cold water and the health preserving
trade wind of this latitude Is almost
constantly felt. 1t Is a better loca-
lion Tor city than the site of Blue
Held and that city would have moved
there, bag and baggage some years ago.
mad not President Zelaya interfered.
Most Nicaraguan revolutionists start ot
"El Bluff for the customs house is
there. and all of them except the pres
ent one. have ended there. Zelaya con-
sidered it good trap for budding In
surrections and did not propose having
II spoiled with a city.
GUARDING PRISONERS.
There is no embarrassment of hons.
ing ana guarding prisoners. They ha-
Ditually sleep in the open. and all the
Zelayas in Christendom could NOT drive
1nem from the smell of a savory Dot.
Inc latter had to be provided. however
ana the Americans, in the five hours
given them for preparation were eonaJ
to the task
tarwell was placed in command as
Slstcd py CHARLES j. Lynn. of Brooklyn
n. Y, the commissary steward w
White of Atlanta, Ca, chief cook of the
Tacoma, transferred his activities to
tne snore and numerous jackies COM
pleted the force
rcugh sea was running, but timed
meats. bread. beans, onions. sea HE
cut and other commissary gear were
saleiy slowed aboard the small boats
and landed. po"'s
Hair dozen obsolete railroad rails
we're secured from custom house or
flcials who lent every possible ala .na
soon eight pots were simmerins, N,itb
rich. nutritious soup. Night had fall
len when the first batch of nrIsoners
ovo strong Cor more properly, weak for
Iney were nearly starved), arrived
Ihere was hopeful viva Americanos -
as the wretched, tottering prisoners
saw the sailors moving about with Ian
terms and Whites round humorous
1ace' Lit by the fire peering into his bic
Po1s and shifting critically at each.
'ar"eli served LOO rations of soup
@ ena. hiEnt or about four quarts to
each prisoner. They would eat. sleen
an hour or so, and then come back for
more When day broke the outfit was
Tor The most part enjoying the miracle
OF unlimited food. Some, who had eoto
en- until they could eat no more. gazed
win looks OF envy and disappointment
at their more fortunate comrades
whose capacity had not been satisfied
CAMP NIBLACK.
Camp Niblacls more than kept pace
win the work piled on it as new
patches of prisoners arrived. Zinc roof
Ing was obtained from provisional GOV
ernment officials to protect four rusty
cook stoves, which Farwell unearthed
In Bluef1elds, so that the cooking might
proceed in any weather A tent was
erected to cover the stores and ropes
strung to keep the prisoners in line
while their soup was passed out. In
discriminate feeling was displayed by
three regular rations daily and the
prisoners were made to wash their
own dishes. They would havo allowed
the sailors to do this for them. but Far
we'll drew the line.
The spring from which drinking va
ter Is secured Is hlaf mile from the
cooks camp and Farwell at first tried
10 make the prisoners fetch It. The
first squad, however. did not reappear
Tor an hour and q guard sent to in
vcstigate found the Zelayans bathing
In the pot They were relieved of this
duty and guard placed over the sun-
ply. Farwell was unable to make them
forage for flrewood until he hit unon
the plan of ration of coffee for each
bundle OF fagots, That solved the fueI
problem.
The prisoners, on the surface at least
are far inferior to the Indians of the
east coast 1t is to be remembered
however. that they had just come from
many weeks of starvation In the bush
and appeared at their worst. A singu-
larity noted among them was their de-
sire for salt. They asked for it so often
that Farwell now keeps an open box
OF 1t where anyone can get all he
wants The prisoners eat 1t by the
handful.
When the ship carrying Red Cross
supplies arrived a few days ago the
poor bushmen indeed opened their ewes.
There was coffee for ALL condensty
milk. tea they had never heard of teal.
meat. timed goods of all sorts. beans,
rlce--a veritable dream OF feasting