Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-11-26
Misttllaneous Readina.
HORRORS OF A CHOLERA CAMP
Depicted by Correspondent at Con-
stantinopIe.

Depicted by Correspondent at Con.
stantinopIe.
Scenes Of suffering and misery are
to be witnessed daily at the Turkish
cholera camp at San Stefano. A cor
respondent of the Associated Press
paid visit there last Thursday,
Much scepticism had prevailed In
Pera, the foreign quarter Of Constan-
tinople, both among members Of the
diplomatic corps and foreign residents
No one there believed the figures CIV
en- by railroad employees and others
in contact with the Turkish troops
who declared that many thousands
were stricken with cholera.
The camp 10 situated at the side of
railway embankment thirty feet In
height. A large open space like vii
lage green stretches away for some
distance. This IL surrounded by bet
ter class houses two or three stories
high, built in European style, for San
Stefano Is the summer resort of many
Of the wealthy residents Of Constanti-
nople.
Two Ottoman soldiers were standing
on guard to the entrance to the camp.
but they made no motion. Their duty
was to prevent those within the cor
don from escaping and not to hinder
other people from entering.
Bodies Scattered AIens Tracks.
A nauseating picture was witnessed
at the side Of the railroad. Bodies
which had been thrown from trains
lay az they had fallen, Some stuck on
top of the embankment, but others
had rolled part Of the way down.
Around o one-story stable at the
foot Of the embankment was a group
Of sixty dead and dying, lying close to-
gether apparently for warmth, on the
slopes Of a manure pile. which the sick
men had found softer than the hard
ground. One man on top Of the pile
was digging with his fingers a sort Of
trough in which to lie. The trough
soon became his grave.
AS visitors came near, the sick men
raised their heads and cried In the
hearing of the attendants that they
were given no bread or water. Walk
ing halfway across the field the Wis
itors passed dead and dying men,
sometimes from twenty to thirty yards
apart.
Dead in Groups.
A group of tents stood In the centre,
where four or five Turkish soldiers
wearing the arnpiece Of the Red Gress
cent stood on guard. Inside the sick
and dead lay In groups. The doctor on
duty counted twenty-five patients In
one tent, while double that number lay
just outside sheltered from the wind to
leeward Of the canvas.
Some Of the stricken found Difficult
ty in getting into the Moslem position
for prayer. looking toward the east.
One praying victim was so weak that
he could not replace his blanket
around his head when the wind blew
it of.
The Red Crescent attendants made
no attempt to assist any Of these suf-
fering soldiers, not even placing stones
which were plentiful, under their heads
to permit them to lie easier,
A number Of these attendants gath
cred around to watch while the visi-
tors were inspecting the camp. One Of
them became insolent and was ordered
off by the doctor.
A water tank, drawn by q donkey,
passed along the road. Fhose Of the
victims who were able to rise to their
feet went unassisted toward It and
struggled feebly for drink. Those un-
able to rise got none,
Few Get Bread,
In a similar way what appeared to
be army bread was distributed to
those able to reach the place Of distri-
button. Several Of the sick men rails
ed themselves with difficulty and
stumbled toward a we'll, from which
they tried to dip water with their
long SdSneS.
There were hundreds Of dead end
thousands of sick in this camp, many
lying on the open ground and great
numbers supporting their backs
against the houses bordering on the
open fields, most of which are desert
ed.
The comparatively few Turkish SOL
diers brought to the hospitals, bar
racks and mosques at Constantinople
are more fortunate, although most of
them die after reaching their destina-
ton. Some few Of them are given beds
to lie in and water to drink. and all
Of them, If they do not get warmth, are
provided with shelter from the rains
and the wind.
San stefano Is not the worst cholera
camp, That at Hademkeui, near the
Tchatalja lines, is more extensive,
RURAL CREDITS,