The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-11-28
HORRORS OF A CHOLERA CAMP.
Sickening Scenes Caused by Spread Of
Plague Among Turkish Soldiers.

of suffering and misery are to be wit
messed daily at the Turkish cholera
camp at San Stefano. A correspond
ent of the Associated Press paid a
visit there to-day.
Much scepticism had prevailed in
Pera, the foreign quarter of Constan-
tinople, both among members of the
diplomatic corps and foreign resi-
dents. No one there believed the
figures given by railroad employees
and others in contact with the Turk
ish troops, who declared that many
thousands were stricken with chol-
era.
The camp is situated at the side of
a railway embankment thirty feet in
height. A large open space like a viii
lage green stretches away for some
distance. This is 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 Constan-
tinople.
Two Ottoman soldiers were stand
ing on guard to the entrance to the
camp, but they made no motion.
Their duty was to prevent those
within the Gordon from escaping and
not to hinder other people from en-
tering.
Bodies Scattered Along Tracks.
A nauseating picture was witness
ed at the side of the railroad. Bodies
which had been thrown from trains
lay as they had fallen. Some stuck
on top of the embankment, but 9th
ers had rolled part of the way down.
Around a one-story stable at the
foot of the embankment was group
of sixty dead and dying, lying close
together 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 fin
gers 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.
Walking half way across the field the
visitors passed dead and dying men,
sometimes from. twenty to thirty
yards apart.
Dead in Groups.
A group of tents stood in the CEN
tre, where four or five Turkish SOL
diers wearing the armpiece of the
Red Crescent stood on guard. Inside
the sick and dead lay in groups. The
doctor on duty counted % patients
in one tent, while double that num-
Der lay just outside sheltered from
the wind to leeward of the canvas.
Some of the stricken found diff
Guilty in getting into the Moslem po-
sition 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 off.
The Red Crescent attendants made
no attempt to assist any If these SUI
fering soldiers, not even placing
stones, which were plentiful, under
their heads to permit them to lie
easier.
A number of these attendants
gathered around to watch while the
visitors were inspecting the camp.
One of them became insolent and was
ordered off by the doctor.
A water tank, drawn by a donkey,
passed along the road. Those of the
victims who were able to rise to their
feet went unassisted toward it and
struggled feebly for drink. Those
unable to rise got none:
Few Get Bread.
In similar way what appeared to
be army bread was distributed to
those able to reach the place Of dis
tribution. Several of the sick men
raised themselves with difficulty and
stumbled toward a well, from which
they tried to dip water with their
long sashes.
There were hundreds of dead and
thousands of sick in this camp many
lying on the open ground and great
numbers supporting their backs
against the houses bordering the
open fields, most of which are desert
ed.
The comparatively few Turkish
soldiers brought to the hospitals, bar
racks and mosques at Constantinople
are more fortunate, although most OF
them die after reaching their destin-