Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-11-22

on guard at the entrance to the camp
bat they never made motion. Their
duty was to prevent those within the
Gordon from escaping and not TO him
der other people from entering.
a nauseating picture was witnessed
at the side of the railroad, The bodies
which had been thrown from trains
lay as they had fallen Some had
stuck ON top of the embankment; 9TH
ers had rolled part of the way down
and sCme had reached the bottom.
Some of The corpses lay stiffly alone.
Others We're in groups Of threes or
tours.
AS the visitors came near one vic
time attempted to crawl across the
road To the crowded manue heap but
failed and fell in the roadway. Others
lying around raised their heads and
cried IN the hearing OF the attendants
that they were given no bread or wa
ter. Walking half way across the field
the visitors passed dead and dying
men. sometimes at intervals of yard,
sometimes from 20 10 30 yards apart.
\ group of tents stood in the center,
where four or five Turkish soldiers
wearing the arm piece 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 number lay just out
side sheltered from the wind To lee
ward of the canvas
Some of the stricken men found diff
ficulty in getting into the Moslem po-
sition for prayer looking toward the
east. One praying victim was 50 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 of these suf-
fering soldiers, not even placing
stones. which We're plentiful, under
their heads to permit them to lie
easier.
A number of these attendants gath
cred round to watch while the visitors
we're inspecting the camp. One of
them became insolent and was ordered
eff by the doctor.
A water tank drawn by a donkey
passed along the road. Those who
were able to rise To their feet went
unassisted toward it and struggled
feebly for a drink. Those unable To
rise got none.
In a similar way what appeared 70
be army bread vas distributed to those
able to reach the place of distribu-
ton.
Several of the sick men raised
themselves with difficulty and STUN
bled toward well from which they
tried to dip water with their long
sashes. wetting the ends and moisten-
ing their parched mouths with them.
There We're hundreds of dead and
thousands of sick in this camp. many
of them lying Oh the open ground and
great numbers supporting their backs
against the houses. bordering the open
fields. most of which are deserted. The
comparatively few Turkish soldiers
brought to the hospitals, barracks and
fortunate although most of them die
after reaching their destination. 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 pro-
yided shelter from the winds and rain.
San Stefano is not the worst cholera
camp. That at Hademkeui near the
Tchatalja lines is still more extensive.
How many patients are there is not
known but it is certain that there are
many thousands and most of these
Anatolians come from Asia Minor 70
fight for the defence of the Ottoman
capital.