1 i>;urc n. — pAiih.M Bhi.NG UNLOADED FROM A Red Cross ambulancl 111 Mayagucz, Puci 

 Rico. {Photo courtesy National Library of Medicine.) 



Santa Clara, Matanzas and Havana Provinces, where 

 the Red Cross physicians are estabhshing hospitals for 

 us and where we were to have sent suppHes. - 



This complaint was forwarded by the Secretary of 

 State to the Secretary of War. 



Puerto Rico 



On July 23, 1898, two ambulances and mules were 

 shipped from Tampa for use in Puerto Rico. That the 

 two ambulances were of great service is evidenced by 

 the Rev. Horace F. Barnes, field agent at Ponce, 

 Puerto Rico, who wrote to Stephen Barton: ''Our 

 ambulances have proved invaluable. They are in 

 hourly service, mostly in emergency cases, and the 

 Government stables and feeds the mules free of 

 expense to the Red Cross." 



When the station closed in Puerto Rico, negotia- 

 tions to dispose of the ambulances were begun. .After 

 a deal to sell them to the E.xpress Company fell 

 through, they were sold to a Mr. Hersey for S200.00. 

 On December 24, 1898, General W. T. Bennett sent 



2 Clara Barton Papers (Library of Congress accession 10357, 

 box 52). 



PAPER 50 : RED CROSS AMBULANCE OF 189 8 



the New York headquarters SI 18.50, the sale price 

 less $81.50 withheld by him for salary and expenses. 

 The painted emblem and name of the American 

 National Red Cross were removed before the ambu- 

 lances were turned over to the purchasers. 



In her book. The Red Cross, Clara Barton states 

 that these ambulances proved of great value in 

 emergency cases requiring quick transportation for 

 both soldiers and supplies, but she further says "it 

 must be admitted, however, that they proved also a 

 delicate responsibility, as everybody seemed to regard 

 them as free pleasure coaches in which the Red Cross 

 was eager to take the town to ride." ' 



Long Island City 



The Red Cross Relief Station at Long Island City 

 was opened on August 29, 1898, in a 3-story structure 

 supplied to the Society by Patrick J. Gleason, 

 e.x-mayor of Long Island City. Mrs. A. G. Ham- 

 mond was in charge, with trained nurses supplied by 

 .Auxiliary no. 3, and two ambulances supplied by 

 Auxiliary no. 1 . Approximately S7,000 were expended 



The Red Cross, p. 446 (see bibliography). 



173 



