The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 30, 1898, Page 1

to be taken from the Lib, The " VOLUME LXXX 1V.—N 0. 60. SAN FRANOISCO, SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1898. PRICE FIVE CENTS. AMERICAN INVADERS WELCOMED AT PONCE PUERTO DE PONCE, On the Southern Coast of Porto Rico, Which Surrendered to the Americans on the 28th inst, Division of General Miles’ Expedition Landed. and Where the Second POSSESSION . OF THE CITY Many Spaniards Join the Porto Ricans in an Ovation. Now the Victorious Army Will Lose No Time in Marching on to San Juan. Bpecial Cable to The Call and the New York Herald. Gordon Bennett. by James PONCE, July 28, by Mindora to the Island of cans this afternoon. Americans. The ceremony was unique. General Miles and General Wilson, by a prear- ranged plan, had been driven from the American headquarters at the port of Ponce to Casa del Rey, in the city proper, where Consul Torro and Ul- piano Colon, Mayor of the City, await- ed them. The bombero, or the city fire brigade, was drawn up in the Lallaca delicla, opposite Casa del Rey, and as General Miles and General Wilson left 0000000000000 their carriages the fire brigade band played Sousa marches. A guard in front of the buildings cleared the way for the American generals, and through a cheering crowd they walked into the building, where they were presented to Consul Torro and Mayor Colon. nsul Torro said to General Miles that the citizens of Ponce were anxious to know if the same municipal officers and system as had been in vogue would be continued temporarily. He was as- gured that the municipal affairs would not be disturbed for the time being and that the same local officials would be retained for some time. But it was ex- plained that they would be responsible to General Wilson as Military Gov- ernor, who would keep the city in or- der under a form of martial\law op- pressive to none. General Miles and General Wilson then stepped out on the balcony to view she square. The crowd cheered wildly and the two American generals hastily withdrew. They recelved an ovation as they made their way to headquarters. Mayor Colon, after the conference, told me that he was glad the Ameri- cans had come. The island, he said, would now enjoy prosperity and peace, and the best citizens wanted the Amer- feans to take possession. The political prisoners in Cuartel de Infantaria were released by our sol- The St. Thomas, D. W. L, July 29. The city of Ponce was formally given over to the Ameri- Ferdinand Torro, British Consul, act- ing in behalf of the Spaniards sion of Major General Nelson A. Miles, with whom was General Wilson. The scene was more like one on a gala day than one involving the surrender of a city. The ma- jority of the residents remained in the city to welcome the Copyrighted, 1808, Call-Herald dispatch-boat , placed the city in the posses- 00000000000000 diers. Redolf Figeroa was saved in the | Y:mk of time from being shot by the Spaniards. He was charged with hav- ing cut the telegraph wire between Ponce and San Juan last night. It was his plan to prevent the authorities in | Ponce from sending to San Juan for reinforcements. He had been led from his cell to be executed, but when our ships entered the harbor the Spaniards fled and Figeroa escaped. Some men who have been political prisoners for years were released. The anchors of th American vessels scarcely had touched the bottom of the harbor this morning before the ships were surrounded by boats filled with citizens shouting “Viva Americanos!” Flags of all nations except Spain float- ed from the houses in the city as pro- tection against destruction. On the signal houses were flags of six nations. Those citizens who fled began to re- turn from the hills and woods this af- ternoon. They brought their treasures back to the banks and stores from which they had taken them for fear they would be lost. The stores were opened again in the evening. The Second and Third Wisconsin troops are scouting over the hills for lurking Spaniards. The Mobile, with the Sixteenth Pennsylvania Volunteers left Culchra Island accompanied by the Cincinnati and arrived here at noon. The Pennsylvania troops are pa- trolling the city. Macadam roads extend from this city to San Juan, the distance being but one hundred miles. These roads cost $23,- 000,000, and there are several towns be- tween here and San Juan. All thesa towns will be taken. Only two of them, Albino and Cagnitas, are fortified. These roads wind through the moun- tains and afford ample opportunity for Spaniards to await the American troops in ambush. The prospect is that the march will be a slow one, The landing of the American forces to-day was greatly simplified by the capture of many lighters which were used for the men and horses. A con- sl quantity of coal also was seized. General Maclas and Colone! San Martin, who had been ordered by the Governor General to fight the Americans, were prepared to resist un- til shortly before our troops arrived. At the solicitation of all the consuls, the Spaniards retreated to the mountains. A garrison of twelve hundred regu- lars and many volunteers remained and weicomed the Americans. The Spanish soldiers on the island are said to num- ber 7000 revulars and 5000 volunteers. None of the American ships had been reported at Fajardo or Culebra at day- light this morning. It is probable that the expedition to be landed at Fajardo will form a junc- | uun wich the army at Ponce. The Mo- bile and Cincinnati loitered near there yesterday, the commanders saying they misunderstood the rendezvous. Colo- nel Allen is arranging to operate the cable from Ponce in a day or two. He goes to St. Thomas to-night for a con- ference with the cable company about the matter. The message from the Herald an- nouncing that Spain had opened peace negotiations was delivered to Colonel Allen before he left here. General Miles has fssued the follow- Ing proclamation: in the prosecution of the war against the kingdom of Spain by the people of the United States in the cause of liberty, jus- tice and humanity, its military forces have come to occupy the island of Porto Rico. The: me bearing the banners of freedom, inspired by a noble purpose, to seek the enemies of our Government and and to destroy or capture all in tance. They bring you the arms of a free people, whose ~power is justice and himainty ing within their fold. Hence ase you from your former politi- ms, and it is hoped this will be followed by your cheerful acceptance of the Governiment of the United States. The chief ub{ect of the American mili- tary forces will be to overthrow the au- thority o ifllin and to give the people of your beautiful island the largest measure of liberty consistent with this military occupation. They have not come to make war on the people of the country who for centuries have been oppressed, but, on the , they come _to protect not only vourselves but your property, to pro- mote your prosperity and to bestow the immunities and blessings of our en- lightened and liberal institutions and gov- ernment. . 1t is not their purpose to interfere with the existing laws and customs which are wholesome and beneficlal to the neople so long as they conform to the rules of the tary administration, order and jus- This is not a war of devastation and tice. desol control of the military and naval forces the advantages and blessings of enlight- ened civilization. Political prisoners who were released to-day besieged the American camp asking for food. They said they had been starving for days, and they wept for joy at the kind treatment accorded them. The cafes to-night are filled with Spaniards drinking to the health of Americans. Our men have been wel- comed into the homes of the Spaniards. Ponce, instead of Guanica, has been used as a base by the Americans, the harbor of Guanica being poor. After the Mindora had left the port of Ponce with this dispatch, about 7 o'clock to-night, we came alongside American warship, which reported that firing had been heard seven miles out of Ponce. American scouts and re- treating Spaniards are thought to have clashed. The Spaniards are sald to have twenty-four pieces of artillery, and it is feared that in retreating from Ponce they formed a junction with an- other body of Spanish regulars and hastened to get the guns placed in the mountains. Our scouting force has ation, but one to give all within the | been increased, but it probably will be | several days before the Spanish artil- lerymen can be dislodged. -——— PORTO RICANS MUCH SUPERIOR. TO CUBANS Spectal cable to The Call and the New York Herald. Copyrighted, 1895, by James Gor- don Bennett. PORT OF PONCE, Porto Rico, July 28, by The Call-Herald Dispatch Boat Mindora {0 8% Thomas, T W.'L, July 29.—General Miles afrived at this port at daybreak this morning from Guan- ica, General Wilson's division of transports. The town had surrendered to Comman- der Davis of the Dixie the evening be- fore without a shot being fired. The commander-in-chief with the headquarters’ flag was received on landing by the entire population. It was one of the most remarkable scenes of the war. The piers and balconles, roofs of houses and streets were alive with Porto Ricans representing every class of society, who cheered ‘General Miles and the flag for half an hour. Greater enthusiasm for the American soldiers has not been seen, even at home. The people are, man for man, immeasurably superior to the Cubans. They look prospercus and intelligent. There was apparently not a single Spanish sympathizer in town. The Americari soldier and sailor were, given the freedom of the town and as the flag was raised on various official buildings people gathered in the streets below and cheered the United States and the American soldiers. The town is clean, well-built and bears every sign of prosperity. The country beyond is rich in pasture land and is as beautiful as any part of Cuba, the climate being far sguperjor. Our troops have been moved outside the city and strict orders issued forbidding them to enter any street or residence. The men are well and all are in high spirits. There is an incentive in this campaign which was lacking in that of Santiago. Then the men were fighting for the Cubans, of whom they very soon obtained a very low opinion. Here they feel they are winning land for their own people—for themselves in fact. Every foot of ground over which they advance means to them sc much more territory added to the United States. RICHARD HARDING DAVIS. e iy AS TOLD BY THE OFFICIAL DISPATCHES WASHINGTON, July 29.—The Navy Department posted the following bul- letin: ST. THOMAS, July 29.—(United States ship Massachusetts, Ponce, Porto Rico, July 28.)—Commander Davis, with Dixie, Annapolis, Wasp and Gloucester, left Guanica July 27 to blockade Ponce and capture lighters for the United States army. City of Ponce and Playa surren- dered to Commodore Davis upon demand at 12:30 a. m. July 2. American flag hoisted at 6 a. m. July 28. Spanish garri- son evacuated. Provisions of articles of surrender upon occupation by army: First, garrison to be allowed to retire: second, civil government to remain in force; third, police and fire brigade to be, maintained without arms; fourth; Cap- with General Ernst's brigade of | tain of Port not to be made prisoner. Ar- rived at Ponce from Guanica, with Mas- sachusetts and Cincinnati, General Miles and General Wilson and transports at 6:40 a. m. on the 28th. Commenced land- ing army in captured sugar lighters. No resistance. Troops welcomed by inhabit- ants; great enthusiasm. Captured sixty | lighters, twenty sailing vessels and 190 | tons of coal. HIGGINSON. The War Department has received the following dispatches from General | Miles: | PORT PONCE, Porto Rico, via_ St. Thomas, July 2).—Secretary of War, | Washington: On the 26th Garretson had a spirited engagement on the skirmish line. Our casualties are four wounded, all doing wen. Srnnl!h loss, three killed, ! tuirteen wounded. Yauco was occupied yesterday. Henr: division _there m»gay. .ast evening Commander Davis of the | Dixie moved into this port, followed by Captain Higginson, with his fleet, early | th morning. General Wilson, with | Ernst's b de, is now raplaly disem- | barking. panish troops are retreating | from the southern part of Porto Rico. | Ponce and the port have a population of 50,000, all now under the American flag. The populace recelved the troons and sa- luted the flag with wild enthusiasm. ‘Lne navy has_ several prizes, also seventy lighters. Rallway stock partly destroyed, now restored. Telegraph communication also being restored. Cable instruments were destroyed, and have sent to Jamaica for others. This is a prosperous and beautiful country. The army will soon be in the mountain region. he weather is delightful, and the troops are in the best of health and spirits. I anticipate no insurmountable obstacle in the future. Results thus far have been accomplished without the loss of a single life. NELSON A. MILES, Major General. PORT PONCE, Porto Rico, Juli' . — Secretary of War, Washington: In the affair of the 26th Captain Fdward J. Gib- son, Company A, was wounded in the left hip; Captain J. H. Prior, Company L, slightly wounded in hand; Private James Drummond, Company_ K, recelved two wounds in the neck, dnd Private Benja- | min F. Bosby, Company L, has a slight wound _in the right arm. All are of the Sixth Massachusetts, and all are doing well. The Spanish retreat from this place | was precipitous, they leaving rifles and ammunition in the barracks, and forty or fifty sick in the hospital. The people are enjoying a holiday in honor of our arrival. MILES. The Sixth Massachusetts and Sixth Iilinois went to Porto Rico on the Dixie. The Dixie was largely manned by the Maryland Naval Reserves. WILL REOPEN PONCE’S TELEGKAPH OFFICE WASHINGTON, July 29.—General Greely has received information from Colonel Allen of his corps that arrange- ments have been made to reopen the telegraph office at Ponce, which = was closed Monday by the Spaniards. Coi- onel Allen leaves St. Thomas to-night with operators and instruments, and it is expected by Saturday night General, Miles will be in telegraphic communica- tion with the War Department. JURY DISAGREES IN THE JIMINEZ CASE NASSAU, N.P., July 20.—The trial of Jiminez, charged with a breach of the foreign enlistment act in having incited and led from British territory an insur- rection to San Domingo recently, was commenced yesterday and concluded to- day. The jury finally disagreed and a new trial was ordered and set for Au- gust. REPORTED ARRIVAL OF MERRITT AND THE THIRD EXPEDITION AT MANILA MANILA BAY, July 26, via Hongkong, July 29.—General Wesley Merritt ' and the transports and troops under his command arrived at Manila on the morning of July 25. General Merritt will at once assume command. : LONDON, July 29.—The representative in London of Aguinaldo, the leader of the Phil- ippine insurgents, has received a dispatch from Hongkong, dated July 29, 6:40 p. m., which were well. makes no mention of Manila having surrendered. ' HONGKONG, July 29.—The British gunboat: Plover has arrived here from Manila. She ‘reports that when she left Manila on Wednesday, July 27, the the Americans had not yet attacked the city, All | of the fire. HORROR OF d BLAZING TENEMENT Five Lodgers Asphyxiated and as Many More Cruelly Injured. Fearful Midnight Tragedy on Oregon Street—Heartrending Scenes at the Morgue. THE DE@D. KATE CONNELLY, single. ROBERT CURRAN, longshoreman, single. ROBERT KELLY, longshoreman, single CHARLES HOLMES, newsboy, single. * 7 F. KELLY, known also as “Lighty White,” longshore= THE INJURED. MRS. SILVA, known also as “Santa Cruz Rosa,” burns man, single. and internal injuries. ~ EDWARD M. KENNEDY, burns on back, arms, neck and legs, probably fatal. PAT DONOHUE, burns on chest, arms, head and back. CHRIST CHRISTENSEN, face badly burned; hair and eyebrows singed. JOHN KING, right arm and side badly burned. A fire in the Oregon, a cheap lodging house at 113 Oregon street, last even- ing, resulted in the death by smother- ing and burning of five people and the serious injury of five others. That there were no more fatalities is remarkable. as there were over twenty people packed into the small house and the fire, which was not discovered un- til it had gained considerable headway, ate its way through the building with great rapidity, doing damage in every room in all three stories. A number of the inmates escaped death or mutila- tion by jumping from the windows and but one of these was injured by leap- ing to the ground. The blaze was discovered by Special Officer Gillen, who immediately warned the inmates and then called out the de- partment by an alarm from auxiliary box 19. The fire had a good start, but was soon under such control that the firemen could enter the building. ‘While going through one of the rooms in the second story Captain William Killday of chemical engine 3 came across the body of a woman, which afterward proved to be that of Kate Connelly. Assistant Engineer Wells picked up the wogan, whom he thought to be still alive, and carried her down a ladder. This was the first thought that there was anyone still in the build- ing, and when Captain Comstock learned of it he immediately put his patrolmen at work searching for bodies. F. Kelly, also known as “Lighty” ‘White, was found lying on the floor in a room directly in the rear of the one in which Kate Connelly was discover- ed. When taken down to the street by the patrolmen it was found that he was still breathing. A young medical man in the crowd of spectators did what he could for the suffering man until the arrival of the ambulance, when he was removed to the hospital, where he died almost immediately. He was burned about the face and body, but his death was probably due to suffocation. The body of Robert Kelly was found on the floor of his room in the third story near the door, which indicated that he had discovered the fire, but was unable to reach a place of safety. His death was due to smothering, though his face and body were burned. Robert Curran, a longshoreman, as were nearly all the men killed and in- jured, was found dead in his bed on the third floor. His face and shoulders were scorched to a certain extent but the suffocating smoke was the cause of his death. A one-legged newsboy named Chur- ley Holmes, a familiar figure to all who have occasion to visit the ferries where he had his stand, was the fifth victim His body was terribly burned and he is probably the only one of the five whose death was caused by burns. He was found near the window of his room on the second floor. All of the bodies were taken to the Mergue anc the scene there was heart- rending. Friends and relatives of the victims visitad the place in lacge num- bers and their cries and moaus were encugh 1o totch a heart of stone. Martin Abram, the proprietor of the Oregon House. was probably among the first who heard Special Gillen’s cry of fire. He said: “When I heard some one hello up the stairway tlat the house was on fire my first impulse 1 s to run out and warn the lodgers. My room is just at the head of the stairway in the front of the building. I opened the door and the whole place was ' flames. Finding it impossible to make my way out that way I closed the door and awoke Kate Connelly, who was sleeping in the same situation there was unchanged and room, and told her to follow me. She must have becu1 . confused, for when I looked around to see if she was be- 1 hind me I saw her goine into a room directly behind ours. I saw I could not save her, so I jumred from the win- dow and saved my life.” Among those who escaped by jumip- ing from the windows was Mrs. Sflva, known as “Santa Cruz Rosa.” She leaped from the third story and was the only one injured in that manner. Jacob Heinz, who is said to be the father of Police Officer Heinz, was in the rear of the building and jumped out without injury to himself, which is almost a miracle, as he is quite an old man. There were about thirty Chinamen in the house next door to the building burned, and they created considerable disturbance in trying to rescue their vegetable baskets stored in the first floor of the lodging house. They were finally huddled together by the police and prevented from interfering with the work of the firemen. Captain Comstock attributes the fire to the explosion of a coal oil lamp, which was probably in the hall on the second floor of the building. The lodg- ing house was not very well kept and it is presumed that there was consider- able rubbish in the /hallway, which made excellent fuel for the blaze caused by the lamp. Special Officer Gillen first saw the fire from the cor- ner of Davis and Oregon streets. He says the door of the house was open and the flames were reflected on the transom. When he went to the door he saw the fire raging in the hall of the second floor. The building was of wood and burned like tinder, but the flames were con- fined largely to the inside, the front wall being but slightly burned on the outside. Not a single room escaped the blaze, and nearly everything in the building was consumed. The damage to property is estimated at $1500. All the ‘lodgers were poor and the loss of their little all will be a great hardship. Some escaped from the burning building with nothing but their sleeping garments, and as a good many of them have few if any friends, they hardly know where to turn for aid. “Women scantily attired huddled in the doorways until taken into an adjoin- ing house, where they were cared for. The smallness of the house gives rise to surprise that some of the inmates did not discover the blaze in time to warn, the lodgers and save the loss of life and injurv. This is explained by one of those who escaped in the re- mark, “The poor fellows didn't know what hit them.” He afterwards said that he meant the men were in the habit of returning from their work in in the evening and drinking wine until they were in a sort of comatose state, when they would retire to sleep off the effects of their spree. This man was one of their friends and gave this ex- planation as a matter of course. The scene at the Harbor Recelving Hospital, where the injured were taken by the patrol wagon after being pick- ed up at various places after the fire, was one of horror. With clothing hang- ing in tatters, faces, arms, legs and bodies terribly burned, the unfortunate victims presented a most pitiful ap- pearance. Drs. Hill and Zabala, how- ever, did everything in their power to alleviate the sufferings of the injured, some of whom it is feared will not re- cover. Pat Donohu received severe burns on the chest, arms, head and back, and is suffering intense pain and his re- covery is doubtful. Christ Christensen was burned about the face »- ~ arms. . John King, right side burned; will re over. Edward M. Kennedy, burns on back, arms, neck =ncC legs: condition serious. Mrs. Silva, badly burned about the arms and legs; probably injured in- ternally; caused by jumping from & window. and arm