The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, May 21, 1902, Page 1

VOLUME XCI-NO. 172. UNITED STATES KEEP AND THE CUBANS PRICE FIVE CENTS. S ITS PROMISE 'E A REPUBLIC ASHINGTON, May 20—Secretary of State Hay, according to the plan arranged some time ago, took. the final step'sj 'tov-day of .acquainting the nations of ‘the globe that the United States. has redeemed its solemn pledge to maks a free people in the island of Cuba. This was done by the dispatch by cable to every capital where there is resident cither an Embassador: or’ a: Minister of ‘the United States cf an identical note informing other powers that the gov- ernment of Cuba by the United States Icrnm;ahd to-day, and that an independent republic has been inangurated there, under the Pvcsxdency of Tomas EstradaPalma. The Embassadors and Mmm‘ters are instructed to convey this information to the government to which they are accredited. MONT PELEE RENEWS ITS DESTRUCTION Graphic Story of Recovery of Consul Prentis’ Body by Brave Tars. From the Special Correspondent of The Call and the New York Herald. Copyright, 1902, by the New York Herald Publishing Company. ORT DE FRANCE, Martinique, May 20.—Destruc. tion is again threatened by Mont Peleé, the volcano having resumed an activity even greater than that ex- hibited when St. Pierre was wiped out of existence. For twenty-four hours the volcano has been in constant erup- tion and explosions have been frequent. Allin Fort de France are filled with panic. - The island has been shaken by the work- of the forces within the earth, and every one awaits in a cataclysm even worse than ‘that which recently filled the world with horror and consternation. Last night was one of terror and wild alarm here. The 1 seemed to have lost its foundations. Up through the ter of Mont Pelee poured a storm of death. The culmina- tion came at an early hour this morning when there occurred an explosion so terrible that walls in this\city*were shaken down bitants fled to the open country. is time nothing definite is known of conditions farther h. Smoke fills the air, darkening the sky. Ashes lling steadily. When the heavens are filled with lightning, as frequently happens, it can be seen that Mont Pelee-has-not 1 to throw out a great column of lava and stones. There a perfect calm in the air, yet the waters of the Carib- ashed to a fury, indicating that the same forces that the volcano to labor are working tremenflous changes bottom of the sea. Words are inadequate to describe the Disaster is expected at any moment, and in arbor every ship has steam up and is ready to slip cable 1 speed away. onditions. Beset by imminent and terrible danger, a party of officers i from the Cincinnati and Potomac went ashore at St. yesterday and brought away the body of Thomas D. the American Consul. to forsake their burden and save themselves, the » were carrying the body refused to do so. On they bugh an atmosphere each second growing darker ing. Their ears were deafened by the crashes ont Pelee. In the roadstead the British cruiser s putting to sea, sounding her siren, which most silenced by the great noise of the mountain. up the Potomac stood ready to run as soon as y could get from shore and on board. To the added its note of alarm. e men were forced to rest their burden at iile they made all speed to the Potomac. n time. As the steamship got well under way fire poured down from Pelee and a broad a ran into the sea, while out of the sky rained a of rocks and 2 ised er flood of stream l)l A? ashes. spite of the threatening aspect of the volcano it was de- termined later yesterday to make another attempt to recover the bodies of Mr. Prentis and Mr. Japp, the British Consul. By permission I accompanied the searching party, which was di- vided into two squads. One¢ led by Ensign Miller went to the site of the American consulate, and soon had the body of Mr. Prentis encased in a merallic and hermetically sealed coffin. Six rt fellows shouldered the body and started with it for the landing. In the meantime another party, led by Lieutenant McCor- mick of the Potomac, had proceeded to the British consulate, about a half-mile to the nortltward of the American consulate. Fortunately this was within view of the crater of Mont Pelee. Lieutenant McCormick saw a column of smoke and fire belch from the volcano, from the side of which a streak of molten lava flowed. Directing his men to make all haste back to the Potomac the lieutenant turned aside to give warning to the party which was carrying away the body of the American Consul. “For God’s sake, boys, get to the boat quick if you would save your lives,” he gasped. “The volcano has exploded and destruction is upon us.” At that instant there was a crash in the sky, back of which it seemed as though scores of thunderbolts had been forced intp one. As it died away the loud siren of the Indefatigable, which was in the roadstead, screamed a warning. The British criziser almost immediately put out to sea at top speed, With- out cessation the whistle of the Potomac was blowing.\ There was another rumble and the sky was filled with lightning.\Then, as T looked backward, Mont Pelee cast upward a vast column a mile or more high. By a fortunate turn of the wind the lives of all in the party storm In Continued on Page Three. | WHERE THE CUBAI }'J.fio TOCLORS JOWERED:- WAS BAISED ABID THE HAMERICA. y o — Palma Takes| Reins of - Power. AVANA, May 20.—Fhe Unit- ed States has redeemed her promise to the world. Ha- vana and Santiago de Cuba were to-day evacuated by American troops, the reins of power were handed over to President | Palma, and now the Government of Cuba is free and to-night the whole island is de- lirlous with joy. Dramatic as was the re- markable demonstration when the flag of the United States was lowered and the flag of the new republic hoisted in its place at noon to-day on the palace whence Spain had ruled the island for centurles, it was hardly more stirring than the mag- nificent friendly demonstration which at- tended the departure of the cMilser Brook- lyn as she salled out of Havana harbor a few minutes before 4 o’clock this after- noon. The enthusiasm in the city was bound- less. Many persons were literally mad with joy over their new-born liberty. The streets were full of surging, cheering men and women. Motley processions paraded the plazas. 3 Firecrackers of the giant varlety were exploded on the sidewalks and even in the cafes, One hundred thousand outsiders were sald to be in the city and the police were utterly unable to cope with the joy-intoxi- cated people. But President Palma and his Cabinet did mot give way to rejoicing. There was stern business ahead for them and they went quickly to work. As soon as the new Gov- ernment was installed Congress met and proclaimed the constitution and appendix. This evening the city is illuminated as never before and a great pyrotechnic dis- play was given on the walls of Morro Castle and Cabanas, across the bay. ‘Earthquakes Reported. OAKLAND, May 20.—Earthquakes are reported to-day from Berkeley and Point Richmond. The disturbance at Berkeley occurred this morning at. 10:20 o’clock, with no accompanying damage. The one at Point Richmond occurred at 10:45 to- ‘nlght, but did no damage. . o7rL TNGE = Zo r/-:% A;;/ i ASHINGTON, May 20.— In the House to-day. Hitt of Tilinois sent to the clerk’s desk the fol- lowing resolution and asked for its Immediate consideration: . “Resolved, By the House of Represent- atives, That this House views with satis- faction "and expresses congratulation at the appearance this day of the Cuban re- public among the nations of thé world,’ The reading of the resolution was re- ceived with ‘applause from all over the chamber, the galleries Jolning 1n the handclapping. Hitt stated that the resolution had been bad no doubt all parties would’joln in favor of its adoption. .The resolution was unnnlmously ndont. ed. To continue the present yosul regula- tions between Cuba - and this country Roosevelt to-day issued proclamations, both of which were promulgatedfrom this city In accordance with an understanding President Roosevelt's order lolloi Congress Congratulates the Cuban Republic Upon Its Appearance. suggested by Sulzer of New York, but he | States. President Palma of Cuba and . President. “Ordered, the postal administration of the United States having concurred there- in, that pending the conclusion of a postal ‘convention between the republics of the United States and Cuba, the status pre- Seribed by order No. 3% of the Postmas- tér, General of the United States, dated March 80, 1901, relative to the exchange of mnfla between Cuba and the United States be maintained; that is .to say, articles malled in Cuba addressed for delivery in the United States and articles mailed in the United States addressed for delivery | in. Cuba shall continue to be subject to the postage rates, conditions, class and ‘'regulation applicable to articles circulat- ing in the flnme!llc mails of the United _“And it is further ordeyed that the ar- rangement now in force regarding the ex- change of money orders between - the United - States and Cuba shall continue and be in effect until a formal convention shall be signed between the two countries | éo{yer’lng further exchange ‘of money or- ders between' the two countries.” | President Palma’s order is identical ‘with the above, except that’ it reverses | I reached between them some weeks ago. itm order in which the two countrln are | of ‘the event. The many arches erected ey nmned. N — e 1 | CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF THE UNITED STATES AND CUBA, MILITARY COMMANDERS WHO WITHDREW, AND THE SCENE OF THE CERE- i MONIES TRANSFERRING GOVERNMENT OF THE ISLAND. Thrilling Scenes Attend the Transfer of the Island to Brave People. AVANA, May 20.—The na- tal day of the republic of Cuba found Havana ar- rayed like a Queen, to await the ‘coming of her Lord. The decorations were uni- Men had worked all night by the e cletfes, fraternal clubs, officérs of various civil divisions of the city, and business organizations, had an air of real grand- eur. The scaffolding was covered with canvas painted in imitation of marble and from a distance the illusion was com- plete. Bunting, spread on Venetian masts canopied the deep, narrow streets from the rays of the sun. Beneath the can- oples the Cuban colors and palms graced the open doorways, through which Continued on Page Two. versal. ' light of torches to complete elabogate de- slgns. There was not a residence, preten- tious or humble, that did not bear upon its quaint facade some emblem, in bonorl at the entrances of plazas by political sq-