River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-09-03
cHILrs Capital TAKEN.

Balmaceda Consents to the Unconditional
Surrender of santiago-The Dietator's
Whereabouts Unknown-A Frenzied Mob
Seeks His Life-Unabls to Find Him,
They Burn His Residence.
VALPARAISO, Aug. 81. Santiago has
been formally SURRENDERED I, the triumph
of the congressional party is complete,
and peace and quiet may be looked for
in Chilli before many days have passed.
After the crushing defeat which Bal
maceda's forces met with at the hands
of Gen. Canto's troops on the hills back
of this city Friday, and the subsequent
entry of the conquering army into Val
paraiso, the fall of the capital was only
a question.
Early Saturday morning word was
received from representatives of Bal
maceda, at the capital asking for a
conference with a view to surrender.
The request was readily granted. and
Gen. Baquedano, who was formerly
commander in chief of the CHILEAN
army, was designated to act
for the congressionalists. A NEE ting
was held and the terms of the surrender
were arranged.
ht lCCl CdAIt liliO lnt Jay
Saturday morning and found convenient
anchorage grounds. The first business
to be transacted was the formal capitu-
lation of the city. Senior Montt an
nounced that the only terms he had to
offer was the unconditional surrender
of the city, and of all officers and troops
as prisoners of war. These terms were
perforce accepted.
The Chavaral regiment of the con-
gressional army took formal possession
of Santiago Sunday night and practi-
cally the last act of the bloody drama
of revolution which has torn Chilli to
pieces for the last seven months is
closed. The Capital city was in the
hands of bloodthirsty mob Saturday
night, and, while it was unable to sat
isfv its murderous instincts it did de-
stroy vast amount of property.
AS soon as the news reached Santiago
Saturday of the overwhelming defeat
of the government troops on the heights
of Plaeilla and the fall of Valparaiso
and tie people knew that Balmaceda's
power was gone, and they had
nothing TO fear from his wrath,
their enmity to his government
broke forth. The cry was raised
that the president should be killed
and a mob started for his house. 1t
grew in numbers and fury Us it went
through the streets, and by the time
it reached the executive mansion was
ripe for any bloody deed. Short shrift
would have been allowed the presi-
dent had he been caught. He
knew that he would have little
chance for his life if he remained
in Santiago, and at the first receipt
of the news of his overwhelming
defeat he hid himself The bloodthirsty
fury of the mob was ballxed. The de-
sire of the rabble for revenge found
vent in the application of the torch.
Soon Balmaceda's house was a mass of
flames. Before it had been destroyed
the mob marched off to the house of
Senior Goday, the eX-minister of the in
terror and an ardent Balmacedist, and set
il ON fire. Then the residences of Bal
maceda's mother, Gen. Barbosa, who
was killed at the battle of Placilla;
Seniors McKenna and Eastman, the
government newspaper offices and the
homes of several newspaper officials
were burned to the ground.
Balmaceda. when he heard of the
fall of Valparaiso, sent for Gen. Baque-
dano, commander of the government
troops in Santiago, To meet him at 3
o'clock Saturday afternoon at Moneda.
This Baquedano declined to do, but
suggested that the meeting be held in
the house of Gen. Velasquez A coun-
ell was held at Velasquez's house,
at which President Balmaceda,
the generals and other leading
Balmacedists were present. The sit
uation was thoroughly canvassed, and
it was decided that a further continue
ton of the struggle was hopeless and
that the surrender of the capital was
the only proper course. Baquedano
was given charge of the city and was
authorized to arrange the terms of
the surrender with the congressional
lists.
Comparative order has at last been
restored in this city. 1t took drastic
measures to do it. Rioters who were
caught in the work were summarily
dealt with, and many of them were
shot. These prompt measures have
cooled the ardor of the Law breakers at
last, but rioting was not stopped until
property estimated at $780, 900 had
been destroyed.
There are all sorts of rumors about
the movements of President Balma-
ceda- 1t was said that he was making
his way overland to the Atlantic coast.
Another statement was that he had
gone to Coquimbo, where the
Almirante Condell and the I'M
Imperiale were waiting for him. 1t is
said on good authority, however, that
he went by special train Saturday
to Talcahuano, on Conception bay,
and that there he will make connection
with the Condell and Imperiale, and in
one of these vessels, probably the
former, make for Buenos Ayres or
Montevideo. If this is so, and there is
every reason for believing that it is, he
will in all probability escape.
Senior Don Claudia Vicuna, who was
elected president to succeed Balma-
ceda, and who is now a refugee aboard
the German flagship, acknowledges
that the defeat of the government is
final, and that any further resistance
would be simply a useless waste of
force and destruction of life and prop
erty. This seems to be the general
opinion among the adherents of the
government here.