Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-05-13
WASHINGTON, May 13.-At 7:30 this
morning the Navy Department received
the following from Admiral Sampson:


morning the Navy Department received
the following from Admiral Sampson:
ST.. THOMAS, May 13.-That portion
Of the squadron under nay command
reached Jan Juan this morning at day
break. No armed vessels were found
in the port. Soon as it was sufficiently
light, commenced the attack upon the
batteries defending the city. This at
tack lasted about three hours and re-
suited In much damage to the batteries
and incidently to that portion of the
city adjacent to the batteries. The bat
tories replied to our fire, without mate
rial effect. One man was killed on
board the New York and seven were
slightly wounded in the squadron. No
serious damage to any Of the ships re-
suited.
HAVANA, May 13.-via Kingston,
Jamaica. The Spanish official repert
of the ombardmenr of San Juan,
Puerto Rico, says that the damage done
was uncomfortable and the loss insig
nificant.
LONDON, May 13.-The Eoening Necs
publishes dispatch from st. Thomas,
saying that San Juan de Puerto Rico
surrendered yesterday evening.
LONDON, May I3.--The dispatch
adds that immense damage was done
to the city and many important build
ings collapsed. The Iowa and Detroit
fired 430 shots with terrible effect. The
Americans did not attempt to take
possession OF or destroy the town b.
yond razing the fortlhcations.
LONDON, May l3.-The American
fleet according to dispatches from st.
Thomas to the Eoeninq NcwS is outside
of San Juan de Puerto Rico awaiting
the arrival of the Spanish fleet.
LONDON, May 13.-All American
war ships. says the dispatch to the
Eeensnq Ne,os from St. Thomas, except
the Montgomery, steamed in an clip
tical formation before the Notifications
of San Juan de Puerto Rico. The
Spaniards fired twenty to thirty guns,
seven of which were good guns. The
fleet first fired too low, but at the
second discharge got the elevation aid
soon silenced Moro Castle, and set
fire to the town, drying the Spaniards
from their guns repeatedly. The shore
guns fired hundreds of shots. The
New York was hit on ce and seaman
was killed; four 9th ers were wounded.
The Iowa was hit once and two men
were slightly wounded.
NEW YoRK, May 13-A special from
st. Thomas says the casualties in the
United States fleet IN the bombardment
Of San Juan, were as follows: Killed
Seaman Frank Widomark, of the New
York: wounded, Samuel Feltman, leg
broken, and four other seamen on the
New York. Marine M. &. Merkle
elbow broken; Ssamen r.. G. Hill and
John Mitchell, slightly hurt.
FULLEST ACCOUNT.
On Board Associated Press Boa,
Dauntless, ST. THOMAS, Danish, w. l.
MAY 13.-The forts of San Juan dt
Puerto Rico have been b0mbarded by
portion of the fleet under command
of Rear Admiral Sampson. The re-
mark able feature of the bombardmeni
was the bad craftsmanship of tn,
Spanish gunners, hardly shot from
the forts striking the ships. Most Of
thu projectiles fell very wide of theil
mark. At the close Of the lombard
ment, the Notifications had yer,
dilapidated appearance, but the CUR
boats attacking were as active as ever
The United States monitor Terro
had a magnificent half-hour's duel wit
the forts. The batteries bravely thres
shot and shell until she seemed to oc
eupy the center Of great geyser basir
The Spanish gunners, crazed by excite
ment, sometimes dropped their shells
mile away from the Terror. The latte
fred one shot to three from the fort
and when the monitor retired she di
50 slowly, contemporary. and still Fl
ipQ at the Spaniards. They continue
to Ore on her until she was miles out
range.
After the engagement the Dauntle
steamed among the fleet, whose crew
were cleaning decks and polishing gun
The only marks on the Iowa were
dent on her exhaust pipe and : slig
injury to the railing of her bridge. II
New York hud several small holes
one Of her ventilatord. Each vessel
action carried two large Americt
TO JOIN SAMPSON.