Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-07-21
THEDONS
GIYEUP
Spaniards Finally ACqui-
esCe in All of Our
Demands.
Alger Establishes a New
Department of Trans
portation.
Yankee Will Garry AM
m until on for WatsOn's
Squadron.

dent was much gratified last night al
the receipt Of two additional tele-
grams from Gen. Shafter, IN one Of
which he announced that the Ameri-
| can flag would be raised over Santiago
at 9 o'clock today. Secretaries Alger,
Bliss, Wilson and Smith were with the
president during the evening. While
Santiago engrossed a great deal of at
tention, plans have been rapidly ma
tured for an expedition to Porto Rico
and the president and Secretary A1ger
have been giving attention to the next
blow to be struck, which it is believed
will go far toward ending the war.
It's All Over Now.
Washington, July 1.-THE fact ap-
peared satisfactorily established Sat-
urday evening after another "a hours
Of active cable correspondence with
Gen. Shafter that the Spanish army
had surrendered. About this there
could be no doubt, but unfortunately
the details are still a good deal
clOuded as set out in Gen Shafter' 5
last dispatch. 1t remains now for our
government to decide whether. it is
willing that the Spanish soldiers shall
carry off the arms. While Secretary
Alger says that the general terms of
the agreement reached by Shafter are
satisfactory, the government is not
bound to deliver these arms, so much
desired by our ordnance officers just
at this time. The present disposition
is to insist on the retention of the
arms, principally because of the diff
ference in the moral effect that would
be produced by the return to Spain
of armed or disarmed soldiers. It is
realized here that the terms imposed
by the commissioners as to the re-
moval Of the Spanish troops, now
augmented to a formidable total, in
VClVe grave sponsibilities for our
government. Secretary Alger, in an
icipation Of the heavy demands upon
the department in the matter Of trans
portation, has created new bureau
to take charge of that subject alone.
This will be known as the bureau OF
transportation and will be directed by
Col. Hecker.
The appearance of Gen. Brooke at
the war department Saturday gave
token Of the purpose of the admins
tTation to begin Immediately prepar-
atoms for the dispatch OF a military
expedition against Porto Rico. The
general made a satisfactory report as
to the sanitary conditions existing at
Camp Thomas and showed that the
troops were in condition now to leave
for Porto Rico if called upon. 1t is
understood that two weeks time will
be required to assemble the transports
and to get the supplies aboard 1t one
Of the most available seapCrts, which
in this case is likely to be Newport
News.
Secretary Long has decided that Adj
miral Cervera may secure a parole if
certain details can be arranged and
he wishes to do so. The admiral with
his fellow officers, arrived at Annapo-
list last night. Commander Brown
son of the auxiliary cruiser Yankee
was in conference with Secretary Long
Saturday arranging for the trip of this
ship with a large cargo Of ammuni-
ton for Commodore Watson's squad
ron in its attack on the coast of Spain.
The Yankee is. at Norfolk and will sail
today for Santiago. She will reach
there next Tuesday. \ big stock Of
ammunition will then be placed aboard
the battleships and cruisers. This
transferance of powder and shells is a
delicate operation requiring time and
it is probable that the week will be
we'll along before this and the re-
coaling of the Yankee will permit the
squadron to actually get under way.
Owing to the important mission OF
Commodore Watson's squadron and its
possibility Of long absence from an
American port every magazine on the
ships will be full when the ships sail.