La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-07-23
GREAT NAVAL VICTORY.
:" Fighting Bob Evans Graphically Describes
the Annihilation of Cervera's
Proud Fleet.

1.1oo yards. the Iowa's entire battery.
including the rapid-dre guns. WAS OPP
ened on Oquendo. The punishment
was terrific. Many 10 and S inch shells
were seen to explode inside OF her and
smoke came cut through her matches.
Twelve-inch shells from the Iowa
pierced the Almirante Oquendo at the
same moment, one forward and the
other aft. The OQuendo seemed to
stop her engines for moment and lost
headway. but she Immediately resumed
her speed and gradually drew ahead of
the Iowa and came under the terrific
fire CT the Oregon and Texas.
Torpedo boats Sighted.
AT this moment the alarm OF tor
pedo boats was sounded. and two tor
pedo boat destroyers were discovered
in the starboard quarter at distance
of 1000 yards. Fire was at once op-
ened on them with the after battery
and a 1e-inch shell cut the stern OF one
destroyer squarely off. AS the shell
struck small torpedo boat fired back
at the battleship. sending a shell with
in few feet OF my head. l said 20
Executive Officer Rogers; THAT little
chap has got lot of cheek" Rogers
shouted back; she shoots very WELL
all the same"
Daring of the GioIccstcr.
well up among the advancing cruis-
ers, splitting shots at one and then an-
other, was the little Gloucester shoot
ing first at a cruiser and then at tor
pedo boat, and hitting head wherever
she saw 1t. The marvel was that she
was not destroyed by the rain of shells
In the meantime the Vizcaya was slow
ly drawing abeam of the Iowa. and for
the space OF fifteen minutes 1t was give
and take between the two ships. The
vizcaya fired rapidly but wildly. not
one shot taking effect on the Iowa.
while the shells from the Iowa vera
tearing great rents in the sides of the
Vizcaya. AS the latter passed ahead
of the Iowa she came under the mur-
derous fire of the Oregon a: this
time the Infanta Maria Teresa and the
Almirante oquendo, leading the enc
--y's column. were seen to be heading
tor the beach and in flames. The
leNdS, oItSOu, anu lOMd
numerically. They ceased to reply to
the fire and in few moments the
Spanish cruisers were a mass of flames
and on the rocks with their colors
down, the Teresa flying white flag at
the fore.
Encmy.s Crews Jump Ovcrboard.
1.-The crews of the enemy's ships
stripped themselves and began jump
ing overheard, and one of the smaller
magazines began to explode. Mean
time the Brooklyn and the Cristobal
Colon were exchanging compliments
in lively fashion at apparently long
range, and the Oregon, with her loco
motive speed. was hanging well on the
Colon. also paying attention to the Viz
caya. The Teresa ard the Oquendo
were in flames on the beach just TWEEN
ty minutes after the first shot was fired.
Fifty minutes after the first shot was
fired the yizcaya put her helm to port
with great burst of flame from TIL.
afterpart of the ship. and headed SLOW
ly for the rocks at Acccradores. where
she found her last resting place. As
1t was apparent that the Iowa could
not EOESlDlJ cattu the SI4StOudi ScloAb
and that the Oregon and Brooklyn un-
doubtediy would, and as the fast New
York was also In her trail. decided
that the calls of humanity should be
answered and attention given to the
twelve or fifteen hundred Spanish on
GERS and men who had struck their col
ors to the American squadron COM
manded by Admiral Sampson.
Saving tho Beaten spanlards.
"I therefore headed for the wreck
of the vizcaya, now burning furiously
fore and aft. When l was in as far as
the depth OF water would admit low
cred all my boats and sent them at
once to the assistance OF the unfortun-
ate men, who were being drowned by
dozens or roasted on the decks. soon
discovered that the insurgent Cubans
from the shore were shooting on men
who were struggling in the water after
having surrendered to us. imme-