The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-08-03

force, the police and fire brigade be permit.
ted to patrol without arms, and that the
captain OF the port should not be made
prisoner.
Lieut.. Hal mes, commanding the marines
Of the Dixie, went ashore and hoisted the
American flag over the custom house at
Port Of Ponce amid the cheers OF the peo-
pie. After this Lieut.. Murdoch and Sur
geon Heiskell entered carriage and drove
to the city, three miles distant, where they
received tremendous ovation.
The streets were lined with men, women,
and children, white and black.
The windows OF the houses were all filed
win people and great crowds we're gather
ed on the roofs. The stores were all omen.
and whenever the officers stopped people
gathered around them, Upon these occa-
sions red-shirted hremen, who were very
numerous, cleared the way to the stores so
that the officers could go in II they chose->
The storekeepers offered their whole stock
to the officers and declared that they Would
take no pay for anything.
Gen. Wilson was the first army officer to
land. The fremen lined up to receive him
as the local band played the Star Spangl-
ed Banner" and everybody took off his hat
and cheered. The custom house was taken
for the American headquarters. When
the troopships arrived all the people who
could get small boats rowed out to them
and offered to pilot them in. Gen. Wilson
came in to learn the condition of affairs
He sent men into the city Immediately and
put sentry at each foreign consulate. He
also detailed detachment OF soldiers to
tha worE ~ ON rdino tho roada a. Vrvi1
son and Gen. Miles agreed that the cond.
tions of the surrender relating to the move
ment Of troops were not binding.
Despite the arrival Of the troops the cele-
bration in the town went on. All the
Spanish stores were closed, but the Porto
Ricans and the foreigners kept open house.
Women and men alike were all dressed in
their finest attire.
Gen. Wilson detailed Col Roy Stone to
look out for the railroad. Col. Stone found
an engine disabled and number of cars
burning. He Immediately summoned the
railroad officials and gave them an hour in
which to put things in order under penalty
of arrest. Under this stimulus everything
was made shipshape very shortly and a
train was started for Guanica to bring the
troops from there.
The formalities of the surrender over,
General Miles issued the proclamation
printed above General Wilson was made
military governor. The owners of the
newspapers called on the general to inquire
il the publication of their papers was to be
stopped, and they were told to go ahead
and print the news.
!, Shortly after his appointment General
Wilson received a telephone call from the
J prison. The mayor of the city was in con-
!, fnement and wanted to get out. He had
sung Yankee Doodle the afternoon before
the Spaniards decamped and had been
clapped in Jail and left there. General
Wilson ordered his instant release and all
other political prisoners.
AS the day wore on the fun grew faster.
Every American who appeared on the
street was cheered. No Spaniards could
be found. The people in the shops and ho-
tells, az we'll as the proprietors of those
places, stoutly denied that they were Span
iards. A number of women were asked by
reporters why they spoke Spanish il they
were not Spaniards. They replied that they
wouldn't speak the Spanish if they knew
anything else, but they would learn Amer
|
riably winding up with "Vivan los Ameri-
canos."
In the afternoon General Miles and his
staff we're invited to the city hall to see the
, city officials. The building was surrounded
by vast crowd, and Ponce band was sta
toned in the park. When the carriages Of
General Miles and his staff drove up the
band played "Lo, the Conquering Hero
Comes" General Miles appeared upon the
balcony and took off his hat. The crowd
cheered him wildly and the band played
The Star Spangled Banner" Marching
, Through Georgia" and other patriotic airs.
General Miles talked to the officials and
, told them to remain in office. He said he
wanted things to go on just as before, but
there must be no oppression. And the
, day and night ended with music, rejoicings
and festivities.
GENERAL MERRITT AT MANILA.
, The Newport, with General Merritt on
board arrived at Csvite July o. She had
sailed ahead OF the troop ships which were
expected to arrive four or five days later.
, The Monterey, General Merritt thinks, has
arrived at one Of the Ladrone islands.
about 1000 miles east Of Manila Barring
accidents, she should arrive at Csvite in
eight days.
General Merritt had conferred with Ad-
miral Dewey, who prefers to await the arri-
val of the Monterey before attacking Ma
Mia. Reports are current that the Span
iards will surrender Manila whenever the
demand is made. Dewey is reported as
saying that it is possible to take Manila
without losing man. The American COM
mander on shore finds means to bring the
insurgent leader, Aguinaldo, under subjec-
ton. and he has been made, to eat humble
pie. The American troops are strongly in
favor of retaining the Philippines. They
will be terribly disappointed il the islands
are handed back to Spain.