The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-22

Z suited to the American fleet, but II wa.
generally believed in San Juan thai
the fleet had been compelled to with
draw under the fire of the Notifications
| There was a dispatch that the Spanish
| feet had arrived to protect the towns
| The city had been expecting the bonn
bardment for two weeks, and there
| were several vessels unloading coal fol-
the fleet. The Spanish feet. when IL
entered the harbor. seemed to be OF
ancient design. Several Krupp guns
were landed at San Juan a year ago
and were not removed from the wharf
until a couple of weeks ago.
Under Spanish sovereignty affairs In
Porto Rico are anything but prosper
Gus. There is little money in circula-
ton and there have been many fall
ures during the last two years. There
Is a strong feeling among the business
men of the island in favor of self rule,
a protectorate unde some foreign
power or anything that will end Span
ish rule. The masses are densely ig-
norant, the majority being unable TO
either read or write.
subscriptions are being sought all
over the land for carrying on the war.
There are 5000 regular troops n
about 5000 In Porto Rico.
They are armed with Remington rifles.
The civil guard, 300 strong and u
ed. have great power. The volunteers
could be put to shame, so far as disci-
pine and drill are concerned. by the
schoo cadets of this country. The
military authorities bought large
quantities of food when war was i'm
minent. and 1t is supposed they have
enough rations for the troops for three
months. The others have to a double
now for their provisions"
Mr.. Drake left the island from May
uguas on May ~, upon warning from
the British consul at San Juan. There
were no demonstrations against him up
to leaving, but the consulate at May
uguas had been threatened frequent
ly. Three times were mobs dispersed
by the authorities as they were pre-
pairing to attack his house. Since April
81, when il was learned that war had
begun, the affairs of the had
been looked after by the British con-
sulate at Mayuguas.
Mr.. Cantrell, another of the Arkadia's
passengers, was an electrician for an
electric light company In IN he
said that the authorities there TOOK all
the wires from the works to mine the
harbor and used all the coal. Because
he spoke English he was taken for an
American. At Fajardo, where he went
ashore with Mr.. Megwinoff, he was
nearly mobbed and forced TO take
refuge In a warehouse
Regarding the bombardment, MI.
Cantrell said that n of the shells
from an American gun entered the
mouth of a gun on the Notifications,
smashing IL into pieces and killing q
man at the breech. One corner of Nor
no had been knocked off, and 6-inch
shells could be seen embedded in the
Notifications. The Spanish steamer
Paulina, he learned. was captured by
an American warship -four days before
the bombardment but IL displayed the
French colors. He learned that sew
eral Porto Ricans a been put TO
death on the charge of leading a revo-
luton and another had been impris-
oned for life on the same charge.
Porto Rico papers, Mr.. Cantrell said,
contained the most ridiculous state
ments of Spanish valor and success in
the war. one paper said that the
Brooklyn bridge had been blown up by
a torpedo boat. while another declared
that two American warships had been
captured and % men made prisoners.