The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-07-21
QUIET SANTIAGO.
What the Soldiers are Saying
and Doing,

via Kingston, Jamaica, July 1910 am.
Santiago today presents bright and
cheerful picture compared to what it did
two days ago. Over thirty steamers fly
ing the Stars and Stripes lie proudly in
or near the harbor. Small boats are ply
ing briskly to and fro on the blue waters.
Sc veral large steamers, the State of
Texas, Leona and Arkansas are alongside
the wharves, busily engaged in unloading
their large cargoes of supplies and pro-
visions. In short, everything denotes
hustle and activity. To tho grave yard
appearance of the city yesterday has sue
ceeded today q scene of life and energy,
traffic and general activity. The immense
sheds along the water front are already
packed with merchandise, and the large
stores along Marina street are busy re-
ceiYing goods which are being steadily
unloaded. Everywhere there are signs of
a revival of commercial activity.
Miss Clara Barton yesterday began dis
tributing supplies and relieving thousands
Of cases of distress from hunger and sick
ness. The ice factory has resumed work
and the water supply will be turned on
today.
The change in the appearance of the
city is Kaleidoscope, and in a couple of
days, when further shipments arrive,
will suffice for the normal businss to re-
vive. All the stores are open this morn
ing by General McKibbin's orders. but
the saloons remain closed for the present.
The electric light plant is working and
the pawnshops are doing rushing BUSH
ness. Officers tender their medals, spurs
and swords and civil employees offer their
tortoise shell, gold headed canes of off ce
for mere song, which are in turn
bought at fancy prices by American
soldiers, officers or newspaper CORE
spondents as relics of the war;. There
have been more machetes sold to our men
as souvenirs than were laid down on the
morning of the surrender, and crosses,
service stripes and orders are cheerfully
parted with for American cash. There is
no ready made clothing in the city except
blue and white, striped linen uniforms
and many of our men are dressed in these
Spanish uniforms. They present a
strange appearance and are greeted with
laughter. The readiness and avidity with
which the store keepers accept greenbacks
is remarkable. Cigars and tobacco are
nowhere to be found, as all the factories
have been closed for months and they had
no stock on hand. Our men expected to
find quantities of tobacco when Santiago
fell, and they were greatly disappointed
at not being able to find anything to
smoke
The Spaniards feel no resentment and
are accepting their defeat with soldierly
dignity. Many of the Spanish soldiers
are anxious to become American citizens
and are applying for naturalization.
A number of the officers of high rank
IN the Spanish army condemn their
governments policy in dividing its forces
in Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippine
Islands. instead of concentrating them
and possibly saving one colony. The
cutting of the feet is also strongly CEN
sured. The usabls ammunition of the
Spanish troops here was exhausted before
the surrender, as the IL, 1000, 900 cartridges
found in the magazines of Santiago do
not fit the Mauser rifles. The Spariards
say our troops fought like tigers and that
their discipline was excellent, but they
insist that more lives were lost ON either
side than was anticipated by the con-
ditions of July /.
They assert that our troops could have
walked into the city without having a
shot fred at them as there were no
soldiers left within the walls at that
time. 1t appears that they had only few
thousand men and they all went to FL
Caney at the time that that battle was
fought, leaving Santiago unprotected.
Refnforcements had arrived l later and
brought the number of the Spanish troops
up " 5000. At the battle Of Ell Caney our
casualties exceeded those of the Spaniards
While they ha 400 men killed to our 200,
they had only 500 men wounded to our
1890. The list of wounded has been in
creased since to over 5000 men, who are
lying in the Principe, Alfonzo, Reina
Mercedes and other hospitals here.
General Linares eabled to Madrid on
July 8, before General Skaters demand
for the. surrender OF Santiago, long
message setting forth the inability of the
city to hold out against an enemy su-
perior in numbers, with the Spaniards
dying of fever and starvation and de.
moralized by the loss of the feet. He
urged the government, for the sake of hui
manity, to offer to capitulate, but added
that, if ordered to remain to die like
rat in trap, he would do SO, as his
soldiers were doing their duty, although
realizing that mistake had been made,
Somehow, Information i n regard to the
message leaked out and the Spanish
officers here are loud in their condemna.
ton Of General Linares whom they accuse
OF faint -heartedness throughout the war
to the extent of "under the plea of
slight wound" laying the mantle of the
shame Of surrender upon General Toral's
shoulders, instead Of facing the disgrace
himself. This feeling is general among
the men.