New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-01
LANDING OF THE TROOPS.
MEN AND ANIMALS PUT ASHORE IN
ALTARES CONE-BRANE DEEDS
Ais p1I-Eu EInERS

hours or the morning. ana at uaypfedh nos' Va
the ships were near the place selected for land
ing the troops. at Altarcs Cove. The cove Is
about twelve miles from the entrance Of SAN
tiago Harbor and is the terminus Of little rail
road running back 20 the iron mines owned by
the Pennsylvania Mining and Smelling Com
pany.
The railroad ends on iron trestle stretching
into the water Of the cove. a small settlement
chiefly due to the mining operations has grown
up here. The trim. modern looking buildings
make the village look more Ike manufacturing
place in the United States than a Cuban hamlet
-Four foothills. stretching along the shore SNe
the locality it's name The first. rising abruptly
from the settlement. really bears resemblance
to ali altar. 1t is four hundred or five hundred
feet in height. with level top mile long In
conformation it s sinGuarly regular The
others are less symmetrical. but still suggest
altars Behind these rise two ridges of noun
iains the top ones being perhaps thirty-hve
hundred feet high.
UNLOADING THE TRANSPORTS.
After breakfast the unloading Of the ships be-
can Twnscore Of boats filed with soldiers
drifled about for several hours. Meantime great
columns Of smoke were flying from several parts
of the settlements. They were variousy ex-
planned as bcacOns lighted by the insurgents
and buildings burned by the Spaniards. The
place was deserted in the early morning.
Later the village was occupied by party OF
insurgents. who displayed white flag to pre-
vent possible firing. Along the coast toward
Santiago shops firing, apparently aiming
at a battery back from the shore. for time
but later they patrolled the coast. discharSng
smaller cannon.
The Seguranca. with General Shafter on board
oil ri
was taken from her to a barge and tugs started
shoreward with it,
WARSHIPS OPEN FIRE.
At $50 o'clock the war vessels started ter
rife cannonading against the hills on the other
side Of Altares They used no large guns. and
the shots came in rapid succession. almost one a
second. In minute the ships themselves were
hidden in a mass Of blue and brown smoke.
A signa-house. such the Spaniards have
built in numbers along the Cuban coast. offered
a difficult target or the crest of the altar shaped
elevation overlooking the cove The rise was
so steep that the guns could not he easily
trained Early shots landed on the hillside,
sending up clouds of dust.
Then some shells landed higher and there
cheering from the decks and rigging Of the
transports. At last one shell struck so near the
house as to hide II in dust and smoke. and
great shout arose as tho veil was blown aside.
However. it was seen that the signal station
was unharmed. the shell having passed a little
70 one side.
Other shots went equally near but the house
came out Of I; all unframed. At the end Of
ten minutes the fire Stacked. but was kept up
desuitorly for an hour longer No buildings
were aimed at. the plan being merely to clear
the woods and hillsidcs OF Spaniards who might
be lurking there.
At times there sound resembling the
discharge of rifles on shore. When the bonn
harding grew less frequent the bard on the
Conchc struck up "A lively tune. and a great
shout arose.
SOLDIERS GLAD TO GET ASHORE.
Just then the flagship NewYork came up from
Santiago way. attended by an auxiliary cruiser
and two torpedo boats. Admiral Sampson was
seated on the bridge. and Jack tars w-re crowd
ed on the forward deck.
The Seguranca moved still closer into port. and
the soldiers on land lined the coast as far as
the eve could reach. The waves broke in masses
of white foam against the rocky shore. but in
Altares Cove all that was necessary was TO run
the boats 70 the wooden pier. The soldiers car
RED rifles and ore hundred rounds OF ammuni
ton blankets and shelter tents, and provisions
for two or three days The LIST Infantry from
reach land.
Some of the boats were gathered in strings
and five or six were tOwed ny steam launches
from the ships Of the Nav. The Vixen for
merly J. p f. Wideners yacht Josephine, took
a number Of the Rough Riders from the Yucca
tan and So, them on land late in the afternoon
The soldiers who had been transferred were in
great glee 10 he on firm land again after having
been cooped up and shaken about for fort
night. A camp at once formed, and many
who were free 10 do 50 went into the sea for a
swim.
RAISING FLAG FROM THE BLOCKHorsE.
The New Orleans aroused general interest. and
was much admired The liner ST. Louis was also
In the ofIing looking big and useless. The rails
ing Of the American flag from the bockhouse
perched on the mountain overlooking the cove
was an incident 10 be long remembered. II took
place at $50 p III.
Major Larnotte. chief surgeon: Chief Trump
eter Platt and Color Sergeant Wright, Of the lst
Volunteer Cavalry climbed the steep heights
and flung the flag to the breeze. The United
States Army had raised its standard on the
Cuban eminence, and everybody went Wild
Men danced and shouted. waving their hats
cheers went up from transports and the shore,
and the bands played The Star Spangled
Banner
HOW TIE ANIMALS WERE PUT ASHORE
June 23--The rest Of the troops landed to-day.
part Of them were advanced toward Santiago,
while the rest encamped in plain near the
cove All in fine fettfe. The landing Of
the horses and mules was next carried on The
animals were either made To- walk gangplank,
which Tilted UP SO as II slide them into the
water. were merely thrown overheard. a
rope was tied around the neck Of each. and with
this they were guided toward the shore by the
men in the ships boats Some struggled vigor-