The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-05
rWo OF oUn TRANSPORTS GROUNDED.
They Were the Massachusetts and Rouma-
mia. and IL IL Feared the Massachu-
sets IL LOst-Onr Ouiposts Have Been
Pushed Fourteen HIIles Beyond Ponce.

NV AAVNNA
Pushed Fourteen Miles beyond Ponce.
Special Gable DtspateA 10 TEE Sur. .
PoSCE. Porto Rico. Aug. 2. via St. Thomas
Aug. 4.-Military men say that everything IL
now awaiting the landing Of the cavalry and
artillery from tho transports.
Tho transports Massachusetts and Rouma-
mia have both been unfortunate. Ono OF thcm
is stuck In the mud at Guanica. and the othcr
at this place. As the Massachusetts was steam
ing up the harbor Of Ponce last night she ran
her nose In tho mud on q little islnnd
near the entrance. She was so hard
aground that It was impossible for her to get
of herself, and 30 THE SUNS despatch boat,
the Carbonero, tried TO pull her of. Tho de-
spatch boat broke overy hawser she had aboard.
but the Massachusetts did not Goat. She is
likely to 60 to pieces. Cavalry Troops A and O
have been landed from her. butthe 800 horses
are still on board.
The Roumania arrived at Guanica with the
Comanche and City Of Macon. The other two
transports went to her assistance when abe
grounded. but did not succeed In pulling her
into deep water. 1t is thought. however. that
she will be got a1oat tomorrow.
Four other transports arrived to-day. The
work Of landing the troops is proceeding
slowly. owing to tho fact thai the army has no
steam launches. The barges in which the men
are landed have to be rowed ashore.
The only movement by tho troops ashore is
the pushing ahead OF the outposts two miles.
They are now fourteen miles from the city on
the military road.
Gen, Stone and his party OF scouts have
reached Utuardo. They met no Spaniards on
the road. A courier who arrived Tonight
says that a party Of 200 spaniards Is In
the mountains near the divide. Accord
ing to the ~couriers half OF the Spaniards
were to go 70 the place where Gen. Stone
had left a small guard on the road, while the
other half werc to attempt to capture the Gem
eral. The story Is not believed by army
officers, who entertain no fears for Gen. Stones
safety.
Gen. Wilson Is finishing the establishment OF
the local government. There have been many
meetings with the various officials. who were
delighted aud astonished when he told them
that the money raised by taxes would all be
spent for local improvements. The officials
could not understand that the Americans were
to take none OF the money.
The Mayors OF two more interior towns
called upon Gen. Wilson and informed him that
they had hoisted the American flag. They said
that oil the Spanish soldiers had lei..
Reports continue to come in Of the gathering
military road at Aibonito. about thirty miles
from Ponce. Tho spot is an ideal one for de.
fence, as the road runs through a cut In the
mountains. Tho character OF the topography
makes 1t impossible for tho troops from Ponce
to flank the enomy at this point.
This Is the reason why troops are being land.
ed at Arroyo. The road from Arroyo leads to
the military road, and meets 1t at a point be-
yond where the reported intrenchments are
being thrown up.
The troops at Arroyo were nearly all landed
to-day. They include those brought by the
st. Louis. st. Paul. Seneca and City Of Wash
ington. The cruiser Cincinnati Is at the land
ing place. Gen. Brooke has his headquarters
at Arroyo. He will move his command to-
morrow out into the country. There Is not q
sick man In the lot.
1t is pretty certain that thore will be no move
ment Of troops either from Ponce or Arroyo on
San Juan for a week. When the movement BE-
gins there will be no stop till San Juan IL
reached. All that part Of the island which il
occupied by our forces 10 quiet, including all
the wns whore the Americans are In posses
sion.
In Ponce yesterday Private La Due Of the
Second Wisconsin shot and killed Private Stat,