Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-07-28
PUERTO
10000 American Soldiers Under
AN INFUSION OF NEW LIFE.
Commerce in Santiago Revives Since the
Occupation of the City by American
Soldiers.


Soldiers.
Santiago de Cuba, July 21.-San-
tiago presents bright and cheerful
picture to what it did few days ago.
Over 80 steamers flying the stars and
stripes lie in or near the harbor.
Small boats are plying briskly to and
fro on the water. Several large steam
ers, the State of Texas, Leona and
Aranzas are alongside the wharves,
busily engaged in unloading large
cargos of supplies and provisions.
Everything denotes hustle and ac-
tivity. Tt the graveyard appearance
of the city recently has succeeded
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 rented along Marina
street are busy receiving goods which
are being steadily unloaded. Every
where there are signs of a revival of
commercial activity and prosperity.
The change in the appearance of the
city is Kaleidoscope and couple of
days, when further shipments arrive,
will suffice for the normal business to
revive. The business houses opened
their doors for the first time on Tues
day, cleared their warehouses and
made ready for the receipt of goods.
The electric light plant is working.
The pawnshops are doing a rushing
business, their counters being crowded
by people of all sorts of color and
condition, pawning heirlooms, clothes,
dresses and furniture. Officers tender
their medals. spurs and swords, and
civil employees offer their tortoise
shell. gold-headed canes of Office for
a mere song, which are in turn bought
at fancy prices by American soldiers,
officers or newspaper correspondents
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 cheer
fully 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 uni
forms.
Many of the Spanish soldiers are
anxious to become American citizens.
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
Philippines, instead of concentrating
them and possibly saving one colony.
The cutting of the fleet is also strong
ly censured and the Spanish naval
officers all argue that it is impossible
under the present crippled condition
of Spain to make Il successful resist
ance anywhere. The usable ammuni-
ton of the Spanish troops here was
exhausted before the surrender, as the
100000 cartridges found in the maga-
zines of Santiago do not fit the Mauser
rifles.
The Spaniards say that on July 1
our troops could have walked into the
city without having a shot fired at
them, as there were no soldiers left
within the walls at that time
Hundreds of American and Spanish
soldiers who but few days ago were
shooting at each other, crowd the
streets of Santiago to-day, meeting
and mixing on the most friendly
terms. A general feeling of good fel-
lowship is evinced everywhere, victors
and vanquished apparently being
equally glad that the strife is over.
About 1000 Spanish troops still re-
main in the city, but the majority of
them will be removed so soon as
camping ground beyond the rife pits
can be arranged.