Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1898-07-15
IHE battle RESUMED.
Preliminary Firing Be.
fore Santiago.
TORAL WOULD NOT YIELD

spaniards Opened With Light Guns.
But We're Silenced-American Lines
Have Been Strengthened and Siege
Guns Brought to the Front.
Washington. July 12.-The bonn
bardment Of Santiago has begun. That
was the verbal information obtained
last evening, shortly before 9 O'Clock,
at the war department. Almost inn
mediately three bulletins were posted,
the most important of which was from
General Shafter. This dispatch an
nounced that General Toral, who sue
ceeded General Linares in command of
the Spanish forces in Santiago, when
the latter was wounded, had declined
to surrender, and that the lombard
ment of the town would be begun by
the army and navy about 4 O'Clock in
the afternoon. The fact that the bonn
barment was scheduled to begin so late
in the day created some comment, but
no explanation of it was offered. In
answer to questions bearing upon the
movement. General Corbin said:
81 have not the slightest.information
as to the reason General Shafter had for
beginning the bonn bardment at the hour
he named, but it was probably because
he was ready just at that time. You
can speculate about that as we'll as l
can"
Information received by the war de-
partment during the few days of truce
indicates that Shaftei has materially
strengthened his position. During the
past week he has received reinforce
ments of both artillery and infantry.
Randolph's battery of "a guns. which
left Key West last Tuesday at mid
night, is now in operation before San
tiago, and, as war depa1 1tment official
expressed it, when these long toms of
Randolph's begin talking, something
will happen in Santiago" General
Shafter has nearly 80 siege guns and a
large number OF 6-inch mortars, besides
light artillery at his disposal. These
guns, taken in connection with the work
that will be done by the feet, will, it
is expected, carry terror and destruc-
tion to Santiago.
Anxiety has been expressed by the
war department officials as to whether
General Shafter had a sufficient force
to prevent the evacuation of Santiago
by the enemy. This anxiety was
allayed about 1890 last night by the
receipt of the following dispatch from
General Shafter, which contained con.
frmation, too, of the earlier reports oi
the beginning of the bombardment:
playa del Este, July 12.-To Ad
jutant- General, Washington: Head.
quarters of Fifth Corps, July 12.-ThC
enemy opened fire few minutes past
4 with light guns, which were soor
silenced by ours. There was very lit
tie musketry firing, and the enemy wa,
kept entirely in the entrenchments
Three men were slightly wounded.
will have considerable force tomorrow
enough to completely block all tn,
| 'OouS Oh ohO OlbhNOob. dlh QulJ(
we'll. "SHAFTER," !"
The belief is held by the best-in
formed officers that General Toral, the
Spanish commander, will sur1ende
when he finds it will be impossible TO
him to evacutate the city. Upon wha
grounds this belief is based could no
be ascertained, but that information il
in the hands of the officials, there is n
doubt General Skaters dispatch
they say, shows he is now engaged il
strengthening his position, and that h,
will follow up his operations with
final assault on the city.
Offer to Surrender Santiago.
OFF Juragua, via Kingston, Jamaica
July l2.-The surrender OF Santiag
was formally offered by the Spanisl
commander. General Toral, today, bu
the conditions attached caused a promp
refusal of the offer by General Shafter
The negotiations, however, resulted il
the extension of the armistice.
General Toral's proposal contemplat
ed the immediate surrender of the city
but he insisted that his army be pei
mitted to march ava, under arms an
with flying colors, and declared tina
he would fight to the last ditch unles
the conditions we're accepted. Genera
shaftersreplied that nothing but ur
conditional surrender would be cor
sidered by him, but he consented t
cable the Spanish offer to Washington
in the meantime extending the armi.
tice.
Theater Burned In Allegheny.
Pittsburg, July 12.-Fire tonight
which started in the World theater O
Federal street, Allegheny, destroye
that building and the entire sectio
fronting on the lower side of Federc