The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-24

I, New York. April 23.-The New York
West to-day: The Journals dispatch
boat Echo arrived this morning with the
following dispatch: Friday, April 22.-
(On board the Anita, Is miles east of
Havana. off Cuban coast).-One of the
first shots fired in anger in the gun of an
ironclad across the bows OF an enemy's
ship since the close of the civil war was
hurled from the deck of the New York
as signal to the Spanish freighter
Pedro of Bilboa To heave to shortly be-
fore O'Clock this evening The little
Pedro, scurrying like a scared rabbit
close In shore. favored by the closing in
of foggy, misty day. was sighted by
the New York and Immediately brought
about with a solid shot across her bow.
1T was shortly after . o'clock that the
New York slgnaled the fleet 20 halt and
scudded away like a greyhound along
the coast OF Cuba Far on against the
dim, vague background Of Cuba hills.
half seen. half guessed. could be traced
faint film of grayish smoke. the one
visible evidence of a Spanish freighter
striving vainly to race out the day with
out being discovered by the great gray
monsters that blackened the sky to the
west In one solid mass of black clouding
from the tunnels of roaring furnaces.
'Vainly the Spaniard raced. Charg-
Ing along at trial test speed the New
York soon lay across the bows of the
Spaniard and the crashing challenge
blazed from the deck OF the cruiser. A
huge pun OF white smoke rolled out from
the side OF the flagship and far of, just
In front Of the Spaniard. a mountain OF
white foam leaped into the air. In a mo-
ment the course of the strange Spaniard
was changed and she hove TO. Shortly
after the New York led her prize fur
ther out from shore and laid her to.
Crew and captain could be seen rushing
about the deck of the ship like a nest
OF ants. hiding their vaiuables and
striving to avert some impending fate
they could only guess at i'm their ignor-
ance.
As she came around her name could
be clearly read on her stern. She Is the
Pedro of Bilboa. a Spanish freighter.
two-masted, with a black funnel and
single yellow stripe and hull black
above red. As soon as she was laid
alongside the Pedro was boarded by En-
sign Frank Marble of the New York
with prize crew. consisting of a file
OF marines and seamen.
Without formality the ensign swung
aboard and assumed command. a
burly. barefooted American tar showed
the Spanish quartermaster away from
the wheel and began to set the course of
the Spaniard. The Spanish crew gath
cred in a terrified huddle near the fore
castle and awaited Developments.
Hardly had the prize crew been put
on board before another freighter was
seen from the coast to the eastward.
The New York. leaving the captured
Spanish craft in charge OF the prize
crew. drew across the bows of the stran-
ger and sent a shot into the water di-
rectly in front OF her bows. She paid
no attention to the challenge. but kept
steadily on and a few seconds later an
other shot was sent hurting across the
water In front of her.
After this hostile demonstration she
hauled up and was soon following the
New York out to sea. IL was ascer-
tanned. however. that she flew the Ger
man flag and consequently she was
permitted to proceed. AS this is carried
from the scene of the occurrence by the
Echo. the Pedro Is being headed for
Key West TO be used as a transport for
carrying United States troops to Cuba"