Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-04
BEFORE SAN JUAN.
To Have Crossed the Mountains Mould Have
Cost 10000 Lives.

Copyright. 1898. The Associated Press.)
San Juan, Porto Rico, Sept. 26.--The
American commissioners to arrange
for the evacuation of Porto Rico. have
been eminently successful in their deal
ings with the Spanish commissioners
and it is believed that within three
weeks at the farthest the last of the
Spanish troops will have sailed for
home and the Stars and Stripes will
be unfurled over San Juan. Their
mission has been accomplished withou.
friction.
When Gen. Macias and Gen. Ortega,
the second in command of the island,
and one of the Spanish commissioners,
in their conversation with our commits
sioners have fully acknowledged the
fact that the loss of Cervera's fleet cut
off all hope of succor from Spain. they
still maintain that the American army
had a tremendous task before 1t in
crossing the mountains. and Macias
contends that the army could not have
reached the gates of San Juan without
Il loss of 10000 men. The little skir
mishes on the south coast Gen. Macias
refuses to call reverses, because he
claims his troops retired by his orders
to the stronger positions.
AS a matter Of fact the only action Of
importance-the bombardment of Nor
no Castle by Admiral SIMPSONS fleet.
early in May--Mlcias insists was a
distinct Spanish victory. SIMPSONS
guns pounded away for three hours.
They wrecked several buildings in the
city. but for the effect on the 20-foot
walls of that old fortress the 8. 10 and
Pinch projectiles from the American
ships had as we'll been paper wads.
Not gun was dismounted. not man
was killed. After the fleet had retired
-"repulsed'' is the word the Spaniards
use-the victory was celebrated
throughout the city.
The Spanish authorities realized that
the entire population had become sud-
denly hostile to them, and they had
been disposed by the high court of war.
and that they were there no longer by
any right but by sufferance. They
We're already strangers among people
of their own race. blood and language.
Those who had fawned upon the cap
tain general in the old days no longer
came to the palace. He had no more
favors to bestow and they remain I'd
away lest association with the old
regime might prejudice them in the
eyes Of the new. The position of the
Spanish authorities was a painful one
and though return to Spain meant
heavy reduction, in salaries and the
rich perquisites the sooner it came to
an end the better they would like it.
This was the tone they assumed.
1t was then that they were confront
ed with a new embarrassment. They
had no transports to convey their
troops back to Spain and were power
less to obtain them. They were COM
PEELED to announce this to the Ameri-
can commissioners. Until the Madrid
government should send transportation
they could do nothing. Our commits
sioners. realizing the force of this ar
gument, made no attempt to force
them. although 1t occurred to them. as
it did to other Americans in San Juan,
that transports of other countries
could have been chartered for this pur-
pose. Had there been too much delay
this view Of the situation would have
been officially presented. But in this
our commissioners preferred to accept
the Spanish statements in perfect good
faith. And in due time their course
was vindicated.
While awaiting the arrival of the
first transport, the whole scheme for
the retirement of the Spanish troops to
San Juan was arranged. Both the
Spanish and American authorities were
being flooded with appeals for protec-
ton. The former were beseeched by
the Spanish residents living between
the lines and within the American lines
to guard their lives and property from
the rapacity of the native Inhabitants
who We're threatening them with all
sorts of prosecutions; and the latter
We're the subjects of opportunities of
the rich Porto Rcans within the Span
ish lines who feared that the Spanish
soldiers as a last act of cruelty, would
despoil them of all their property.
Some of the appeals We're both frantic
and hysterical. But steps were imme-
diately taken to prevent disorders and
far as possible.
Two transports are due in a week,
and the indications are that in less
than three weeks, at most, Gen. Ma
cias will relinquish control Of the last
foot of territory.
LATEST FROM HAVANA.