The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-07-20
TO TAKE AW AY
THE PRISONERS
Scores of Transports in
Santiago Bay.
SPLENDID MARINE PAGEANT
A STRANGE TRANSPORTATION
SCENE.
Daily Incidents in and Around the
Quaint Old City Since the
American Flag Was
Hoisted.
A STRANGE TRANSPORTATION
SCENE.
Copyrighted, 1898, by the Associated Press.

SANTIAGO HARBOR, July IS (via
Kingston. July Santiago is now a
city of silence. The American flag
waves over the military headquarters
and on Morro's flagstaff. and Red Cross
emblems are as plentiful as church
spires
Almost the entire population this aft
ernoon is gathered about the Wharves,
where the Spanish shipping, now prizes
of the United States, will soon be aug
mented by large fleet of transports
flying the American colors.
Some stores, mostly intended for the
sale Of liquor or drugs, are open, but
their patrons are few. Beggars are in
evidence Of the same importunate sort
which make Havana unpleasant for
foreigners. Now and then a man or
woman of the better class begs the cor
respondents for milk for my little one,
in the name of God"
|. At the dock, where the Red Cross
steamer State of Texas is unloading
and preparing for a long stay, a guard
from the Ninth Infantry has been
mounted. but the soldiers have had lit
tie trouble except from the inroadS of
bad boys.
There is no evidence of gloom on the
faces of the Spanish men and women.
These mercurial people are already
tary and naval show, and at the pros
pect of getting food other than rice and
salt meats.
Nearly all the better class of houses
are closed The residents evidently
have not yet returned from Ell Caney
and other suburban places to which
they fled on threat of bombardment by
the land and sea forces of the United
States. Filth is noticeable everywhere
and, strange to say, the city is healthy
in spite of it. But If Santiago is to
continue healthy much sanitary work
is necessary. Arrangements, therefore,
are now under way to remove the most
dangerous features and to improve
those which tend to purify the city
The harbor of Santiago de Cuba is a
very beautiful place, with it's high
ramparts Of mountains, groves of cocoa
palms, banana trees and Towering
shrubs pushing down to tn. very brink
of the bay. The channel is tortuous
| and marked by bright blue and white
buoys, or more clearly defined in places
by long booms Of logs marking the en-
trance of shallow bays and inlets. Old
churches, forts and bastions share the
promontories with light wooden houses
which are the summer residences of the
upper classes.
The harbor was the scene Of a beau
t1ful marine pageant this afternoon. A
score or more of American transports,
the way being pointed out by the SUI
vance, glided majeStically to the quiet
| anchorage, something they had not en-
joyed for weeks, being compelled in
stead to stand out to sea at night, to
be tossed about by the waves, or to use
the precarious holding grounds off Bal
quiri. They are fine boats many of
them being among the largest speci-
mems OF the American merchant ma
rine.
Nearly all bedecked with flags, they
steamed In proudly, making goodly
snow extending over a mile of water
A dispatch boat of the Associated
Press. on its way out to sea. saluted
eacn OF the transports with blasts from
the siren of the Almirante Oouendo
taken from that ship some days ago
and put In place by the enthusia site
crew of the dispatch boat The saIutes
were returned not only from the trans
! ports but by the cheers of the men on
board them, who had long looked for
ward to this feature Of the CAMPAIGN
| How soon the Spanish troops will he
| loaded on these transports for shin
ment to their homes man. of them
have not seen for three years or more
cannot be announced at present. But
| 1t Is understood the delay will be az
short as possible
| The big Government tug Potomac ar
rived here to-day from New Orleans
| She is provided with modern appli
ances for wrecking and, with the other
vessels sent here for the same purpose
will secure all it is possible to save
| from the ships which formed Admiral
Cervera's squadron.
| The long bridge at Aguadores. on the
| Juragua Railroad. connecting Siboney
! with Santiago, has been replaced in a