The Topeka state journal., 1898-08-01
TO SAN JUAN.
Miles is Massing His Troops at
Ponce
Preparatory to Marching on the
Capital.
HE HAS THERAILROAD
Leading From Ponce to YaucO
in Good Shape.
Stars and Stripes Creates Great
Enthusiasm.

Ponce Island of Porto Rico, via the
Island of st. Thomas, D. w. L, Aug l.
Major General Miles hourly expects the
arrival of the transports having on
board Brigadier General Schwan's di-
vision of 5000 men, and also the Mo
hawk, with the Fifth regular cavalry.
General Henry's division, consisting
of 3,4OO men and including 26 pieces of
artillery, has been ordered to march i'm
mediately from Yauco to Ponce to be
ready to join the movement north to
San Juan.
The Sixteenth Pennsylvania regiment
was sent toward Juana Diaz, eight
miles north of Ponce, en- route to San
Juan.
Word has reached here that the Span
iards were numbering native Porto
Ricans, violating women and indulging
in general outrages.
The Sixteenth Pennsylvania regiment
will be reinforced if necessary.
The first real resistance is expected
when our troops reach AibOnitO, thirty
hVe miles northeast of here. AibOnito
has a thousand feet elevation.
General Miles says he has no inten-
ton of making a landing of troops at
Cape San Juan, especially as the place
is only a rOadStead, where transports
are liable to suffer from the prevalent
storms.
The railroad from Ponce to Yauco is
now in the possession of our troops.
General Stone found five mines on the
track These were destroyed and the
track is uninjured
Our troops found seventeen Spaniards
in the Yauco hospital, all of whom had
been wounded in Tuesdays fight. Two
of them have since died.
PrOclamatiOns have been issued by
the authorities of Yauco, as a United
States city, expressing delight at an
nexation and the administration of Gen.
Miles and welcoming our troops
The mayor of Ponce has called upon
all the residents of that place to exer-
else calmness and circumspectiOn under
the new and desirable conditions. He
also urges fOrbearance toward con-
Quered enemies.
Much enthusiasm is everywhere mani
Tested at the sight Of the stars and
stripes.
General Miles has issued a lengthy
order of instructions to General Wilson
who will be military governor of Ponce
province and city until General BrOOke's
arrival. 1t is of the same tenor as the
instructions which General Miles gave
to General Shafter at Santiago. Both
orders are based on the administration
instructions given to General Merritt
regarding the government of the Philip
nine islands The local mayor and
Judges and police will remain in au-
thority, subject to the orders of General
Wilson. The custom house offices will
also be conducted as formerly, Tor the
present. Their receipts amount to a
considerable sum of money.
The question of the proper discount
on Porto Rican silver gives some
trouble to General Miles but he says
this will settle itself in due time.
Chaplain Chidwick of the Cincinnati
formerly of the Maine, introduced to
General Wilson this morning, two of
the leading Jesuits of Ponce, represent
ing a thousand churches and their de-
pendents in this province. The priests
wanted information regarding their
support and General Wilson said that
under the constitution of the United
States it was not possible to apply any
governmental money for church pur-
poses.
Father Chidwick said it would be all
the better for the church if it's own peo-
pie learned to contribute to its support.
Spanish volunteers continue to come IN
and give themselves up.
The health of the troops so far is GOOD,
though the weather is hot.