The herald., 1898-10-08
THE STARSAND STRIPES
ARE NOT YET FLYING OVER
MANZANILLO
COL. RAY FORCED TO WAIT
A Conflict Narrowly Averted With the
Garrison, Which Objected to Sur
rendering Possession
Associated Press Special Wire.

| MANZANILLO, Oct. IA fight was
narrowly averted today between the
Spanish garrison under Colonel Parron
and the United States troops under Colo
nel one battalion of the Third immunes,
who arrived here from Santiago to take
possession of the city.
The arrival of the Americans had
taken the Spanish commander by sur
prise, and he had represented to Colonel
Ray that he had received word from
General Blanco informing him that the
date of the American occupation had
been postponed to october 10th. He re-
quested Colonel Ray to cable for addi-
tional instructions. The later consented
to do so, and sent a dispatch to General
Lawton at Santiago.
At o'clock this morning Colonel Ray,
not having heard from General Lawton
to the contrary, sent word by Adjutant
Collins to Colonel Perron that, in ac-
cordance with his instructions, he would
march his men to the city from the dock.
a mile away, where the transport had
moved at the request Of Colonel Perron,
and would take possession of the public
buildings in the name of the United
States
At o'clock the battalion was in mo-
ton, with colors flying. Colonel Ray
marched towards the city, but before
the troops reached the city gate Adju
tant Collins arrived with Colonel Per-
ron's reply. The latter said he had no
objection to surrendering the custom
house at once, provided the American
flag was not raised Colonel Ray re-
torted that the United States was not
accustomed to taking possession with
out displaying the insignia of its SOW
ereignty.
The march was then continued toward
the city. When the troops passed the
guard at the gate Ga body of twenty-five
men) they lined up and saluted. The
report soon spread through the city that
the Americans had arrived with colors
flying, and the streets were soon
thronged by APPARENTLY the whole popu-
lation, men, women and children turning
out by thousands as the regiment
marched toward the principal square.
At this point Spanish bugler sound
ed call to arms, and the Spanish gar
rison turned out to the number Of five
hundred men on the other side of the
square. Colonel Ray visited Colonel
Parron at the palace, and a somewhat
stormy interview took place between
SAACiii, Win tilC dlu VI oil
After considerable discussion and many
requests on the part of Colonel Barron that
Colonel Ray should take his men out of the
city until Colonel Blanco could be commu-
nicated with, it was decided not to take
action until the cable office should be
closed at o'clock this evening, Colonel Ray
asserting that if by that time no further
Instructions had been received he would
take action i'm a ta1yy h,fora 1ivh Fol
In the meantime the United tSates troops
were to be marched up to the barracks
which the Spaniards left last night on de-
parting for Cienfuegos, Colonel Ray con-
senting to encase the colors out of defer
ence to Colonel Barron's fear that the sight
of the American flag might excite the
Spanish element beyond restraint and so
provike some overt act leading to blood
| shed.
1t was Colonel Rays firm intention to
take action as1socS as the cable closed, and
1t was evident that the soldiers on both
sides were quite ready to try conclusions,
the Spanish officers not taking kindly to
evacuation.
But some time before the cable closed
eral Wade explaining that the commander
of the Spanish troops at Manzanilo had
requested delay until October 10th and
that the formal evacuation, therefore, was
postponed.
The United tSates troops remain in the
barracks by permission of Colonel Barron.
Most of the inhabitants of Manzanllo
look healthy. Many people are arriving
from various parts of this, the richest sec
ton of the island. When the Reina de los
Angeles was docked the crowds poured in
from all directions to see the first Amer
lean troops ever on view at Manzanllo.
The Spanish gunboat Cuba Espanola was
set on fire on Wednesday, presumably I'M
der orders from Havana. She was of no
great value. She ran ashore when chased
by the United States cruiser Marblehead
and was never hauled off. though she might
, have been. .