The age-herald., 1898-07-04
BULLETIN BOARD
 STRATEGISTS Express Their Opinions on Gen. Shaft0r'S
 Defeat" BEFORE THE BIC NEWS"CAME Birmingham Was at Fever Heat Al
 Yesterday WAITING FOR DEFINITE NEWS Crowds Blocked 10 the Age-H Herald Office Wait ing For the Extra Giving Shafter's Gloomy Dispatch Glorious News Came at Midnight.

All day yesterday the entire population of Birmingham was at fever heat, wait ing for definite news from General Shafter at Santiago. Many grave doubts were ex- pressed as to the outcome of the incessant fighting of the last day or two. and nearly everybody condemned General Shafter's plan of forcing the fighting before he was prepared.
 But all this was before the glorious news was received at midnight saying that Ger vera's fleet had been destroyed, and that every indication pointed to the early sur render of Santiago.
 The truth of it is that everybody was office all day anxlously waiting for news and discussing the situation
 When, after nightfall, the Age-Herald was preparing to issue extra, giving Shafter's dispatch that he could advance no further but must wait for reinforce ments, the crowd grew larger and larger and more and more anxious to get the news They waited with impatience, occa- slonally venting their spleen on the post office clock because it was not lighted up, and on the newspaper in general for it's de- lay in getting the paper. Over fifty newsboys crowded the business office, clam bring to get first in the line waiting to get the precious extras.
 Finally at 9:So, when the big press began to run off the papers. cheer went up from the expectant crowd, and the press men could not begin to get out the papers fast enough to meet the demands But soon all the newsboys were scurrying out through the streets, bearing the discourag- ing news which Shafters first dispatch con- tained.
 Bulletin Board Strategists
 Below are given a number of express sions from the bulletin board strateglsts," given exactly as they were uttered when the gloomy news was heard. All of them had gone to bed before the news of the big victory came, and it is pitty that the magnificent expressions that will burst from their lips this morning cannot be chronicled along with those given below
 Tt looks bad to me- said Chief Me Donald. "I doubt the wisdom of having forced the fighting unless we were able to keep it up.'
 Tt looks to me- said Henry B. Gray, "as if the American generals at Santiago were entirely too anxious to distinguish themselves before they were fully prepared to fight, as if they were afraid that some other general would come and snatch the laurels from their hands,
 "If the Americans can hold the position they have already won," said Ed Warren, 0T think thev have done pretty well. I expect, however, that Shafter bit. off a little more than he could chew"
 "D-n it alr! said Smith Crawford.
 Tt looks pretty bad said Robert J. Lowe. "As we see it now, it seems to have been a bad plan to attack such a strongly fortified town with no artillery" T think we were only temporarily re- versed, said Tenent Lomax, of Mont gomery, land that when Shafter gets his artillery in position and few more troops arrive, he can speedily retake what little he has lost, and capture the city in a storm"
 "There will be no flag raising in San tago tomorrow" said Walker Percy, 'and Shafter's army will have to celebrate the Glorious Fourth in their trenches. It Is all very well, though, I suppose, for when the city does fall 1t will prove such an eyentful day that hereafter we will have another national holiday added to the list, instead of running in another on the Fourth of July"
 'I don't consider 1t defeat by any means" said General Louis V. Clark, land as soon as some endorsements arrive think Shafter's work will be short