The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-11-16
OUR FLAG AE SANTIAGO.

There was an uneasy and restless air
OF expectancy along the city's streets.
Many stores were closed, and people
wandered about looking for the signs
of disorder among the lower classes
that had been predicted for this day.
There have been people to assure you
that the oppressed islander would rise
i'm his wrath and smite the departing
Spaniard, that long pent-up vengeancea
would finally be wreaked. that prop
erty OF Spaniards would be destroyed.
that spanish lives We're not saIe, anu
mat the United states little knew the
passions OF TINS long-sutsering popuia-
tlon. But nothing happened. 1ne peo-.
PIE who toward If o'clock crowded into
f'ortaleZa street, which leads TO the
Palace, and who lined balconies and
housetoPs, were quiet and expectant.
AT ll.3O two battalions or the Eleventh,
preceded by tneir band, marched down
This street and formed racing the Pal
ace in the small square in front OF that
building. Company ii OF the Sixth
Cavalry was formed behind the infan-
try. and the band stood at the Palace
door At twenty minutes OF eleven
group OF about forty American army
and navy officers, including General
Brooke, Admiral Schley ana General
Gordon, came out of the Palace and
took places In the shade at the right of
the stone paved square. All foreign
consuls ana municipal and insular oifi-
cials had been previously invited by tho
commission 10 attend the ceremony,
and these guests were present with our
officers.
ON Ine Palace roof Mai Dean ana
Lieut.. Castle of Gen. Brooke's STAFF were
ready TO raise the new flag. The signai
m ha hove
the Palace the tropical sky was in
tense and glaring; against its brighi
light the active and soldierly ngure
OF Lieut.. Castle vas sharply outlined.
He watched for the signal that would
mark the change. Maj. Dean held the
flag-lne. Then over the eXpectant
crowd rang out the first tones of
midday bell and i'm silence of deserted
streets men counted. From its niche
on the top of "A church enother bell be-
gan it's Cadenced dirge for the masters
who had gone. Men counted and hearta
beat fast. Down the wind from Morro
came an echoing boom; the gun had
spoken. The tension of the figure on
the roof relaxed and the American flag
was drawn to the height Of the stan.
The music OF the American national
anthem drowned the last notes OF SPAN
ish bells. There was cheering, not re"
sounding and vociferous, for Latin
races do not cheer as we do; but the
cheering, such az II was. was general,
and heads were uncovered while the
band played That was all. A simple
dgnihed and impressive ceremony to
mark the final and conclusive surren-
der of Puerto Rico to the United States.
Within two minutes from the time set
for the flag g-raiting at San Juan TO be-
gin. the troobs participating were
marching to their newly acquired quar-
ters and all was over. The United
States had become possessed, at San
Juan. OF the government machinery OF
Puerto Rico; of two fortresses. Morro
and San Cristobal the Governor-Gen-
erals Palace: the Castles Bel Niedo
and San Cristobal: the marine barracks
and the navy yard; a magazine; fifty
six guns. twenty eight OF which are
modern 6-inch breech-loaders; a largo
quantity of ammunition. including a
cargo for the 6-inch guns. which has
not yet been discharged; the postoffice;
the lntendencia and the Municipa,
Building.-Collier's Weekly Correspon-
dence.