The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-16

tOr tniS mission, and with the concur
renee of the general manager. Colonel
Dlehl selected Edward r. Johnstone,
who was acting then In the New York
Office as editor OF the news matter
transmitted TO the papers of New
York state. Passports and proper cre-
dentials were secured for Mr.. John
stone, and he started for Havana via
Tampa and Key West. Mr.. John
stones personality and experience
commended him for this service. OF
sanguine temperament and nervous
energy, he is at once a capital COM
rade and rapld worker. His execu-
tive strength and command OF men
and resources have been amply proved
during his recent service in the field.
on Saturday morning following the
explosion of the Maine, Johnstone
reached Havana and remained there,
the comrade of Captain Sigsbee, the
coniidant of General Lee, the dignified
representative of the Associated Press,
until the evening when, with General
Lee and the other Americans, he left
Havana for good.
The destruction of the Maine COM
PEELED the Associated Press to rapidly
mature its plans, which were based,
even as early as Feb. 16, upon the as
sumption that war with Spain must
follow soon or later. 1t was felt that
the local correspondent at Key West,
Mr.. Weatherford should have re-en-
forcement. Mr.. Johnstone had moved
on to Havana, and Mr.. w. A. NJ Goode,
of the editorial staff of the New York
| office of the Associated Press, was
started southwark upon less than
| twelve hours notice. Mr. Goode, clean
cut and adaptable, with a varied ex-
! perience, though young, was thus cho-
| sen for a post from which his line of
duty might diverge to any point where
| added help was needed. and the COM
| mission was regarded in every way as
| important.
Mr.. Goode arrived in Key West on
| Saturday of the week in which the
| Maine was destroyed, and there, by
his tactful methods and his ample re-
| sources, CONNIE nded himself to Ad-
| mral SicarG from whom, before the
| relief of that officer, he had secured
PERMISSION to accompany him, should
hostilties ccLur. upon the flagship of
the squadron. Wheh Captain Sampson
was appointed to the command left
vacant by the relief of Admiral Sic
! ard, NJ" GCcde Sc won his way with
| the present admiral of the fighting
| squadron that, when the ship sailed
| out of Kew West, he was a member
of the mess on Hard the flagship with
| Admiral Sampson and Commander
| Chadwick, recognized and accredited
| as the representative of the AssIctrtei
! Press. The graphic story of the cap
| ture of the Pedro by the New York,
was the first report of the first stirring
| nf nd
| came from the pencil of Mr.. Goode
PLACING THE CORRESPONDENTS
| While the Strategic Board was lay
ing plans for a naval campaign at sea,
| Colonel Diehl, in the discharge of the
responsibility placed upon him, was
maturing the strategic plans of the
Associated Press. Upon the with
drawal of Mr.. Goode from Key West
to his post on the flagship of the squad
| ron, the Key West position again re-
| quired reinforcement 1t was pos
sible that the Spanish fleets from the
Cape Verde Islands might sail south
| westward to Porto Rico. The flying
| squadron, at Hampton Roads, might
be sent to sea to intercept them. Should
| these events occur, it would be highly
! necessary that the Associated Press
| should be represented at Porto Rico
| or at some neighboring island with
| cable communication. The natural i'm
| pulse would have been to send a man
| to Porto Rico, but Porto Rico is
| Spanish possession, and the Associat-
J ed Press early had information that
/ there was only one newspaper man on
| that island, and he was in Jail. ia
| maica was "a tactical point, being a
| cable station wherefrom communica-
| tion could be had while wires remained
| intact, not only with Cuba through
| santiago de Cuba, but with New York
| via Turks Island, Bermuda, and Hall
fax; or by cable southwark to Panama,
| and thence, via Galveston. to New
| York; or by cable to Haiti via Santiago
| de Cuba. 1t lay within the knowledge
| of the Associated Press, however, that
| in the event of our fleet sailing south
| ward, the cable between Cuba and
| Haiti might be cut. BY the direct West
| India cable line, however, from Kings
| ton to Halifax, there seemed likely to
be a constant channel of communica-
ton left open. 1t was determined nee
| essary, therefore. to dispatch a man to
| Kingston. Mr.. Elmer l.. Roberts, the
| night editor Of the New York state
! circuit of the Associated Press, was
selected for the Jamaica station.
Thus Key West was covered by the
local correspondent. the Associated
Press was represented on the Key
West fleet, its representative in Ha-
| vana, with singular success, was get
ting out from there to the United
States the news of the Cuban capital,
and with Mr.. Roberts arrival at ia
maica, there was established an AS
| socated Press station sure of con-
| stant communication by cable. The
fact may be mentioned incidentally.
although the fact itself is not incl
dental, that Mr.. Roberts is within 100
miles of Cuba, and the date line of
his correspondence may at any time
be changed from Kingston to some
hamlet or city in Cuba.
SURROUNDING THE ISLAND.
Mr. Harold Martin was chosen to go
to st. Thomas. On another steamer.
at the same hour OF the day that Mr.
Roberts sailed for Kingston, Harold
Martin left New York for st. Thomas.
His arrival was timely. 1t was coinci-
dent with the arrival there of re-
fugee from Porto Rico. including our
United States Consul. The St. Thomas
point is not only practical, but it is
considered highly tactical. Thus COM
municatio may be had by cable to
Kingston, If the Spanish should per-
init messages to pass through Porto
| Rico at which the West Indies Qua