Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-25
HAVING A PICNIC.
CeremOnious Reception of Americans
In Pfnar del RfO-PrOvince
Recuperating.
Correspondence OF the Associated Press.

Correspondence OF the Associated Press.)
PlNAR DEL RIO, Dec. 19.-The recon-
struction of this great tobacco raising, su-
gar growing province has begun. Absolute
peace exists and the people are at work.
General Davis, before he left Havana
was told that brigands probably would
overrun the province: the petty dfctators
were taxing the villages; that insurgents
had occupied the towns and would not
yield paramount authority to the Ameri-
cans and that he would be infinitely vexed
by obstacles in every step toward the res
toration of civil order among a restless
people. When General Davis. his staff
battalion of the 2h2d New York regiment
and signal corps company reached the
borders of the province in the journey by
train from Havana. they We're received
at Santiago de Las Vegas by L colonel and
150 Cuban horSemen aligned near the sta
ton. Afterward. behind them were 125
young Cuban women on horseback. Around
and behind this cavalcade townspeople
gathered. shaggy haired old men, women
in black. troops of children with flowers
and small Cuban and American flags. AS
General Davis and his staff appeared on
the platform there was a passionate burst
of ''vivas' and bare machetes flashed in
the medley of colors. The cheering was so
prolonged and genuine that the Americans
We're moved by il. The colonel placed him
self ana his men at General Davis disposal.
The alcade of the town made an al
dress. The general, who knows some con-
versational Spanish. but not enough for
a public speech. said through an Interpreter
that the Cuban people had been through
great trials and sufferings, and that the
Americans were there to aid in securing
their liberty.
Surgeon Major w. L. Kneedler had be-
come separated in the crowd from General
Davis and one of committee of priests
began to read him an address of welcome,
thinking the doctor was the general Major
kneedler, who at first did not perceive the
drift of the address, was unable to find
an, opening TO stop the padre before the
welcome had been concluded.
The doctor, then through Cuban who
could speak English and Spanish. SAID that
as one of the Americans with General Da-
Wis he regarded the Cuhans as men and
brethren and that in all his travels he had
not been in so fine a country. From the
train they could see occasionally the black
ened walls and tall chimney of a ruined
sugar centrale. At each of the towns the
senior Cuban officer made known his al
leeiance 10 the proposed order of things
under the American protectorate. Pinar
del Rio city gave reception as enthusias-
tic as that given at Santiago de Las Ne-
the municipal and provincial belongings.
General Davis has communicated by let
ter or by messenger with the important
towns in the province. Not an incident
has been reported. The most tiagTant
crime has been the disappearance of some
chickens. The Spanish residents, some of
whom are well to do men of the city,
had lived in the interior between Spanish
evacuations and American occupation un-
harmed
The people near Pinar have torn the
wire from the trocha and have inclosed
yards and fields with it. The principal
storekeeper has painted advertisements on
two of the forts.
The town is well fed on chickens fresh
beef, fruit and vegetables TIE country
is exhausted, but the revivificatiol, has
begun. Palm huts are building on wasted