The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-01

Copyright 1898 by Associated Press.
Ponce. Porto Rico. July 90. p. m,
via st. Thomas, D. w. l., July 31.-No
forward movement of the army is ex-
pected for several days. The transports
with General Brooke's army corps and
the remainder of the first corps are ar
irving slowly. Our troops will prob
ably remain quiet until the bulk of the
army has disembarked. Only three
day. They have just appeared in the
offing. and only one has been out. 1t
has on board the 5th Ohio cavalry.
General Miles will retain his head
quarters at the custom house at the
port of Ponce. while General Wilson
will be i'm immediate command of the
troops in the city: General Wilson
posted General Ernest's brigade, con-
sisting of the I'd and Sd Wisconsin and
the 10th Pennsylvania regiments, out a
mile and a half on the military road,
near dusk last night, retaining two
companies of the 18th to act as pro-
vost guard in the city. Captain Allison
has been appointed provost marshal,
and with the aid of the local constabu-
" udS pTtSCfNtu thCtiltHl dl-
though almost the entire population of
the city remained in the streets cele-
brating the arrival of their American
liberators until long after midnight.
During the night all sorts of wild
rumors were brought into General Will
son. The first was that the Spanish
were to attack the city in force. In
view of this strong line of outposts
was maintained by General Ernst and
the men slept on their arms. This -e-
port, however soon gave way to ru-
mors that the Spanish were retreating,
putting entire villages, plantation
buildings and houses to the torch, mur-
dering and ravishing as they went
Some of the wealthy plantation owners
of the vicinity became horror stricken
and appealed wildly to General Wilson
to direct his troops to the rescue, but Il
was manifestly impossible to divide so
small a force. None of the reports
were confirmed when daylight came ex-
cept that the Spaniards were in full re-
treat. That they INDUCED in excesses
of a cruel, vindictive character is
doubtless true. but the town of Guiana
DiaZ, which was reported to have been
burned last night. is known to be
standing this morning.
Gen. Jose Garcia, who is in command
of the Spanish regulars-nots believed
to number more than 500-was deserted
py hiooh VI iht CpdHiSn III
his command during the night and they
began stragg.ing back to the city with
the dawn. They Immediately presented
themselves to the provost marshal and
surrendered their arms
The appearance of the volunteers
aroused in the breast of the natives,
who had suffered at their hands i'm the
past. especially the political prisoners.
who were released when we took the
city, desire for revenge, and they be-
gan to ferret out all the Spaniards in
the city who had ever been in the vol
unteer service and dragged them to the
plaza.
Bloodhounds could not have bean
more savage, for most of the Spaniards
in hiding were discovered and were
dragged by jeering, hooting mobs to
General Wilson's headquarters or TO
the provost marshars office in the mu-
nicipal building. Some of the natives
even began looting the residences IF
the Spaniards. They mistook liberty
for license and were crazed with a
thirst for revenge.
General Wilson, however, soon taught
that revenge could not be wreaked un-
der the protection of our flag, and per
emptorily ordered that the arrest of
Spanish suspects should cease. Such
volunteers as presented themselves
We're, however. received and released
II.
They will all report tomorrow and be
formally paroled Many of them had
been forced into the service of Spain to
escape persecution.
Business in the city has enjoyed a
great boom since the arrival of the
Americans. The merchants who closed
their places yesterday opened them to-
day and are eagerly engaged in COM
petition for the American dollars.
American gold is at a premium of 100
per cent. Yesterday prices We're cheap:
to-day they are enormous. Yesterday
the price of a breakfast at the Hotel
Francois was 25 centimos: to-day il is
one peso. Everything else has risen in
proportion. The newspaper correspond
ents have difficulty in obtaining horses
even at 5000 gold. The natives imagine
the pockets of the Americans can emit
countless flow of eagles and double
eagles. There is plenty of provisions
in the city except rice, one of the
staples, which is quoted at a very high
price for this country.
Our army will not lack for fresh meat
in the march across the island. The
broad savannah which lies between the
undulating hills swarms with cattle at
reasonable prices and of excellent quail