The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-12
An AMERICAN In PONCE.
The Welcome to Our Soldiers and
Sailors in the Captured City.
A LETTER FROM AN OFFICER OF
THE AMERICAN FLEET.

The Capture Unique in History, the Invad-
ers Being Welcomed With Cheers
While the City Took a Holiday in Their
uonor-The Firemen Straightway Had
Minister and Called on General Miles
for speech-street Scenes in the Porto
Rico Town-The Appearance of the
American Troops-Good Soldiers With
Anticipated Arms.
A letter has been received in this city
from one of the officers Of the fleet which
conveyed the American army on its voy-
age to Porto Rico. The letter tells an
interesting story of the scenes in Ponce
after the capture of that place and gives
the impressions of an eye witness of the
Porto Rican city and its inhabitants who
welcomed their conquerors with open
arms. The writer says:
Ponce, P. R. July %.
We left Guanica early this morning and
arrived here at z clock, finding the
American flag flying and learning that
the town had surrendered to the Annapo-
lis on her appearance yesterday without
SlOC DelQG uE6u. i u6 oElblSu CUAoul VIZ
came on board told me the Spaniards had
800 men ready to resist but he had pre-
vailed upon the Alcalde to turn over the
city without res0rting to useless she'd
ding of blood, which was done, the troops
retreating towards San Juan and in
hurry, too.
This afternoon three of us went ashore
and found everything in confusion as
troops and stores were being landed and
the water-fronts crowded with boats and
lighters. The first man l met was my
old La Guayra friend, Hanna, who unit
theSwar was consul at San Juan. He
looked as natural as when saw him in
1899 AS the city of Ponce lies back from
the sea some three miles, we took a car
riage and after ride over an excellent
macadamzed road through several cane
fields arrived there. The country is a
vast garden, sugar and coffee esta ties on
every side and as far as the eye can rsach,
while cocoanut trees are everywhere.
Back of the city lies range of mountains
and the climate is like spring. Ponce Is
the largest city on the island, the popula-
ton being 3S, 200, and that of the entire
district about so. 000.- 1t is regularly laid
out, lighted by electricity, has an opera
house, and is particularly clean, though
of course is like all Spanish towns in
general characteristics and the sallow,
muchly powdered female is always in
been there five minutes before several of
the inhabitants (nen) introduced their
selves tosus, solre of whom spoke English.
Everybody bowed to us and the way that
we were stared at was embarrassing.
The streets were damned and | saw pre-
parations in progress for parade or hre-
men. A very nice looking young man In
the uniform of on officer of the fire bri-
gade AMI who spoke English introduced
himself to us as the adjutant and show
ed us all over the building where the
engines and hosecarts are kept.
There was a band practising the Wash
ington Post March, and ] learned that
tile music had only been received at 2
O'Clock. He showed US large gilded
wooden crown that had been torn down
off the building in the Emorning and a
frame from which Alphonso's picture
had been cut He said, "That is for Nc
Kinley's picture Upon asking what
was going on to bring all the Peep lie out,
and why there was to be the parade, they
honor of our taking the city Everybody
was cheering for "Los Americanos" and
''Los Estados Unidos," and Miles had to
review the parade and make speech to
calm them down.
AS I remarked to D. "this beats the
honor of being captured" The people
were simply wild over the fall of the city
and couldn't do enough tor US. They
said they didn't know what would have
become of them had we not arrived as
already the Spaniards were beginning to
arrest everybody who was suspected OF
having any sympathy for the Americans.
arrived just in time to save us from
Africa or the Isle of Pines Our troops
were stationed all round the city and
though physically a fne-looking set of
men, their general appearance and man
ner of handling their pieces indicated the
raw recruit. The only regulars here are
the artillery. Our men were behaving
particularly we'll but how I did hate to
see that suicidal Springfield rifle in their
possession. We took the town just in
time to prevent the Spaniards from shoot
ing five men who were caught cutting
the telegraph wires between here and San
Juan. They had close call, as they were
to have been shot this morning.
Gen. Miles is hustler and the right
man in the right place. The whole at
mosphere has changed since he arrived.
Now things are done in systematic
manner. To hear him talk convinces one
that he knows what he is about and |
means business: You can get very good |
cigars here for $200 per hundred and as |
they are mild l am going to lay in a |
stock.
July &c. A cooler day than usual and
a regular American rain. heard that
one of our soldiers passed a Confederate
500 bill on the cigar man today, getting
$40 in Spanish silver for it. Wasn't that
a low down trick? Gen. Miles came on
board this afternoon and told US Spain
had made overtutres for peace through
the French minister. How do hope it
will be successful and bring us North
out of this. Today we had eggs-the
first in sixty days and how good they did
taste
The jollihcation over our arrival here
still continues and there isn't anything |
"bastante bueno por los Americanos
aqui." The march of tho troops from
Guanica here was triumphal procession. |
The Alcaldes of the different towns en-
route tearing down the Spanish flag, |
hosting American colors and declaring |
for annexation. You would never think |
1t was the enemy's terri itoJy though we
have not interfered in any way with the |
civil government. Today we have been
rounding up all who were Spanish volun- |
teers, making them turn in their arms
after which we turned them loose. The |
people have been giving the whole gang
nc ooh I'll IL