The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-20
PORTO RICAN WAR
Spaniards Anticipate the Amer
lean Invasion
By Attacking and Killing a
Number of Natives.
OUR SYMPATHIZERS.
They Are Accused of Intending
to Aid Invaders.
Nine Were Killed and a Number
Wounded.

New York. July 20.-A special dis
patch from st. Thomas, D. w. L. to the
Journal reports that a serious riot oc-
Cured at Mayaguez. Porto Rico, ON
Sunday. resulting in the killing of nine
persons and the wounding Of many 9TH
ers.
Spanish residents of the place at
tackled natives, whom they accused Of
being American sympathizers and in
tending to aid the invading army from
the United States.
Plan Of Campaign.
New York. July 20.-A special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
While the details of Gen. Miles plan
of operations in Porto Rfeo are not di-
vulged, it is known that they are Who'll
ly unlike those necessitated by the pc
culiar conditions at Santiago. Instead
of having a single city as an objective,
Gen. Miles has got to secure control of
entire island and occupy a number
of cities, establishing a system of thor
ough and effective government in all it's
districts. The chief city of San Juan
can only be taken by the navy in CO.
operation with a large force ashore, as
it is practically impregnable on its land
side, except by tedious siege with hea-
Wy artillery.
The island is, in round numbers. a
hundred miles long and forty miles
wide, and even it's unhealthiest coast
ports are seldom visited by yellow fe-
yer. Most of the Spanish troops in
Porto Rico are gathered at San Juan
and it is Gen. Miles intention to land
at least thirty-eight miles from that
stronghold and occupy other important
places, while the heavy double turreted
monitors and other armOred vessels of
the navy destroy San Juan's forts and
compel it's surrender by bonbarding,
if necessary. If the navy part is com
pleted as speedily as scheduled in the
program approved by the war board
and other authorities here that city
will be ready for Gen. Brooke's Oceupa-
tion almost by the time that he can
reach there.
Gen. Miles advance force consists of
three regiments of volunteer infantry
of Gen. Garretson's brigade. The Sixth
Illinois, the Sixth Massachusetts and
light batteries Q and NJ of the Seventh
artillery, which started for Tampa sew
eral days ago, are to meet him off Mole
st. Nicholas. These batteries are the
first in the American army to be equip
ped exclusively with smOkeless powder
and were selected by the commanding
general on this account.
To Live on the Country.
Gen. Miles does not expect to be de-
pendent upon subsistence stores for
warded from this country during his
campaign, as was the case with the
army before Santiago Porto Rico
has not been devastated by the Span
iards and it is believed that American
gold will buy all the food there that is
needed for the troops. Fresh meat will
probably be found in as great abund-
ance as it is in most states of the union
and altogether no difficulty is anticipa-
ted in living on the country. The
towns to be captured outside of San
Juan are small, with two exceptions
Ponce and Mayaguez. The former is
the most modern and thoroughly pro-
gressiVe of the cities in the West In
dies. e It has $4,000 inha bitants, and IS
said tesbe the healthiest place in the is
land. 2 1t also contains the only Pro-
testant church in the Spanish Antilles
and in addition to its three first class
hotels, a chamber of commerce, a thea
ter and a bank, possesses a perfectly
equipped American fire department.
The residence of the military COM
mander is there and its population is
almost altogether occupied in mercan-
tile pursuits. Its harbOr, two miles dis
tant, admits vessels of twenty five feet
draught and it's climate, though warm,
is never oppressive. Yellow fever has
never been known there.
Mayaguez, the third city in import
ance, faces Mona Channel on the west
ern side of Porto Rico. 1t has 10000
population, the majority white, and its
exports are chiefly coffee and sugar
ture never exceeds 80 degrees Fahren-
heit The city is connected by railway
from Aguadilla in the northwest OF
the island, and another railroad runs
to Lares, half way toward ArecibO,
which is on the north coast, fifty miles
connected by rail Arecibo contains
1000 inhabitants, and its harbOr though
important, is exceedingly poor. May
aguez will probably be the first town
occupied by Gen. Miles.