Evening star., 1898-07-30
GALA DAY IN PONCE
Invading Troops Overwhelmed by
Hearty Greetings.
PEOPLE WANTED TO Be CAPTURED
Political Prisoners at Once Set at
Liberty by Miles.
AND REL OICING
special Cable Dispatch to The Evening Star.
lCopyright. 1881

Special Cable Dispatch to The Evening Star.
Copyright. 1881
PONCE, Porto Rico, July %, 3 pm
Conquerors can seldom have found SUBJ
jugated city so cordial as Ponce has been
to the Americans.
This has been gala day. Every citizen
is in holiday dress and mood. Women are
smiling greetings from carriage and bal
cony, and men, when encouraged by re-
sponsive looks, are crying, viva America
nos" and taking the provost guard to
cafes to drink in amity.
On the appearance of our w 4rships, polit-
ical prisoners were set at liberty, and they
are now haranguing sympathetic gather
ings, while our flag flies over the cuartel
oe infantaria, and the native scarlet-shirt-
ed bomberos are playing Sousa's STARS
and Stripes Forever" before the city hall in
Laplaza de Delicia, the Place of Delight.
Fled to the Hills.
The city seems to be full, but the Span
iSh bankers and merchants fled with the
garrisons to the hills taking hiding
their tt easures, fearing that the town toughs
or the victorious troops would sack the
city. With them / 200 regulars retreated
and are expected to make an ambuscade
twenty miles toward Anjuan. The volun-
teers who remained are now willing to put
on the American uniform.
1 was introduced to the mayor, Ulpiano
Colon. He was In the fashionable after
noon dress, except that his shirt front was
fastened with large gold coins. He said he
had no regrets because the Americans
were in possession. Under America, as his
secretary suggested, content would return
and prosperity increase, and for that rea-
he q
over what happened, but was gratified that
his municipality is to be continued for the
present with General Wilson as military
governor.
The shops will reopen and business will
resume tomorrow.
Colonel Allen in three days expects to
have direct cable communication with
Washington. The Spa nish operators ran
away. Ponce will then be the base of op-
erations for an easier campaign than San
tiago. The climate is better and the roads
are good.
The troops, however, were overloaded,
and the two-mile march from the port to
the outskirts Of the city, where they are
bivouacking tonight, was all they could
do. The wagons will assist when they
have been landed, and mules are plentiful.
Native families drove to the port to gee
the soldiers land. and went to the harbor
to look at the battle ship Massachusetts.
The band this namesake of the old
abolitionst state played Dixie for them.
1t was o'clock In Casa del Rey when the
city was formally turned over by the
mayor and council to Generals Miles and
Wilson and their staffs. From the bal
cony the mayor spoke to the assembled
citizens, who cheered. General Miles was
conspicuous in a white duck suit and he'll
met, and was saluted. .s. -....s =
PONCE GLAD TO BE TAKEN.
Band Played, Citizens Cheered and
Enthusiasm Prevailed.
From the New York Herald, today.
PONCE, Porto Rico, Thursday-The city
of Ponce was formally given over TO the
Americans this afternoon.
Fernando Toro, the British consul act
ing in behalf of the Spaniards, placed the
city In the possession of Major General
Nelson A. Miles, with whom was General
Wilson.
The scene was more like one on a gala
day than one involving the surrender of a
city. A majority of the residents remained
in the city to welcome the Americans.
The ceremony was unique. General Miles
and General Wilson, by a prearranged
plan, had been driven from the American
headquarters at Port Ponce TO Casa del
Rey. in the city proper, where Consul Toro
and Ulpiano Colon, the mayor of the city,
awaited them.
The bombero, or city fire brigade, was
drawn up in La Llaca de Delcia, oppo-
site Casa del Rey, and as General Miles
and General Wilson left their carriages
Co. 1-,<~ A. Io, al. rto<.
A guard in front of the building forced
way for the American generals. and
through the cheering crowd they walked
into the building, where they were pre-
sented to Consul Toro and Mayer Colon.
Consul Toro said to General Miles that
the citizens Of Ponce were anxious to know
IL the same municipal officers and system
as had been in vogue would be continued
temporarily. He was assured that Eiunici-
pal affairs would not be distur oed for the
time being, and that the same local officials
would serve. But 1t was explained that
they would be responsible to General VII
son as military governor, who would keep
the city under form of martial law op-
pressive to none.
Great Ovation to Our Generals.
General Miles and General Wilson then
stepped out on the balcony to view the
the two American generals hastily with
drew. They received an ovation as they
made their way back to headquarters.
Mayor Colon, after the conference, told
me he was glad the Americans had come.
The island, he said, now would ENJOY pros
perity and peace, and the best citizens
wanted the Americans to take possession.
The political prisoners in the Quartet de
Infantaria were released by our soldiers
Redolf Figeroa was saved In the nick Of
time from being shot by the Spaniards. He
was charged with having cut the telegraph
wire between Ponce and San Juan last
night
1t was his plan to prevent the authorities
In Ponce from sending to San Juan for
reinforcements. He had been led from lis
cell to be executed, but when our ships
entered the harbor the Span:aids fed and
Figeroa escaped.
Some men who had been political prison
ers for years were released.
The anchors Of the American vessels
scarcely had touched the hot,opn Of the