Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-07-13
SOME SUSPICIOUS CASES OF FEVER
Suffering for Food Among Santiago Refugees Said to
Be Deplorable.
DEWEY AGAIN ANSWERS OUR GERMAN COUSIN

WASHINGTON, July l3.-Some con-
cern is felt as to the situation before
Santiago, largely because of the lack OF
definite advices. Up to 8 o'clock the
officials stated there was no news OF
renewed fighting. At 10 o'clock, a
special meeting of the war board was
in session. Secretaries Alger and Long
and Adjutant General Corbin were
among the participants. The confer
ence, as far as can be learned, related
to the health conditions of the army
before Santiago. The information
received today from the Fifth Army
Corps indicated that there is danger of
fever at Sitoney and other points.
NEWSPAPER SPECULATION.
New YORK, July l3-A special to
the Tribune, from Washington, says:
The actual departure of Commodore
Watsons raidlng squadron, for the
coast of Spain, which naval authorities
expect will occur about the end of the
present week, indicates sufficiently the
complete abandonment of the inten.
tion to besiege Havana in the next
three or four months, and confirms the
impression that no extended military
operations will be prosecuted in Cuba
after the capitalization of Santiago
Promptly upon the fall of Santiago it is
announced, the expedition to Puerto
Rico is 10 be undertaken with General
Miles in command. His three divisions
will aggregate more than 10000 men.
His force will include practically all
the regular aud volunteer troops now at
Santiago, Cubans and immunes being
left to hold that province.
MORE BLANCo VICTORIES. -..s-.. ....s,--
MADRID, July 13.-An official dis.
patch from Havana says: The Ameri-
cans attempted to effect a landing at
Bayabacoa near Tunas. The garrlsons
of the forts forced them to retreat to
their ships, which covered their landing
and which fired 200 shells on the forts
One Spaniard was wounded. The
Americans renewed the attempt furth-
er away but were again repulsed. An
American transport is ashore at Punta
Caney.
WAITING FOR ARTILLERY.
OFF JURAGUA, July II, via KINGS
TON, Jamaica, July 13.-All negotia-
tions for peaceful surrender of Santi-
ago ended in utter failure today, and
the city must fall by the sword. Gen
eral Toral, the Spanish commander,
finally and definitely refused to accept
Skaters proposal for unconditional
surrender, and the American army only
awaits the word of its general to begin
the final struggle. Just when the at
tack will be made depends upon the
time which Will ensue before General
Randolph can land his batteries at the
front, as it is definitely settled the for
ward movement will not begin until
the army is fully backed up by big
guns, the absence of which cost SO
many lives during the previous engage
ments. Randolph's movement began
early this morning, and tonight,
OUT OF TEN BATTERIES,
but one of four guns succeeded in max
ing its way over the almost impossible
trail to the trenches at the front. This
with the four batteries already there, is
not considered by the American com
mander as sufficient Probably twenty
four hours more will elapse before the
general engagement begins. Shafter'l
second and last proposal to surrendel
was sent into Santiago at noon yester
day (Monday). 1t went in the form o.
terse note, in which the Genera
pointed out the hopelessness of tn,
Spanish position, surrounded by Amer
ican troops and cut off from reinforce
ments.
ToRAL WON'T HEAR OF IT.
Firing, which had been going on a
intervals since Sunday afternoon, wa
ordered stopped when flag of true
started for the Spanish side, and ha
not been resumed. No attention wa
paid to General Skaters communica
fion until shortly after s o'clock thi
morning Tuesday when reply cam
under flag Of truce. Toral was a
brief as his foe, saying In effe(
that If the Americans wanted Santiag
they would have to come and get it. II
declared that unconditional surrende
of the city was beyond reason and pos
6ibility. and expressed himself ready
meet the attack at any time the invat
ing army saw fit to make one. Raj
dolphs ten light batteries were ordere
rushed from the landing place, at Jn
aqua, and change in the lines W;
made. Lawton's entire division W;
moved to the northward mile and
half, his extreme right being placed I
Caimaues on the border of the harbo
This movement places the America
forces in semi-circle
ENTIRELY SURROUNDING SANTIAGO
and cutting off the retreat of the Spa
iards except by water, as our fianl
rest at waters edge. The la