Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-06-25

TO twenty men each. Furnished with
escort for reconnaissance party to the
next post, Colonel Wagner proceeded to
Demajaya, which is marked on the military
information map as town, but which is
really only the ruins of a big hacienda.
overgrown with oIeanders and other brilliant
tropical fow1uing plants, and sheltering the
almost naked sunburnt outpost. They
cheerfully sha.'ed their cocoanuts with the
Americans. This point is four and half
miles from BaiqsIiri on the main Santiago
road. The character of this main road is
revelation to the American officers. de-
spite the previous reports of its uniform
badness. 1t rs ov ergrown on both sides.
and is impenetIabTe jungle of tropical
foliage.
Colonel Wagner mapped the road to De-
majaya. Returning, he found the Second
Massachusetts. the Twelfth infantry. the
Tenth cavalry and the Twenty-fifth in
fantry camped along the narrow road in
continuous column from the landing place.
While Colonel Wagner was at Dema java
Cuban runners brought the news Of a skir-
mish of their forces with the Spanish
guard, who burned Eaiquri before retreat
ing at 8 o'clock yesterday morning. The
Cubans advance. which reached Baiqui1i
at . "A. m. reported the Spaniards. bring
ing them TO the bay at Juragua. six miles
west of Baiquri. A few voleys We're eX-
changed. but, as tire Spaniards had in
trenchments, the Cnbans marked them
down and left a guard to watch them, re-
turning with the news to the American out
posts.
Colonel Wagners reconnaissance contin-
ued this morning. General Lawton expects
a brush with the Spanish near Juragua
soon after sunrise. 1t is estimated that it
is only fifteen miles by road from this point
to Santiago.
AT this rate of movement the Americans
should be within striking distance in few
days. The subsequent work in the capture
of the town will depend on the strength
of its defenses and the resistance. The de-
fenses are reported strong.
Officers in authority here. however, pro-
fess to expect short work. They say the
towr is valueless as base and unworthy
of the exertion of capture, except for the
fleet now there. They say they hope that
the town, once captured. can be made
practically impregnable for holding by a
very small American force. and that the
remainder of the fleet and the regulars
will Immediately be dispatched to San Juan
de Porto Rico.
There is strong feeling here that Porto
Rico is the next objective point and the
regulars are anxious to be in at the death.
High authorities say the conditions are
now favorable for a descent on the island.
while the final subjugation of Cuba could
be left to the force on the north coast.
Seven Cubans have been found horribly
mutilated.
Late yesterday afternoon the American
flag was flown from the top of the AL
tarez mountains. back of Baiquiri. amid
wild enthusiasm The men cheered and
waved their hats, the warships and the
transports let loose their sirens. and the
bands played the Star Spangled Banner
Major Lamotte. with two men of the
volunteer cavalry, climbed the heights and
raised the flag.
The Spanish-American iron works, which
| We're destroyed before the troops landed
yesterday. belonging to the Steelton Com
pany. near Baltimore, Md
The Cubans, under General Demetrus
! Castillo. who entered Baiquiri after the
| Spaniards had deserted the town. We're
| clothed in rags. and many of them were
two-thirds naked. Some had no trousers
| and only tattered shirts while the ma
| lority of them were barefooted. They were
mostly negroes, some being boys of only
| Il years of age.
| The guns they carried were of many mod
| els, ranging from tiintlocks to Mausers and
| Remingtons. ALL however. We're armed
with machetes The officers rode donkeys
and scrub horses. The sun was blazing hot.
| and a number of the soldiers. were pros
| trated by the intense heat and were taken
| On board the hospital ship.
The troops are in fine spirits and are
| overjoyed at the aggressive attitude as
| sumed by General Shafter. who believes he
| can force his way into Santiago and strike
| the Spanish heavy blow.
The celerity of the forward movement
| of the United States army has embarrassed
ha rte arroa