Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-07-16
SECOND REFUSAL.
Gen. Toral Again Declines to Sur
render Santiago.
Streets and Buildings in the City Are
Ruined by the shells from American
Ships-FIres Break Out in Many
Parts of the Doomed City.

Before Santiago, via Playa del Este,
Guantanamo Bay, July 13.-Tuesday
morning Gen. Toral sent a reply to
Gen. Skaters second demand for the
unconditional surrender of Santiago,
made by the latter Monday afternoon
In his reply Gen. Toral again reiter-
ated his determination to resist.
Notwithstanding this the American
batteries did not open fire yesterday
and the renewal of the bombardment
was postponed until to-day, when it
is hoped that all of Gen. Randolph's
batteries will be in position. The
siege guns landed Monday will also
be brought up as soon as possible.
Torrents of rain fell Monday night,
drowning our boys in the trenches
and making the road almost impassa-
BILE. This may delay the batteries
and siege guns. The volunteers who
are being hurried on to the front are
being located along the right center
in the positions which have been oc-
cupied by Gen. Lawton's division
while the latter has moved forward,
extending our right until it almost
touches the road to Caimenes, over
which Gen. Toral would have to re-
treat.
The Cubans under Gen. Calixto
Garcia took Caimenes without opposi-
tion Monday night and have entrench-
ments on either side of the road. The
Americans are now in position to
strike the enemy on the left flank and
roll it up, making the Spanish en-
trenchments north of the city unten-
| able.
Gen. Toral, realizing the weakness
of this flank, has been busy during the
truce in doubling back with intrench-
ments and fixing his guns in the di-
r'ection from which he is threatened.
Most of Gen. Randolph's guns will be
located upon the heights in the center
of Gen. Lawton's new position, where
| they command the town.
Monday the Capron and Haines bat
teries on the right succeeded in tear
ing up the emplacements for palm
battery as it is called, and in plump
ing shells into several blockhouses,
but the shots directed at the Span
iarls in the trenches did not appear
to have much effect. 5A D.
Off Aguadores, via Kingston, Ja-
maica, July 13.-The United States
navy has the following problem pre-
sented to it: What is the best man
ner of effectively bombarding city
distant four and half miles and
concealed from view by range of
hills $50 feet high at its lowest part.
| The problem has been satisfactorily
| solved. So if the army hereafter never
fired shot and merely guarded the
roads, the navy could make Santiago
untenable, if indeed it did not totally
destroy it in a few days.
| Sundays practice was good, but it
was better on Monday, when the fir
ing was opened by the New York.
The New York, Brooklyn and In
diana were the ships which partici-
pated in the shelling. Each shot was
carefully calculated and the wigwag
signalled from the shore where each
shell fell and notified the gunners if
they had the proper elevation.
The ships ran out their big guns on
the side opposite the firing, in order
| to secure the desired list to port or
to starboard. Gen. Shafter signalled
about noon that ''some of the shells
| fell in the bay and some in the city.
The latter do not appear to do great
damage"
| Comment on this subject was
changed Immediately by message
saying: The last shot struck St.
| Nicholas church, where powder was
stored, blowing up the same and doing
great damage" The bombardment
closed for the day at p. IN. at Gen.
Skaters request, as he was about to
| send flag of truce into the city, in
order to demand it's surrender for the
| i,l nd l..
did not fire gun.
The effect of the shells when they
did hit can be imagined when it is
known that each of them carries $50
pounds of explosives and travels 925
feet per second. When such n missile
lands at distance of four and half
miles from the muzzle to the city it
occupies 22H seconds in its fight.
Four shells during the lombard
ment ignited fires in different parts
of the city, proving the feasibility of
burning the place by using the guns
of the feet alone.
Many shells from the ships bursted
in the northeast part of the city. 1t
is impossible to say what effect they
had. Several bursted in the center of
the town with very great effect. One
shell, of whose action a good view
was had from San Juan hill, bursted
in a small street. When the atmos-
phere cleared it seemed as if the en-
tire street had been blown out of ex-
istence. A large hole was torn in the
ground and many buildings were de-
molished. If hundred otSler shells
could be landed with similar effect
they would destroy Santiago. The
warships fired only for short time
Late Monday afternoon the flag OF
truce came down. A group of Span
ish officers galloped along the lines in
bright uniforms, carrying Spanish
flags and charged near the end of ouI
line, back and forth in front of the
flag of truce, to make an elaborate
display. Finally they dashed into the
town out of danger and then dowI
came the white flag.
Forbid Removal OF Coal