The record-union., 1899-03-01
The Stars and Stripes Floating Over
Island Of Guam.
Commander Tausslg Of the Bennington the
First American Governor.
Stories Of Revolt In the Island
Against the Authority Of the
United States Following the De-
parture of the Charleston Pure
Fiction.

DAN H1l-A1NS10OOs CT. L ~
steamer Gaelic, from Hongkong and
Yokohama, via Honolulu, arrived to-
day The Associated Press representa-
tive ait Honolulu sends the following
news, dated February list:
Commander Taussig of the Benning-
ton is the first American Governor of
Guam.
The American flag went up over the
new possession at 1920 a. m February
1st. 1t was raised over Fort Santa
Cruz, in the harbor Of San Luis d'Apra,
the main harbor of Guam, and saluted
by the guns of the Bennington. Stimuli
taneously it was raised over the Gov
eminent buildings at Agana, five miles
distant, and was saluted by a battalion
from the Bennington and company OF
native militia with a field battery.
The paymaster of the Bennington is
the United States collector of revenues
for Guam. Everything is quiet and
orderly.
The United States collier Brutus.
Captain v. L. Cottman, arrived at
Guam from Manila, January LIST, and
sailed from there at p. m. February
LIST, having coaled the Bennington and
pdTtlclpdted III the nag raising ctIe-
monies.
BY the Brutus Commander Taussig
sent the following letter, dated Janu-
airy Both, to Major H. A. Bartlett of
this city:
1--WE had good weather throughout
the passage and arrived in the port Of
San Luis d'Apra, in Guam, on = he I'D.
: found the Brutus here, and Will send
her to Honolulu by the 1st of February,
carrying this letter.
There was no flag flying over the
island, and as the Government had as
sumed control of the island, I, as the
senior officer present, made our pay
master the collector of the revenues,
such as they are, and will direct the
hosting of the flag on the 1st of Feb
ruary on the Government building.
The treasury is empty, but I believe
that the employees have all been paid
up to the 1st of February, at least Some
of them have.
'HThe island is about twenty seven
miles long and averages about seven
or eight miles wide 1t is high in most
places. The soil is good. The main ar
ticle of commerce is copra. Some cof
fee and cocoa is also raised, but labor
is scarce, although there are nearly
10000 inhabitants on the island. They
send to Japan for sugar, such as it is;
but little can be bought in the place.
The beef is not fit to eat. laborer
is paid % cents day if he is fed, and
90 cents a day if he is not. There are
very few Europeans. / have seen seven
or eight priests and three or four Span
iards. There are a few half breeds who
speak English. Many of the natives do
not speak Spanish, but most of them
understand it. Their language, Cham
moro, has many words, evidently OF
Spanish origin. There are a number of
chickens on the island. the price hav-
ing gone up nearly double since our ar
rival.
wake Island is low atoll from
eight to twenty feet high, covered with
brush, bushes and some trees. 1t is
fringed by a coral reef, whose outer
wall is nearly vertical, and I could find
no anchorage. 1 was disappointed in
not being able to take our boats into
what is marked as an entrance to the
lagoon. There was not enough water
throughout the bay. The bare edge of
the IeEI was OQt VI Lie WdlSl dS tliC
breakers receded. 1 did, however, sue
coed in making landing, when a flag
staff was planted and we hoisted our
flag, which was saauted by twenty-one
guns from the Bennington"
Captain Cottman of the Brutus says
that all the stories of revolt in Guam
against the United States authority
following the departure of the Charles
ton, are pure fiction. Everything was
quiet and orderly. When he left Com
mander Taussig was about to begin the
surveys of the island he was about to
make But with the arrival ef the
Yorktown since then, he supposes the
Bennington has gone on to Manila.
Captain Cottman came here expecting
to take on coal and condenser tubes for
the Bennington, for which requisition
was made some time ago, and to re-
turn to Guam. But under the changed
condition of affairs he will proceed to
San Francisco on Friday.
The battleship Oregon, accompanied
by the collier Iris, sailed for Manila
February Goth.
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