The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-03
I'm EVACUATION DAY
Short and Simple the Cere-
monies of Transfer.
P0PULACE NOT ADMITTED
No Unpleasant incident Mars
the Occasion.

Havana, Jan. 1.-The sovereignty o
Cuba passed from Spain to the Unite'
States at noon yesterday.
The form of the transfer was simple
consisting of only an exchange of speech
es in the saloon of the palace, the haul
ing down of the Spanish flag and the rails
ing in its stead of the flag Of the United
States on the ftgstaff on the palace roof
Sa.utes were fired from the heavy guns
OF the forts and the warships before anc
after the change of flags. The raising
of the stars and stripes were greeted with
cheers by the people who covered the roofs
of the buildings around the palace anc
plaza.
| No crowd was permitted to gather In
the streets in the vicinity of the palace To
witness the epoch-makng function.
! At o'clock a guard composed Of the
second battalion of the Tenth infantry
marched into the Plaza de Armas. under
| command of Captain Van Kleet, and form
ed around the square. Captain General
CasteIlanos watched them with interest
from the balcony of his apartments as
they entered the square and were stationed
at all the streets approaching the plaza.
No one was allowed to enter without a
pass and all doors Of the palace facing
the square were ordered TO be closed. Only
those who could get on the roofs and bal
comics of houses in the neighborhood saw
what was going on before the palace.
With the guard was the band of the
Second Illinois regiment. which had been
selected for the occasion as the best band
in the Seventh army corps. With the
band were the buglers of the Eighth and
Tenth infantry.
The weather was warm, the sun burst
ing at intervals through the light clouds,
and the soldiers in blue who were forced
to stand in the sun found the heat op-
pressive. The troops were formed in ex-
tend order around the square, three PAGES
apart, and the band was massed in front
of the palace entrance across the street,
at the edgeg of the park.
Brigadier General Clous, the master of
ceremonies of the day, at 1890 O'Clock is
sued instructions to the officers who were
to take charage of the various depart
ments of the government at L O'Clock.
Colonel Dudley was assigned to the de-
partment of justice Office of the secretary
to the captain general; Major L. W. V
Kennon adjutant general of the depart
ment, to the department of commerce and
agriculture; Colonel T. U. Bliss of the
ccmmissary department, to the treasury;
aptain Frank B. Hanna, assistant adJu-
tant general, to the department of public
instruction. and olonel DunwOody of the
signal corps. to the public works depart
uent. Each Of these officers was instruct
ed thus:
ION the firing OF the last gun of the
first twenty-one at noon, you are to go to
the place assigned you and demand pos
session of the Office in the name of the
United States"
These orders were given under the ar
cade of the palace. Each officer had with
him a uban Interpreter, a group OF whom
stood clad in dark clothes and wearing
six hats. In a carriage near by were the
American flags which were to be raised at
various points.
At 11:1O Major General Wade and Major
General Butler of the American evacuation
commission arrived from Ell Vedado on |
horseback. accompanied by their STATS. |
They were met by Brigadier General Clous |
and Major r. Bentley Mott OF General |
I .udlow's staff. About the same moment |
Tucien J. Jerome, the British vice consul,
arrived. He was warmly greeted by the |
American officers.
Major General John r. Brooke, governor
Of Cuba. and Major General Ludlow, gov
ernor of the city of Havana, accompanied
by their staffs, arrived at 1850 in car
riages. General Brooke and General Adna
r Chaffee. General Brooke's chief of staff,
in the first carriage. In each of the other
rode a Cuban general with
American officers. The ubans were Gen
erals Lacret. Mario Menocai Mayia Rod
-oguez. Serain Sanchez. Jose Miguel Co
nez. Nodarte, Rafael de Cardenas. Agram-
arte and Vida. and Colonel Valiente. As
The carriages drove up the second COM
oany of the Thirty-eighth Spanish infan-
ry under command Of Colonel Don Rafael
presented arms, and the
American band started up with 1.-The Stars
md Stripes Forever" the Spanish colonel
Al Has Major General Lee, military
governor of the province of Havana. with
lis staff, Joined General Brooke. The lat
er then crossed the street TO the palace.
General Lee on one side OF him and Gener-
II Chaffee on the other followed by the
'ther American generals and Cuban Off
'crs- The Cubans wore blue uniforms.
'rown felt hats and gray gloves. and they
'arried machetes.
flourish of trumpets greeted the pro-
essioH. and the Spanish troops presented
rms as the Americans entered the palace.
The Cubans remained outside until es-
orted in by members OF General Brooke's
IAN the Spanish soldiers remaining all
he while al present arms" As soon as
ii were within the Spanish troops formed
n column OF fours and marched around
he right side Of the plaza to the docks.
While the band Of the Second Illinois vol
'nteers played the Spanish royal march !
on entering the palace. the American
enerais went to the saloon facing the ,