The record-union., 1899-01-02
From Spain to the United States
Yesterday.
The Stars and Stripes Raised Over the
Palace.
Greeted With Cheers by the People
Who Covered the Roofs OF the
Buildings Near-No Crowd Per-
mitted to Gather in Adjacent
Streets, Captain General Cas-
tel1anos Formally Surrenders
Control to General Brooke.

Control to General Brooke.
HAVANA Jan. 1.-The sovereignty
of Cuba passed from Spain to the
United States at noon to-day.
The form of the transfer was simple,
consisting of only an exchange OF
speeches in the saloon of the Palace,
the hauling down of the Spanish flag
and the raising in it's stead of the
flag of the United States on the flag
staff on the Palace roof. SaluteS were
fired in the heavy guns of the forts
and the war ships before and after
the change of flags. The raising OF the
Stars and Stripes was greeted with
cheers by the people who covered the
roofs of the buildings around the Pal
ace and plaza.
No crowd was permitted to gather
in the streets in the vicinity of the
Palace to witness the function AT
O'Clock a guard, composed of the Sec
ond Battalion of the Tenth Infantry,
marched into the Plaza DeArmas, un-
der command of Captain Van Vleet,
and formed around the square. Cap
tain-General Castellanos watched
them with interest from the balcony of
his apartments as they entered the
square and We're stationed at all the
streets approaching the plaza No one
was allowed to enter without pass,
and all the doors Of the Palace fac
ing the square were ordered to be
closed. Only those who could get on
the roofs and balconies 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 We're the bug
1ers of the Eighth and Tenth Infantry.
The weather was warm, the sun
bursting at intervals through the light
clouds and the soldiers in blue who
were forced to stand in the sun, found
the heat oppressive. The troops were
formed in extended order around the
square, three PAGES apart and the band
was massed in front of the Palace en-
trance across the other edge of the
park.
At 10 o'clock instructions We're issued
to the officers who were to take
charge of the various departments at
II o'clock
Captain Frank B. Hanna, Assistant
Adjutant- General, was to take the De-
partment of Public instruction, and
Colonel Dunwoody of the Signal Corps
to the Public Works Department.
Each of these officers was instructed
thus: 'On the ring Of the last guns
of the fortress at noon, you are to
go to the place assigned you and de-
mand possession of Office in the name
of the United States
These orders We're given under the
arcade of the Palace. Each officer had
with him a Cuban interpreter, a group
of whom stood clad in dark clothes
and wearing silk hats. In a carriage
near by We're the American flags which
We're to be raised at various points.
At 1910, Major General Ware and
Major General Butler of the American
Evacuation Commission arrived from
Ell Velado on horseback. accompanied
by their staffs. They We're met by
Brigadier-General Clous and Major 7.
Bradley Mott, of General Ludlow's
staff. About the same moment Lucien
]. Jerome, British Vice Consul, arriv
ed. He was warmly greeted by the
American officers
Major General John r. Brooke, Gov
ernor of Cuba, and Major
Ludlow, Governor of the city of Ha-
vana, accompanied by their stats, ar
rived at half-past IL in carriages,
General Brooke and General Adna r.
Chaffee, General Brooke's chief Of
staff, in the first carriage. In each of
the other carriages rode a. Cuban Cen
eral with American officers. The
Cubans were General Lacret Mario
Menocal Mayia Rodriguez, Serafin
Sachez, Jose Miguel Gomez, Nodarte,
Rafael, De Cardenas, Agreamete and
Vidal, and Colonel Valiente. AS the
carriages drove up, the second COM
pany of the Spanish infantry. under
command of Colonel Rafael Salamanca,
presented arms, and the American
band started up with "The Stars and
Stripes Forever the Spanish Colonel
saluting.
At 11:45, Major General Lee, Military
Governor of the Province of Havana,
with his staff, joined General Brooke.
The latter then crossed the street to
the Palace, General Lee on one side
of him and General Chaffee on the
other, followed by the other American
Generals and Cuban officers. The
Cubans wore dark blue uniforms.
bIoNH lett mats ana gray gloves, ana
they carried machetes.
A flourish of trumpets greeted the
procession and the Spanish troops pre-
scented arms as the Americans entered
the Palace. The Cubans remained out
side until escorted in by members of
General Brooke's staff, the Spanish
soldiers remaining all the while at
present arms" As soon as all were
within, the Spanish troops formed in
column of tours and marched around
the right side of the plaza to the
docks, while the band of the Second
Illinois Volunteers played the Spanish
royal march.
On entering the palace. the American
Generals went to the saloon facing the
plaza, which is on the second floor 1t
is a lofty chamber, decorated with
mirrors of deep gilt frame, while satin
draperies and the scarlet arms of Spain
are over each door and window Here
were gathered the members of the Cap
tain Generals staff, Colonel Gelpi,
Lieutenant Colonies Belled. Girauta and
Bonitas. Major Priego, Captains Ri
tent, Adolfo and Ramon Castellanos,
sons Of the Captain General.