The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-01-04
SPANISH QUIT CUBA.
Government Transferred into American
Military Control
THE STARS AND STRIPES WAVE OVER
THE CITY OF HAVANA.

HAVANA, Jan. Inc sovereignty Ct
Cuba passed from Spain to the United
States at noon to-day. The form Of the
transfer was simple, consisting ezlly Of
an exchange Of speeches in the salon Of
the palace. the hauling down Of the Spau-
ish flag aud the raising in its stead Of the
flag Of the United States on the flagstaff
on the palace roof. Salutss were fired
from the heavy guns of the forts aud two
warships before and after the change of
the flags. The raising of the Stars and
Stripes was greeted with cheers by the
people who covered the roofs ofthe build
ings around the palace and tse plaza.
No crowd was permitted TO gather in
the streets in the vicinity Of the pslace
to witness the epoch making function.
AT o'clock a guard composed Of the
Second battalion OF the Tenth infantry
marched into the Plaza de Arnas. under
command of Captain Van vliet, and
formed around the square. Captain Gen
eral Castellsnos watched them with in
terest from the balcony of his apartments
as they entered the square, and were sta
toned at all the streets approaching the
plaza. No one was allowed to enter
without pass, and all the doors of the
palace facing the square were closed
Only those who could get on the roofs
and balconies of houses in the neighbor-
hood saw what was gcing on before the
palace. With the guard was the band
of the Second Illinois regiment and the
buglers of the Eighth and Tenth infant
ry. 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 msssed in front of the palace en-
trance across the street, at the edge of
the park.
Brigadier General Clous, master Of
ceremonies,at 1890 o'clock issued instruc
tions to the officers who were to take
charge of the various departments al u
O'Clock. Colonel Dudley was assigned
10 the department of justice; Mai. l.. w.
V. Kennon, adjntRnt general of the de-
pa tA4NANs " huC Va
and agriculture; Col. T. U. Bliss, )f the
commissary department, to the treasury /;
Capt. Frank b. Hanna, assistant adjutant
general to the department Of public in.
struction. and Colonel Dnnwoody, of the
signal corps, to the public works depart
ment. Each of these officers was in
structed thus: ION the firing of the last
gun of the first p at noon you are 10 90
TO the place assigned you and demand
possession of the Office in the name Of the
United States"
These orders were g;Een under the
arcade of the palace. Each officer had
with him Cuban interpreter, group Of
whom stood by. clad in dark clothes and
wearing silk hats. In carriage nearby
were the American flags which were to
be raised at various points.
At ll:l0 Major General Wade and Ma
jor General Butler, of the American evac-
uation commission, arrived from El We
dado on horseback, accompanied by their
stalls. They were met by Brigadier Gen
eral Clouse and Major T. Bentley Nett.
of General Lndlow's staff. About the
same moment Lucien j. Jerome, British
vice consul, arrived. He was warmly
greeted by the American officers. Major
General John 4. Brooke, governor of Gu
ba, and Major General Ludlow, governor
of the city Of Havana, accompanied by
their stats, arrived at 1880 in carriages,
General Brooke aud General Adna r.
| r.
in the first carriage. In each of the other
carriages rode Cuban general with Am
erican officers. The Cubans were Gener-
ais Lacret. Mario Menecal, Mayia Rod
riguez, Serafin Sanchez. Jose Miguel Go
mez, Nodarte. Rafacel de Cardenss. Agra
mente and Vidal, and Colonel VsIiente
AS the carriages drove up the Second
company of the Thirty-sighth Spanish
infantry, under command Of Colonel Don
Rafael Salamanca, presented arms, and
the American band started up with ''The
Stars and Stripes Forever" the Spanish
colonel saluting. At ll: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 the Cuban officers. The Gu
bans wore dark blue uniforms. brown felt
hats and gray gloves, and they carried
machetes.
A flourish of trumpets greeted the pro
cession, and the Spanish troops prese ted
arms as the Americans entered the palace
The Cubans remained outside until e.
cDrted in by members of General Brooke,
staff, the Spanish soldiery remaining all
the while at present arms" As soon as
all were within. the Spanish troops form
ed in columns of fours and marched
around the right side Of the plaza to the
,cks, while the baud Of the Second Hi
nois volunteers played the eSpanish Royal
march. On entering the palace, the Am
erican generals went to the salon facing
the plaza on the second floor. 1t Is lofty
chamber decorated with mirrors in deep
git frames, with satin draperies and the
scarlet arms of Spain over each door and
window. Here were gathered the menu
bsrs Of the captain generals staff, Colo
nsl Gelpi, Lieutenant Colonels Belled.
Girauta aud Bonitas, Major Priego, Cap
tains Ritene, Adolfo and Ramon Castel.
lanos, sons Of the captain general.
Captain General Castellanos was at this
time in a private room off the throne
room. He had given farewell breakfa fast
at 10 O'Clock 10 his staff. and had spent
the reSt of the morning virtually alone,
looking at the Americans from the bal
cony. The Americans now giouped them
selves near large mirror between the
two central windows, the Spanish staff
being on the right, while on the left were
the American stats, the Cuban generals
and the correspondents. Suddenly Gen
eral Castellsnos entered the salon without
ceremony from the left. and greeted Gen
eral Brooke and others. Amer shaking
hands, General Brooke sat upon a sofa
while General Castellanos moved toward
the group Of Cuban Generals. British
Vice Consul Jerome introduced him to
General Msyia Rodriguez Shaking both
the hands of the Cuban officer, in the
usual Spanish fashion, General Castella
nos said: I'VE have been enensies, bat /
respect you r your correct attitude and
opinions. I have pleasure in shaking
your hand"
General Rodriguez replied: II thank
you, general. feel sorry for the Span
ish army, which has defended the banner