Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-01-13
CUBA AT LASTIS FREE
STARS AND STRIPES RAISED
OVER HAVANA.

spanish Authority 10 Rc1inquiahcd
In the Island md the United states
Assumes Control-cnptain General
Wecps-Cu5onsE Frantic with Joy.
Spain's rule in the new world is ended.
On the first day of the new year the Stars
and Stripes Went up over MORO prison.
over the Fortress of Cabanas, and over
the palace, which has represented Span
ish royalty in this new world. Spanish
transports loaded with Spanish soldiers
and a steamer carrying the captain n
eral and his staff dropped down Havana
harbor u stood out to sea while the Sew
enth army corps was marching along the
Prado in the heart Of the Cuban capital.
From the one tall mast that protrudes
from the tangled wreck Of the Maine the
American flag was flying. Captain Sigs-
bee. who had commanded the ship when
treachery destroyed it, himself rugged up
Il flag and flew it from the wreck to show
that America had Remembered the
Mainc.'
The event so long and eagerly looked
for has occurred and Spanish sovereignty
in the island OF Cuba is forever ended.
AT noon Il detachment of American troops
occupied the Plaza de Armas, the square
in front of the palace. and stood silent
and immovable as the ceremony of the
transfer Of sovereignty took place. The
American commissioners rode in on horse
back crom La Vedado and proceeded die
rect to the palace. Captain General Cas-
te!lanos. whose official life was rapidly
drawing to Il close. received the commits
sioners in the main hall of the palace,
surrounded by the members of his staff,
all of whom We're nttiretl in gorgeous
uniforms. After a brief exchange of salu-
tations Gen. Castellanus said: according
to the protocol of peace, signed Aug. IL, l,
obeyiig the orders of the Government Of
her Catholic majesty. the Queen Regent
of Spain, in the name of he. son, his ma
Jesty. the kins. deliver the island of Cuba
to the Government OF the United States,
represented Ivy your commission"
Gen. Wade made Il brief reply. and inn
mediately turned the island over to Gen.
Brooke. the military governor. Just at
this moment the Spanish flag, which had
tloated over Cuba for 400 years, was low
coed from the palace. the Cabanas fort
ress. MORO Castle and all the public
buildings. AS the red and yellow emblems
sank from their staffs Senior Castellanos
was profoundly moved. He turned pale
and said. with tears in his eyes: Gentle
men. l nave been in many battles.
have seen death near me several times,
bit 1 never felt such profound emotion as
! feel now"
With that he turned and Went to his
room. Shortly aftcrward he appeared
cary.in. Il small satchel. He was follow
ed by his son and his staff. Gen. Brooke
took him lty the arm and said a few kind
words to him, walking with him to the
door of the palace. As he entered the
Plaza de .Armas from uadcr the porch Of
the palace the American soldiers, in re-
spolsa To u quick word of command, pre-
scntcd arms aal the officers saluted with
their swords. AS the eN-captain general
walked toward the water front from
acloss the plaza an American military
band played the royal Spanish march.
Gen. Clous accompanied Gen. Castellanos
to IT, Mle!,,," de Cavallcria, where Il boat
i was %ai,i..s to convey him to the steamer
Rabbat.
American Flag Raised.
AS the Spanish flag was lowered it was
tSlHlttu ny llc SUITS ana stripes, ana as
the latter tioated to the breeze it was sa-
lutcd with t%wenty-one guns. Tears chokcd
the utterances Of Gen. Castellanos as he
heard the decp-voiced guns roaring a well
come to the flag of the conqueror. After
a while he controlled himself and said:
This is the most bitter moment of my
life. wish that no IL of you will ever
suffer what l am suffering now" Gen.
| (1n,,c n,,l.,onj 1,:,, n,,l Io,A.1 uyy.--
Espana!' Gen. Castellanos, with a trem-
too kind" Then he jumped into the boat.
which Immediately started for the steam
er. =
The Cuban generals. Mayla Rodriguez,
Mario Mcnocal and Rafael de Cardenas.
who had been invited by Gen. Brooke,
were present at the palace during the cere-
mony of surrender. Gen. Castellanos saw
them there and asked that he be intro
dncel to them. The British consul intro
duccd them. whereupon Gen. Castellanos
said: II am sorry, gentlemen. that we
have been enemies. having the same
blood" Sir" answered Gen. Menocal,
w fought for Cuba. Now that she is
free we are no longer enemies" Gen. Cas-
t~ellanos shook hands with the three Cuban
icituCiss ullu All luminosity SetuleU TO nave
been forgotten.
After the American flag had been hoist
ed the bands played the American ma
tional hymn. and this was greeted with
tremendous cheering by the crowd that
had assembled in Obispo and O'Reilly
streets. near the palace, and in the Plaza
de .Armas itself. Along the Prado and
the other main streets a hundred thou
sand persons frantically cheerel the
Americans and the United States. All
the houses occupied by Cubans were deco
rated. the flags. etc. that had been taken
down after Gen. I.udlow's order forbid
ding demonstrations having been replaced.
The Cubans. who a. last saw the ~rcaliza-
ton of their dreams of many years. were
frantic with enthusiasm.
After all the formalitics had been COM
Piled with and receipts had been exchang-
ed for the forts and other properties that
had belonged to the crown. and after the
flag had been raised mt Cabanas by Lieut..
Fitzhugh Lee. .lr.. and ut the Moro by
Iiruf- Wnle Cans RrOnEo mud ,dlo,,,