The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-02-20
TAUSSIG BECOMES The FIRST
GOVERNOR.
American Flag Raised at Fort Santa
Cruz and Agana-Is Saluted by the
Native Militia.

Commander Taussig of the Benning-
ton is the first American governor of
Guam.
The American flag went up over the
new possession at 10:30 a. m. February
lst. 1t was raised over Fort Santa
Cruz in the harbor of San Luis d. Anra,
the main harbor of Guam, and salut-
ed by the guns of the Bennington. 81
multaneously IL was raised over the
government buildings at Agaua, five
miles distant and was saluted by
battalion from the Bennington and
company of native militia with Il 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 1st, and
sailed from there at 8 p. m. February
1st, having coaled the Bennington end
participated in the flag raising cere-
monies.
BY the Brutus Commander Taussig
sent the following letter, dated Janu-
airy Goth, to Major II. a. Bartlett of
this city.
We had good weather throughout the
passage and arrived in Port San Luis
d'Apra in Guam on the 23rd. | found
the Brutus here and will send her to
Honolulu by the 1st of February carry
ing this letter. There was no flag fly
ing over the island, and as the govern
ment had assumed control of the is
land, |, as the senior officer present,
made our paymaster the collector of
the revenues, such as they are. and
will direct the hosting of the flag on
the LIST of February on the government
building. The treasury is empty but
| hpliaNn
all paid up to the 1st of February, at
least some of them have.
The 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 cocao 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 \ laborers
pay is 25 cents a day if he is fed, and
so cents a day if he is not. There are
very few Europeans. I have seen sew
en- or eight priests and three or four
| Spaniards. There are a few half
breeds who speak English. Many of
the natives do not speak Spanish but
most of them understand it. Their Ian
| guage, Chamorro, has many words ev-
| luently OF spanish origin. There are
a number of chickens on the island, the
price having gone up nearly double
since our arrival.
Wakes Island is a low atoll from
eight to twenty feet high, covered
with brush, bushes and some trees. It
is fringed by a coral reef. whose outer
wall is nearly vertical, and | could find
no anchorage. / 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 day. The bare edge of
| the reef was out of the water as the
| breakers receded. | did, however, sue
| Ceed in making q landing. when a flag
| staff was planted and we hosted our
| flag which was Saluted 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 ne left Com
mander Taussig was about to begin
| the surveys of the island he was sent
| to make. But with the arrival of tho
! Yorktown since then, he supposes the
| Bennington has gone on to Manila
! Captain Cottman came here expecting
! to take on coal and some condenser
tubes for the Bennington, for which
| requisition was made some time ago
and to return to Guam. But under
| the changed condition of affairs he
will proceed to San Francisco on Fri.
! day.