Evening star., 1899-04-11
THE GOVERNOR OF GUAM
Captain Leary'Preparing to Go to His Island
Domain.
First Colonial officer of the Kind
Ever Appointed "A Liberal
Equipment Allowed.

The governor of Guam, Capt Richard J.
1eary, or as he Is affectionately referred
to by his brother officers in the navy, Gov
ernor Dick will sail away on the Yose-
mite Saturday to take charge of the far
away land. where he will be the monarch
of all he surveys. He is perfectly content
with the assignment to the little island of
the South seas from the very uniqueness of
the position he will occupy. During his
recent stay in Norfolk his greatest delight
was to show to his friends the plan of
modest building, which as yet exists only
on paper, with the information that it was
the design of his palace" The material
for this palace will be a part of the cargo
of the Yosemite, and until it is completed
Governor Leary will make his home on
board the vessel The bureau of equipment
and the bureau of navigation have done
everything possible to provide Governor
DICK with all the comforts of home, and
the Yosemite will carry as varied a cargo
as any vessel that ever left New York. So
liberal were the bureaus that they allowed
the governor 50 much lumber, to be used in
the erection of his palace and the various
necessary buildings attached thereto, that
some OF it will be left behind, owing to the
limited capacity of the Yosemite. One hun
dred and twenty-five marines will go along
to garrison the island and turn out to
salute the governor on state occasions for
although far from home, the governor in
with the greatest ceremony.
The Fourth of July.
The natives of Guam will celebrate the
Fourth of July for the first time this year
as citizens of the United States, and Gov
ernor Leary is very likely to make it an
occasion which will long be remembered.
There will be music as well as burning
powder, for the governor Is to have a band
He has been supplied with band instru-
ments by the indulgent bureau of euuip-
ment and has 125 lustylunged marines
from which to chose musicians. They NAV
not be very expert by the Fourth of July
but the citizens Of Guam will not be very
critical regarding musical matters for the
present at least. Governor Leary thinks
a great deal of the band idea, and through
the medium of the harmonious strains from
brass and reed he hopes to demonstrate the
soothing influence of music over the un-
tutored savage.
For Comfort and Enjoyment,
For the benefit Of the governor and his
little world there have been provided guns
for hunting, a steam launch for side trips
around his domain, silver candlesticks to
give mis- library tone, rugs, carpets cur
talns, bath tubs toilet articles and a thou
sand and one things which will be maryeled
at by the Guam citizenry. While the two
bureaus We're engaged in getting I'D a list
OF the things which the governor would
neeu ior MS territory some one suggested
that ne might want a water works system.
capt. Bradford at once suggested that
windmill be allowed the governor. and
forthwith 1t was so ordered. This plea sed
the governor very much. and he viii set
about organizing fire department as soon
as the water works Is In running order
The trade winds sweep the island all the
year round, and the wind mill, a powerful
affair, built for long service, will furnish
an abundant supply of water for all pur-
poses. Enough piping and cement is 60
ing along in the Yosemite to set ND a good
sized town with all thu waterworks system
1t needs.
All Seem Pleased.
There will be no newspapers to read at
Guam. but there will be plenty of books.
and the governor will not be averse to
lending volume from his library now
and then. For six months there will he
plenty for the little band to do, but after
that the dreary monotony of the life will
begin. None of the men who are going
seem to anticipate anything but happy.
peaceful existencs, free from the cares
that vex the average mortal in more popu-
lous and accessible climes. All the mar
rfed men win take their families Few of |
them expect to see America again vet
none Of them have so far shown an inel-
nation to remain. The career of the gov
ernor will be watched with interest by his
brother officers. He is the first colonial
governor of the United States, and the as |
signment he goes to fill would be regarded
by most men as nothing hort of banish- |
meQt