Waterbury Democrat., 1902-05-20

provinces, the officers of the visiting warships, the foreign consuls, w J.. Bryan and other visiting Americans of note several of Senor Palma's Gen. tral Valley (N. Y) neighbors, Horatio Rubens. counsel for the former Cuban junta, Colonel William Astor Chanler. and few other specially invited guests.
 The palace is an imposing yellow stone structure, the upper stories of its front being built over a stone col onnade, giving it a fine architectural effect. For centuries it was the res idenee of the captains general of Spain. Since the American occupation it has been the official headquarters of the military governor. It fronts an exquisite park, the Place de Armas, with it's stately royal palms and spe- cies of banyan trees called "Laurels of India" Tn the center of the build- ing an archway leads, as ill all Span- ish palaces, to the patio or court, where q statue of Columbus rises from mass of palms and Towering plants On either side of the entrance, marble stairways ascend to the audience room, which opens through balconied
 
 chamber the actual transfer occurred It Is an imposing room. oblong, with lofty ceiling and marble floor. It formed fine setting for the historic occasion. The chamber is to-day ex- actly as it was when the Spaniards departed, except that the portraits of Balmaceda, the Weyler of the Ten Years war, and those of the other cap- tains-general which hung upon it's walls are gone. They were. taken back to Spain- But coats of arms of Spain, with their royal quarterings, still hang above the windows, which are screened by the same scarlet cur tains which were hanging during the Spanish regime. The decorations, white and gold, with the superb mil. Tors. have also been preserved, just as they were left by the Spaniards. The chair, with a gold crown above its back, which was reserved for the Spanish monarch himself, was visible in an adjoining apartment.
 Shortly before II 80 those who were to take part in the ceremony began to arrive. All the naval officers were i'll full uniform and the Cubans gen. orally were attired in frock coats, white waistcoats and high hats. The ceremony was brief and simple Af- ter formal greetings General Wood took the documentary transfer pre- pared by the war department, pledg- ing the new government to immediate ly proclaim its constitution and the Platt amendment contained in the ap- pendix and then to undertake all the obligations assumed by the United States with respect to Cuba by the treaty of Paris.
 Senor Palma attached his signature | to document, as president of the Gu ban republic, after an exchange of | congratulations and the veteran Gen | eral Gomez ascended to the roof of | the palace where he was accorded an | immense reception. General Wood | personally lowered the American col | DTS, which were saluted. and with his own hand hoisted the Cuban flag, as m act of the United States, Gomez assisting.
 General Wood and staff and the American troops embarked immediate ly after the raising of the Cuban flag and the American ships steamed out of the harbor. At Santiago General Whiteside turned over his authority to his Cuban successor and sailed away with the American cavalry which has been in garrison there.