Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-05-23
CUBA rs NOW FREE
FORMAL TRANSFER OF THE is-
LAND TAKES PLACE.
United States Keeps Her Promise to the
World and Hands the Reins of Power Over
to President Palma-Was Scene of Wild
Enthusiasm-Amsrican Troops Sail for
Home.

Havana and Santiago de Cuba were
yesterday evacuated by American
troops, the reins of power were handed
over to President Palma and the gov
ernment of Cuba is free, and the whole
island is delerious with joy.
Dramatic as was the remarkable dem
ons tfation when the flag of the United
States was lowered and the flag. of the
new republic hoisted in its place at
noon yesterday on the palace, whence
Spain had ruled the island for CEN
turies, it was hardly more stirring
than the magnificent friendly demon
stration which attended the departure
of the cruiser Brooklyn as she sailed
out of Havana harbor few minutes
before O'Clock in the afternoon. A
fotilla of harbor craft, loaded to the
guards with people and dressed with
bunting from stem to stern, escorted
her to sea. The wat.r front was a
solid mass of people, and the old forti-
6cations at Lapunta, which, with
Moro castle opposite, guards the en-
trance to the narrow neck of the har-
Dor, was a human hillock. The
Brooklyn's anchorage was near the
wreck of the battleship Maine, whose
black, shrunken skeleton was decorat-
ed today with American and Cuban
flags by order of the city council.
When the beautiful cruiser steamed
slowly by this pitiful memory, the
American flag at her taffrail was dipped
and the sailors generally doffed their
caps. AS she pass d the grim walls
of Cabanas and Moro castle, the Brook,
lyn moved swiftly, the American flag
at her fore and the Cuban flag at her
main peak, sailors manning her sides
and the flag at her stern dipping con-
tinuously to the storm of vivas from
ashore and afoat. The Cuban colors
on both the tortresses we're lowered
thee times in salute, although it is
not military etiquette for fort to sa-
lutte except with guns. But an army
four hours old is not expected to know
this. General Wood stood on the
bridge of the cruiser, acknowledging
the ovation he received by bowling and
touching his cap. The fotilla of small
craft kept in the wake of the Brooklyn
until she was hull down on the horizon
then the boats turned back and the
people at the entrance of the harbor re-
turned to their jubilations.
Shortly before II o'clock A. NJ,
those who were to witness the ceremony
began to arrive in carriages through a
street kept clear by the police. All the
naval officers were arrayed in full uni
form, resplendnnt in gold braid and
plumed chapeaux. The Cubans gener-
ally wore black frock suits, white waist
coats and silk hats. They formed a
distinguished looking assemblage as
they gathered in the audience chamber
of the palace.
The ceremony itself was brief and
simple. After formal greeting, General
Wood read the documentary transfer
prepared by the war department, pledg-
ing the new government Immediately
to proclaim the constitution and the
Platt amendment contained in the ap-
pendix, and to undertake all obliga-
with respect to Cuba in the treaty of
Paris. This was followed by the lower
ing of the American flag from the flag
staff of the palace and the raising of
the Cuban colors. Both these acts
we're performed by General Wood, as
sisted by General Gomez. AS the
Cuban flag flew free, the streets below
fairly waved with the cheer that arose.
1t was caught up by the people on the
roofs and rolled over, the city.