Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-21
REPUBLIC OF CUBA.
CONTINUED from page ~

the official headquarters Of the military
governor. 1t fronts an rXqusit park,
the Place de Armas, with its stately
royal palms and species of banyan
trees called "laurels Of India" III the
center Of the building an archWay
leads, as III all Spanish palaces, to the
patio or court, where 4 statue of Co
lumbus rises from a mass Of palms and
towering plants. On either side of the
entrance marble stairWays ascend to
the audience ROOM which open through
balconied windows upon the plaza. In
this chamber the actual transfer Oc-
CURED. 1t is an imposing room, oh
long, with Il lofty ceiling aud marble
floor. 1t formed a fine setting for the
historic occasion.
The chamber is today exactly as it
was when the Spaniards departed eX-
cept that that portraits % Balmaceda.
the Weyler of the Ten Years war and
those of the other generals which hung
upon its walls are gone. They We're
taken back to Spain. But ,oats-of-
arms Of Spain with their royal quarter
ngs still hang above tho windows.
which are screened by the same scar
let curtains which were hanging dur
ing the Spanish regime. The dpcora-
lions, white and gold, with the superb
mirrors, have also been preserved lust
as they We're left by the Spaniards.
The chair with gold crown above its
back which was reserved for the Span
ish monarch himself. was visible III An
adjoining apartment.
But stranger still. was the view Of Il
small prayer room of the old Spanish
captain general at the end of the
chamber. It's dark rich tapestries
brought into relief an deliberately cary
ed altar, above which hung an ivory
crucifix.
Owing to the limited space, the peo-
pie were to have 10 sight Of the cere-
mony to be enacted here which was
to constitute them q nation before the
world, but outside they were to wit
ness q spectacle which would stir their
pulses, for they were to use the be
loved five barred and single starred
flag which Cespedes first threw to the
breeze in 1868, at the opening of the
Ten Years war. raised by the act of
This thing which was to happen had
been the dream of their lives and of
their ancestors for generation. Their
parents. brothers and friends had gone
to their deaths TO accomplish it, No
strange wonder then that hours before
the time set they began flocking here
from all quarters of the city Many
We're already before the palace with
the rising sun ana some even slept in
the park, to be certain not to miss this
sight
a portion Of the plaza was kept clear
by the police very early. The re-
mainder was packed with people so
thick that the ground seemed alive.
Soon all the side streets running in
to the plaza was checked into a solid
mass of humanity and every door and
window fronting the square was wall
ed in with faces. white and black, old
and young, male and female. The
crowds sought the roofs, overlooking
every building that commanded view
of the flagstaff on the palace. So far
as the eye could see, the. roof lines
were fringed with human freight. 1t
was a sight to live forever in memory
The first demonstration occurred at
about IL o'clock, when eight dismount-
ed troops of the eth Cavalry. under the
command of Col. Baldwin, marched into
the plaza, preceded by the regimental
band. The cavalrymen wore khaki uni
forms and carried carbines. They
formed in three sides of an oblong
square, facing the palace, their center
resting on the statue of King Ferdi-
rand.
The greeting the American soldiers
received was cordial, but real enthusi-
asm was first manifested upon the ap-
pearance of two batteries Of native ar
tillery, who, coming up at double quick
inc, wheeled into line ana grounded
arms in the street directly below the
balconies of the palace. The maneuver
was executed smartly and the crowd
Shortly after the guests began to ar
rive and a state occasion of first
class European power could not have
more ceremony.
The President-elect, attired simply III
/ black suit with frock coat, walked
over from the Senate chamber at the