Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-05-31
OF CUBA
REALIZED AT LAST
Island Was Transferred to Ma.
tive Governmen@ at Noon
Today.
HAVANA IN GALA ATTIRE
City Was Gorceously Decorated and
All Was Life and Animation
Governor Wood Reviews
Growth OF Island.

Havana, May 21.-The natal day of
the republic Of Cuba found Havana ar
rayed like a queen to await the coming
Of her lord. She seemed reinvested for
the occasion with the dignity of the
prosperous days of her II wealth.
Decorations are universal. There Is not
a residence, pretentoius or humble, that
did not bear on its quaint facade some
emblem in honor Of the event. Many
arches were erected at entrances of
plazas by political societies, fraternal
clubs and residents Of various civil d.
visions. The city and business organ
izations had an air Of real grandeur.
Scaffolding was covered with canvass
and painted in imitation marble and
from a distance the illusion was COM
plete. Bunting spread on Venetian
masts canopied the deep, narrow streets
from the rays Of the SUI. Beneath these
canopies the Cuban colors and palms
graced the open doorways through
which glimpses could be caught of lux
uriant gardens in the cool, inner courts.
Many of the balconies and outings
from the white-walled buildings were
adorned with roses. Nature seemed in
harmony with the spirit of the festiv-
tiles.
Havana GorgeouslysDecorated.
AAAS oAh WHY tNNiul1 Will
tropical flowers, and above every red
tiled roof rose the Cuban flag. The
whole city seemed suddenly buried be-
meath the forest of waving banners.
The decorations along the water front
were exceedingly lavish. All the ship
ping In the harbor was dressed In gala
attire. The majority Of ships flew the
American ensign at the main and the
Cuban colors at the fore or miZzen. The
United States nrl1tCnr Ilrnnl1xyn NfhIaA
was to take General Wood away, and
the steamer MORO Castle, on which
the troops were to embark, as we'll as
foreign Warships which had been sent
by their governments to be present at
the birth of the new republic, were
dressed with streams of signal flags,
fore and aft, In man-of-war fashion.
American CoIors Conspicuous.
The American colors which were to
be hauled down in a few hours still
hoated above the grim walls and for
tresses which guard the entrance to
the harbor. Not another bit OF color
showed upon them. Early this morn
Ing 1t was cool and delightful, and the
entire population reinforced by thou
sands OF visitors were abroad soon af-
ter daylight.
All was animation and expectancy.
The streets swarming with people were
filled with q ceaseless din. Much curios-
ity was aroused by the statue Of free
dom, which had been raised during the
night In Central park upon q pedestal
where for centuries q statute Of Queen
Isabella had stood. During the morn
ing a bountiful breakfast was given to
several thousand poor children by Mr..
Paine OF Boston, who has passed the
winter in Havana for many years. AS
the day advanced the heat Of the sun
became intense, and the weather grew
hotter every minute. Hot air from hot
streets quivered in the hot sky until
the whole landscape wavered.
Island Transferred at Noon.
The actual transfer of control Of the
island was scheduled to occur exactly
at noon, but those invited to witness
the ceremony were requested to be at
the palace at 1880 q. m. They included,
besides American officers and members
Of President-Elect Palma's cabinet,
members of congress-, supreme court
judges, governors of provinces, officers
of visiting w%arship, foreign consuls,
William Jennings Bryan and other
visiting American statesmen. Several
Of Senior Palma's Central Valley On. W
neighbors, Horatio Rubens, consul for
Cuban Juntas, Colonel William
Astor Chanler. and a few other special
w ipuitad p,tnctC