Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-04-22

Dramatic Prelude Lacking
Events leading up to landing and
battle were singularly lacking in dra-
matte features.
Soon after o'clock yesterday morn
ing Consul Canada called General
Mas, Huerta's commander here, on
the telephone and said to him.
General, I am instructed to tell you
that the forces of the United states
are about to take the town and sum-
mon you to surrender. l call upon YOU
in the name of humanity not to offer
resistance or attempt to move any
railroad trains and to assist us keep
ing order
General Mas replied: 1T is impos-
sibe fo~ me to comply with your de-
mand for surrender as | am acting
under orders to the contrary. l de-
sire to talk with you"
Canada told Mas he had no in
structions to parley and rang off. In
turn he talked ovt the telephone
with the chief of police and the jefe
quest that they assist in keeping or
der He obtained no definite reply
from either of them, both saying they
would have to consult Mas.
Canada's last official communication
was made to Senior Azacaraga, the Gus
toms collector. Azacaraga asked for
two hours in which to secure papers
and valuables of this office. Stay
where you are" advised Canada. You
and the effects in your office will be
perfectly safe"
These exchanges betwee~ Canada
and the Mexican officials occurred
without tn generals public knowl-
edge. Scarcely 100 persons among the
Americans and other foreigners ashore
knew that a landing was to be made
to-day. The news quickly spread
among the MeXicans but few believed
II.
In the Vera Cruz business center
incoming" begins at II and lasts until
.. Shops close up tightly. Nothing
but restaurants and cantinas are open.
The streets are almost deserted, while
people breakfast and afterward iu-
dulge in a siesta until the intense
heat Of midday has abated.
This is what was happening in the
city to-day when the Americans came.
1t looked as though the Stars and
Stripes would replace the eagle and
serpent banner of Mexico over the
thrice heroic city of the true cross" as
Vera Cruz proudly calls itself. without
the skip of pulse beat in the phleg-
matte life tide of the city by the sea.
But the occupation turned out to be
considerable show after all, though
tame enough to the Americans who
went through the hell of Mexico City's
''decena tragica." or tragic ten days,
February year ago. But it was quite
lively enough to satisfy the neophytes
Marines Come Ashore
BY 1910 the Prairie, lying between
the ancient fortress of San Juan De
Ulloa and the shore in the inner har-
Dor in front of the Consulate, a BIZ
TO the right of it. could be seen drop.
ping boat after boat Through field
glasses. standing on the end of tnc
dock fronting the custom house
which marks the southern limit of the
harbor, could be discerned launches
n half dozen of them, throwing lcne
strings of cutters and whaleboats, wal
lowing shoreward from the Florida
two miles off shore.
Like yellow leaves dropping from
frost-touched trees, the Prairie.
khaki-clad marines tun b!ad smart |,
down the ganSways to their places ir
tie boats. Family could be heard
.2ugle calls, telling the lucky chaps told
o-e TO be of the landing parties tha
the opportunity for which they hav.
been aching and sickening for NOR,
than a year to be up and at the jol
lad arrived.
General Gustave Mas, commando
of the garrison Of Vera Cruz, left tn;
yict in a carriage at noon yesterday
half an hour after the first boat loaC