Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-04-24
Battleship Louisiana
Arrives at Vera Cruz
and Lands Detachments
By Associated Press

py <1SSOGf0Ieu fFCSS
Vera Cruz, April 24.-The battleship
Louisiana arrived to-day and imme-
diately landed detachments of marines
| and bluejackets. The Mississippi also
prepared to send ashore 700 marines
and a battalion of bluejackets as we'll
as two aeroplanes.
The marines who had been holding
| the outposts were relieved to-day by
q battalion of bluejackets.
Detachments of bluejackets and ma
rines are quartered all about the city,
while squads patrol the streets.
BY tomorrow the total force on
| shore will probably reach $500 men.
The outposts have been equipped
with twelve machine guns and several
| 3-inch field pieces, which We're taken
to the front to-day by teams of six
horses to each gun. The animals were
frightened by the unaccustomed work
and the marines had a hard struggle
with them.
Rear Admiral Fletoher's headqilar-
| ters at the Terminal Hotel are guard
! ed by machine guns, while seven field
pieces are held in reserve in the
vicinity.
Supplies Distributed
| The commissary, ordnance and quar-
termaster's departments worked very
efficiently so that along the docks
there were no piles of merchandise, as
is usually the case Whine an armed
| forced is landed All supplies were
promptly distributed among the troops,
| who also received distilled water from
the ships under the superintendance
| of the medical department
over 200 Mexican sick and wounded
were found in the San Sebastian Hos
pttal when 1t was inspected to-day by
a navy surgeon. Among the wounded
was only one woman, who had been
G tnt orb ttn
In the mortuary of the hospital forty
unburied Mexican deda were lying. A
supply of ammunition was also found
here The building had been protected
from the gunfire of the warships and
the rifle fire of the landing parties by
the hospital flag, although it appears
| certain that there was much sharp
shooting from the roof of the hospital.
Conditions in the hospital were
found to be so bad that three navy
surgeons were dtailed to-day to assist
the hospital authorities. Food and
medicine were supplied from the
Solace.
Wounded On Solace
All the American wounded have
been taken on board the Soace. The
navy surgeons are enthusiastic over
the care and attention they are able
!; to give the stricken men. owing to the
Until the arrival of the Solace tn,
wounded and the prisoners had beei
sent on board the Prairie, which sooI
| became crowded. That vessel is ill
suited for hospital work.
The medical department to-da,
made an inspection of the sanitar.
conditions of the city and opened
{ negotiations with the Mexican healtl
officials in the hope of inducing then
to return to their work
FL With Commander Herman 0. Stick
ney. of the Prairie, appointed com
, mander of the port, the American au
thorities to-day undertook the man
| agement of the customs. For tim,
there will be in reality two custom
houses. Mariana Ascarraga, the Mex
, ican customs collector, is no tincline,
to serve under American supervision
but declares he will take charge of th
undispatched business which was il
. hand at the moment of occupation
! Commander Stickney and his men ar
) to look after the new business an,
believe they will have no difficulty |,
i retaining few of the old officials
One of the reasons given by Ascarrag;
| for declining to continue his dutie
was tha the would be violating tn,
Mexican law. as the port of Vera Cru
, has been closd by orders from the fed
: eral capital
Admiral Fletcher Busy
Rear Admiral Fletcher has begu,
the general supervision of the city an,
he and his staff are working yer,
arduously in Strengthening out loca
: affairs.
Very few of the former heads O
the city departments have returned t,
take up their positions and most o
them seem to have left the city.
The sanitation plant of the munici
/, pality was placed in operation agail
to-day under new chief and tn,
street car lines also have resumed par
tial service.
Numbers of shops and restaurant
. We're opened yesterday and crowd
walked about the streets and the opel
, places. Except for the passing of al
: occasional patrol the city seems t,
have resumed almost normal con
ditions.
Music for Civilians
Bands from the American flee
played in various parts of the city yes
terday and attracted large crowds O
| civilians. The idea of providing musi
for the people was suggested by Cap
tain Rush. who only a few hours be
fore had been directing the artiller,
and machine gun fire against the sam
people.
, Large numbers of Mexicans calle,
at Rear Admiral Fletchers headquar
ters to-day pleading for the release o
friends and relatives who had beel
made prisoners. The almost invari
able reply was that all whose limo
cence could be established would b
released in a short time. Captain
HuSe, chief of staff of Rear Admira
Fletcher, addressed one group in Span
ish, telling them that the sniping from
the housetops must cease and that al
Mexicans within the American line
i, must respect American authority.
The total number of prisoners takei
!, was about 800 but many have alread,
been released.
BY associated Press
= Washington, D. c.. April 24.-"Jus
!, had an interview with Villa. Fl
j wishes to salute you affectionately an,
said you need have no anxiety"
This message was delivered to-da,
: to General Hugh Scott. assistant chic
, of staff of the army, from Dr. Corlo
81 Husk, of El Paso. General Scot
! has known Villa for some time, tn
two having faced each other acros
II t. L. cx,,