OCR Text |
Show 1EIANS ARE AWE-STRUGK If ARipiBE Impreasive Ceremony Marks Official Transfer of Vera Cruz From Fletcher to Funston. FEARS AND CHEERS GREET THE SOLDIERS Patriotic American Refugees Weep for Joy When They See Their Country's Flag. By CHAHLES MICHELSON. By International News Service. VEHA CRUZ. Mexico, April 30. The taking over of Vera Cruz b' the army today was purposely impressive. Every detachment of troops had its own band, ovcry movement was a nil parade through the important sections of the city. By the time General Funston had briefly accepted Admiral Fletcher's "General. I turn over to you the government gov-ernment of Vera Cruz," tbo inhabitants were in a state of awe. Their comments com-ments indicated a belief that all the soldiers- in the world had been turned loose in Vera Cms. More impressive than the long lines of khaki-dressed men of the navy aud army with the gcueral and the admiral walking between, formally transferring the dominion of the city that through 400 years has been accustomed to tiro, loot and slaughter on such occasions, was the presence of hundreds of American Ameri-can refugees who have been coming to the city ever since the landing of the marines. Those folk of ours, some in the finest of tropical linen, some in misfit garments, gar-ments, gathered anywhere to take care of the destitute and noarly naked people peo-ple who had been robbed ot everything mon, women and children gathered on corners at the Plaza Del Arms and on the roofs to cheer the soldiers. Patriotism Pa-triotism is a very real thing to people who havo been exposed to insults, abuse nnd danger from n hostile population, and the flag being carried up the narrow nar-row streets between low walls of whitewashed white-washed houses meant more to them than to an3-body else. Refugees Weep. Some were weak from their privations, but. weak or not, the spectacle broke down the stoical reserve of the north and marie these people as sentimental aH the people nmonp whom they had suffered so much. Every woman alternately wiped away tears and waved to the soldiers, and the men were hardly more composed. There Is a primness about the soldier that tbo marine and the bluejacket do not suggest. sug-gest. The tall, lean. Infantrymen, though they marched under a blistering sua with a heavy equipment on thulr backs, gave a very different impression from the smll-Iny smll-Iny naval forces, who seemed to people here to .shoot or play with equal willingness. willing-ness. It Ir perhaps as well that the amiable feeling engendered by the sociable seamen sea-men should bo supplanted by the Implacable Im-placable Impression given by tbo soldiers. There will be no diminution of the hclp-ful-hand spirit that has s-o surprised the Vern Cms Indians, but there 1b a permanency perma-nency and finality Indicated by the heavy regiments that Is not. lost on the unreconciled unrec-onciled here. It Is a sort of "snipers, take notice, the time for leniency Is past." From early morning tbo streets were filled with marching men getting to the stations prepared for them. There they got a chanre to drop the blanket rolls, wash the sweat away and get something to eat and be Hpruced irp for the reviewing review-ing and the saluting that were achedulcd for a Inter hour. In thn meantime the nai-y people bad been doing the same thing In reverse order, or-der, getting all their guns aboard ship and gradually moving their belongings to Malecon or sanitary dock. Tho soldiers marched In first, forming ori both sides of tho pier. General Funston, In the center cen-ter of the. long aisle with bis aides, nwalt-ed nwalt-ed Admiral Fletcher and his staff. The shattered walls of the naval academy, the gloomy customs house and other gray walls Identified In the minds of the nnval forces with thn first gunllre that greeted their landing, looked down upon the scene. Formal Transfer Made. The lane extended full length along the pier and on to the wide, open spaco where occured the first American casualty?., Thr werrt distant bugle call?, rhen hands could be heHrd and then the lines of blue nnd khaki came Into view as Admiral Ad-miral Fletcher and his staff, with all the gold lac that their dazzling while uniforms uni-forms could carry, Joined General Fun- It took the better part of the morning for the procession of seamen to pass. An hour under such a sun was no tough an ordoal as anv In the campaign of war. I The military, however, seemed to BUfTcr leas than tho spectators, who crowded vn vantage point regardless of the nun. When the last lino had passed. Admiral Fletcher advanced to General Funston and saluted him with hl swonl. The siilute whs returned bv the Reneml. "Gonrr.il, I turn over to you the government gov-ernment or Vera Cruz," suld Urn admiral. "I arenpt th rhingn on the part, of the (Continued, on Pace Two.) fM NUDE MIES ' GREAT IMPRESSION I (Continued from Pago One.) army and I hope I may administer It capably," replied the general. There was another salute, and Vera Cruz was on American army post. Hero Is the brigade formation ordered by "General Funslon: Brigade front toward Tdcxlco Clt.v: extreme ex-treme left, .Seventh Infantry. Colonel Moore; outpost duty, Fourth Infantry. Colonel Van Vllet; outposts, Nineteenth Infantrv, Colonel Waltz. For tho garrison of tho town there will be 3000 marines, tinder Colonel Mu honey. The Twenty-eighth, under Colonel Plum-mer, Plum-mer, will bo held In reserve at tho lighthouse. light-house. . Thu Mexicans who a week aqo resisted to tho point of death tho landing of Americans at Vera Cms. cheered the troops under General Funston thai marched Inlo the clt.v this morning. The Soventh and Nineteenth regiments entered bv the Avenue Indencndoncla. the Fourth infantry passed by the American Ameri-can consulate. Children Bring Flowers. Mexican chlldron brought flowers and presents to tho bluejackets before they went back to the ships. Some cried and pleaded with Ihe sailors not lo leave. A little boy and girl chini,' to Lieutenant Jones Ingram, tho famous Annapolis football foot-ball coach of the battleship Arkansas brigade, and pleaded that lie remain. Thousands were at the docks when Admiral Ad-miral Fletcher reviewed tho sailors at -o'clock. . Commander Moffctt of the Chester, who shelled Hie naval school and the arsenal. iiirv take thn American dead to New York on the Chester. The Dolphin and De3 Moines arc at Tamplco. and three torpedo bouts, In-cludnlg In-cludnlg the Henley, have gone there probably prob-ably to stay. .,, , A refugee train from .Mexico CIO broucjit one American. K. V. Slovens or Spokane. Wash., and 147 Mexicans returning return-ing to Vera Cruz. French Consul Brouiset conferred with General Maas today, and arranged ror a through special train to Mexico City on Friday, flying the French flag. no is going on an important confidential mission. mis-sion. Tie will be accompanied by II. . Blake of Mexico City and Stephen Bett-)cv Bett-)cv of San Luis Polosl. who obtained passports from tho British consul. Gen-oral Gen-oral Maas will send troops to guard the train. |