WHEN THE AMERICANS ENTERED THE TOWN OF COAMO PUERTO RICO.IT WAS AUGUST 9 1898.ACCORDING TO THE HISTORIA DE LA GUERRA HIAPANOAMERICANA BY RIVERO, VERY FEW SHOTS WERE HEARD,AND THEY WERE DISCHARGED INTO A EMPTY SHACK TWO MILES FROM COAMO.THE MAJOR OF COAMO ,A RICH MERCHANT AND DAIRYMAN,DON FLORENCIO SANTIAGO,RECEIVED THE AMERICANS TROOPS ROYALLY,OFFERING THEM FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION.AS HAD HAPPENED IN PONCE A FEW DAYS BEFORE,THE AMERICANS FOUND THAT THE SPANIARDS HAD TAKEN WITH THEM ALL MATERIALS FRON THE POST OFFICE.
IT IS BELIEVED THAT THIS PROVISIONAL STAMP WAS PRINTED ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 12,1898,THAT IS FOUR DAYS AFTER THE AMERICANS TROOPS OCCUPIED COAMO,AND WAS IN USE UNTIL THE 4TH OF SEPTEMBER 1898.MR.FLORENCIO SANTIAGOHAD BEEN ASKED BY GENERAL H. WILSON TO STAY IN HIS POST AS MAJOR.
FOLLOWING THE PRECEDENT SET IN PONCE,THE MAYOR OF COAMO GAVE AN ORDER TO THE SMALL PRINTING SHOP{PERHAPS THE ONLY ONE IN THE TOWN}EL ALBA,TO PRINT SOME STAMPS WITH A VALUE OF 5 CENTS,TO BE USED"UNTIL THE UNITED STATES GOVERMENT CAN ORGANIZE THEIS OWN OFFICIAL POSTAL SERVICE"IN THIS TRAGIC BUT HISTORICAL MOMENT,THE COAMO PROVISIONAL STAMP WAS BORN.TO PREVENT REPRINTING,ALL STAMPS WERE COUNTERSIGNED BY STAMPING THE MAJOR'S SIGNATURE WITH A RUBBER STAMPIN VIOLET OR PURPLE INK OVER EACH TWO STAMPS.AS THE PRINTER,HAVING SUCH A SMALL BUSINESS,DID NOT HAVE 10 TYPES OF THE NUMBER 5,HE USED FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES,IN THE SHEET OF TEN.
THE STAMP I HAVE IS TYPE # 3 SO THERE WERE ONLY 100 OF THEM.I HAVE THAT STAMP BECAUSE DON FLORENCIO SANTIAGO WERE MARRIED TO MRS.EFROSINA CIANCHINI. MRS.EFROSINA CIANCHINI WAS THE SISTER OF MY GRANFATHER.ALSO I HAVE THE WATCH THAT DON FLORENCIO SANTIAGO USED DAILY.IT IS A GOLD WALTHAM WATCH MAXIMUS 23 JEWELS 1900.AND IS IN PERFECT CONDITION AND WORKING PERFECTLY.
