The Indianapolis journal., 1895-12-31
DYNAMITE IN CUBA.
Used by the Insurgents to Destroy
Railroad Bridges.

DrlOBcSs
New York Sun.
from Cuba Handed at Tunas de Laza about
the middle of September, last with $50 re-
cruits, fully armed -eRa-4iseiplined, under
command of General Castillo. This corps
is known as the Cuerpo Expedicionario.
They had $500 Remington rifles, 1,500 Colts
.45-calbre revolvers, IS boxes of ammuni-
formed part of the escort that sent
down to Tunas to receive this ammunition,
and on arrival was detailed to take pack,
by forced marches, two boxes or dynamite,
to be distributed to Captain Roberto Ber-
mudez and Captain Luis Roban, for imme-
date use in destroying railroad bridges.
II know positively that two of the princi-
pal railroads OF the island are paying SUBJ
ventions to the patriots in order to protect
their roads. The Sagua La Grande and
Santa Clara roads refused to do this, and
in consequence hardly a day passes without
their having some bridge blown up with
dynamite They have to send out an ex-
ploring engine in advance of all their trains,
and large escorts of military have to &C.
company each train, both as guard and to
do the work of reconstruction, as the Gu
bans have notified the laborers not 10 work
for these companies on pain OF death.
st myself was present at the blowing Up
OF the $4,000 bridge between Sitriceto and
Rodrigo, and had an opportunity TO see
how the people managed dynamite. The
masonry was blown away as neatly as IL
done by. experts The trestiing was then
not more than two miles away. from the
garrisoned town of Rodrigo. where there
were some four hundred Spanish troops.
''These left their fort and occupied the
houses OF the residents, to protect them
so they said, as soon as word was brought
that the patriots were e,osaG ae
and the brave Spanish soldiers protected
the people of that town by taking good
care to place themselves within the very
innermost rooms of the houses. The knowl-
edge that the patriots had dynamite fright
ened those Spaniards so badly that laey
didn't know where to hide themselves. The
Cubans may not understand the technique
as Rev Thomas Dixon, jr., says, OF the
proper use of dynamite, but they are dong
lots of damage with it, all the same.
lit matters not If we have to blow up,
burn or destroy every structure Of prop
erty in Cuba one Cuban leader said to NE:
We do so because we know that out of
the ruin our liberty will be born; and,
though we should have to plant our banner
in a heap of ashes, IT matters not as lib
erty will be our reward. Should any be 20
unpatriotic as to express discomfort at los
ing his property, let our answer be tnat
we are giving our lives; that We. day by
day. give our blood for our country, SO that
we give and we lose more than others
This is the sentiment expressed by every
Cuban, from Maxine Gomez down 10 the
last man in the ranks. Can such men be
defeated?
Il see that the papers say that the Gu
hans are 6isgusted with this mode of war
fare.
''Well, have lived in Cuba for more than
ten years. and / have just come from Gu
ba, and J have not lived isolated either,
but righs among and forming a part vf the
Cuban people, and / never heard Cuban
express anything but absolute approval of
the tactics of Gen. Maximo Gomez, and
more. in Cuba / never CUBAN nho
would not be the first to fire or blow UP
his own house and property for the liberty
of his country. Now, that Is how he peo-
pie feel; the papers MAY Say what hey
please.
but I have dgressed irom the incident
of the Rodrigo bridge. IL took the Span
iards forty-eight hours to TX the tri0Ee
temporarily, at an expense of about 5000,
and the Cubans gained their ooiect, which
was to detain two train loads of soldiers
sent from Havana TO occupy some places
which the patriots burned while the trains
were detained l refer to the burnings at
Strecito Cifuentes, and in the vicinity of
Rhoias. Capt. Roberto Bermldez SUPER
intended the use of the dynamite at this
bridge. He has had lots of practice by
this time and Is now. no doubt, an expert.
THE patriots have a gunpowder factory
in charge of a German chemist This was
on small scale when ! left. IL being linn
tied to filing the empty cartridges. which
are carefully collected after an action. They
were refilling, when 1 saw them, about 500
a day Preparations were being made TO
get machinery and the metal TO make tne
cartridges or rather the machinery to pre-
pare the metal. as Cuba is 'ull of copper
machinery, old and new, used IN the sugar
plants so that they have plenty Of metal
which would be cheerfully furnished as IL
belongs principally to Cuban property own