The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-12
Gomez Comes Almost Up to the
Gates of Havana.
He HAS A LARGE ARMY NOW.
Antoui0 Maceo's $500 Men Only
Fifty Miles From the Capital.
Weyier Mounting His Infantry-The
Patriots Derail "a spanish Train
They Also Attack Guira Melena and
Overwhcim "a Body of Volunteers in
Pfnar del Rio

! fidNdf1d, ED H.--asen. M4Nin1o Gomez,
/ the insargent commander-in-chief. camped
| last night at the plantation Of Bregaa.
/ near San Antonio dc Las Vegas about
/ twelve miles south OF this city He is said
have large force with him. and 10 have
| lam considerably reinforced recently from
| tho province of Matanzas
detachment Of insurgents surprised A
| number Of volunteers on a plantation near
| san Marcos de MacGriles. province Of Piuar
/ DEL Rio The volunteers. who are said to
/ have numbered twenty men. defended
| themselves against superior numbers. hut
/ the insurgents charged upon them with
| machetes and cut down and killed nine II
them Upon the arrival OF re3nf0rcements
the insurgents retreated in their custom
I ary manner.
The insurgents are reported TO have ap-
/ peared In force in the vicinity of Guira
Meiena, which they attacked Csliira Mel
| ena IS about due south Of this city and has
| frequently Of late been the scene of In
surgent operations. Upon this occasion the
| enemy made strong attack upan the
! town, which was defended by small force
| OF volunteers and civil guards. The latter,
/ however. had assumed good positions be-
! hind breastworks and in houses Valentine
MandeZ, the iusurgent chief. who led the
| attack upon Guira Melena. was among the
| killed.
| DR.. Jose Maeeo and nine other persons
past at Puerto Padre on the charge OF con-
/ spring against the government. have been
! ordered 10 be transported to the Spanish
| prisons in Africa.
The greatest activity was displayed in
military circles today. AT the captain gen
erals headquarters the reports which he
sent for upon his arrival yesterday, telling
/ Of the number of men available for active
service. the number OF sick. the quantity
| OF ammunition and supplies in possession
| of each column or detachment. the state
| Of country roads. railroads and telegraph
| lines, and the probable strength OF the
| enemy, were being collected and tabulated
| by number Of clerks. The captain gem
| eral intends TO have the whole situation
mapped out clearly before any arrange
ments OF importance are undertaken.
III Is understood that steps are being taken
| TO organize large cavalry brigade for inn
| mediate service. Considerable difficulty
| is being experienced in securing the neces-
| sary animals. a great number Of them
! having been corrailed by the enemy. But
| IL Is expected that the efforts OF the cap
| tain general Will result in strongly REIN
| forcing the mounted infantry now at the
| disposal OF the Spanish commanders.
Orders were issued this morning from
| the headquarters TO make a considerable
| increase of armored railroad cars for The
use of the troops. These cars have been OF
! great assistance TO the Spanish in protect
| ing conveys OF provisions passing through
| parts OF the country infested with insur-
| gent bands. Pilot engines, also protected.
| are sent ahead. In order TO guard against
| the explosion of dynamite along the road
| and then comes the military train itself
| Sometimes there are two OF these armored
| cars attached TO one train. one armored
| car Is placed Immediately after the engine
| and the other brings up the rear. Both
| are filed with troops and are protected
| with boiler iron In most cases, although this
| has been found 10 be insufficient protection,
| in nearly all eases the insurgent bullets
| passing through the cars. Therefore re-
| Gently the armor plate has been Increased
| In thickness. But there is room for con-
| siderable Improvement yet.
News was received here this morning
/ that the insurgents had succeeded in de-
| railing pilot engine between Coiliseo and
Suminero. The work was done so effective
/ ly that the military train with its srmored
/ car was under the fire of the insurgents
/ very soon afterward. but owing TO the oe-
| fense Of the military detachment defend
| ing it. the train was rescued.
| Press Censorship DiStorts the News.
| The dispatches from Havana are SO dis
/ torted BY the Spanish censors that they
/ cannot be relied upon. From the tele-
! grams printed above ii can be CLEANED that
| Maxine Gomez has been reinforced by
/ Jose Maceo. who came up from the east
| ern end OF the island with GOO men. wen
/ supplied with ammunition. Gomez Is
| camped twelve miles south of Havana. lie
1 has the greatest contempt for the military
/ ability OF Gen. Weyier. whom he has met
/ before Antonio Maceo, in command of
1 the western army Of $50 men, Is only
/ twenty-five miles from Havana. OF An
/ tonic Maceo's men less than half are
mounted. OF Gomez men a large part are
| infantry The third army. Of Jose Maceo,
/ IS said 10 be better equipped. The Span
| iards have said repeatedly that all The pa
| triots are mounted. The armies Of Gomez
| and Antonio Maceo are very poorly armed.
/ and though they defeat the Spaniards
| often they DO not kin many Gen Weyler
smokes cigarettes. and Gen Gomez
| smokes cigrFs~
Gomez Not Afraid OF weyler.
/ a Havana letter. dated January 5. 20 the
/ New York AiaiI and Express. says: Co
/ meg has issued a new statement OF procla-
nation. which is nov In the hands Of "a
/ few Cubsns in this city. have had :;
! Translates. After reviewing the Cuban
/ successes up 10 this point he reiteFatcs his
! confidence IN the issue Of the war. OF
| Weylers coming ne says that he shall re-
| greet IL only II innocent Cubans lose their
| lives through the inhuman measures
1 sdopfed in his former wars. Gomez ADDS
/ thai no matter how great an army comes
| with Weyler. he VIII simply wear them
and tire them 70 death. as b has been
| doing. preserving his own armies intact.
/ REGARDING the new Spanish loan and the
/ uronosfffop 10 increase the import taxes
| on cuba ne points 10 Spaius daily tu-
| craasfrz weakness and declares that she
! cannot hold out much longer. The euor-
| NOUS rate Of interest demanded III France
1 and even by SPANS own citizens. IL the
/ loan IS made, he assumes 10 be the surest
/ sign ~ her peril
AntouIo Naseso'~ am oaisn in the West.
Ger. Antonio Maeeo. writing TO the
/ Washington City Star under date 81 jan
uaTy =. says.
! What have We accomplished BY our tn-
/ vaslon % Pinar del Rio province2 A great
4 deal In the first place. We ores the at
/ t4ntion q the authorities 70 THIS end 81 IRE
| ISLAND srd seo reinforeen8enfs. uHaeE
1 Nunsz Sanchez and my brother. jose
/ Maceo. we're enabled 70 march from the
] eastern end Of the island 20 the province
/ of Havana without having 3 serious co
Z gaEefnenf- We needed these reinforce
/ rs4ntx 20 make a better showing N tIs
! capital province. and We nee2ed neN
I supply o. ammunition, equipments etc !,
| ard Asd nor wish 20 marth our forces "a :
/ 20 the Clruaga- 70 Sanctl SpiFiJns OF Su-
/ bitas 70 obtain them Oar sscond adFan-
/ taxe has been TIE calling Of The entire
| Spanish feet q cruisers, gaxU0oaEs @fs'
/ coasters 70 look after the uarfh am soata
! shores o. TIE western end % the fss&na %
! prevent the landing % expeditions IRA
| weFe supposed 10 he sesituea fer tne "
efni;y os Cape San Antonio Nalss 'a'