The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-02-26
ss0fficiaI" War Stories.
Not Supported by Facts From
Eyewitness.

the attack upon Jaruco, railroad town
midway between Habana and Matan-
zas, on the 18th, are vague and lacking
in many important details Those
cleaned from residents of the town are
quite different. The attack was made
by Aguirre With 400 meu. The volun-
teers of Jaruco, numbering 200 men,
surrendered by precoucerted arrange
men's taking with then. 1000 rounds
Of ammunition. They freed % prls-
oners, burned the Jail, the town ball
aud many other buildings.
The trainload Of troops sect from
Habana was attacked upon arrival and
driven from the cars. one Of which was
armored Seveo soldiers were found
dead in that car. Some Of the soldiers
ran and joined the rebels, being fired
at by their comrades as they deserted.
| Others held together and escaped only
after many were shot. The town,
which was al important one Of over
2.000 inhabitants, is DOW in ruins.
The railroad station is one Of the few
! buildings tha. escaped
After the burning of Jaruco, series
of engagements with the parties of
Gomez and Maceo followed, lasting two
days. The insurgents as usual moved
about from place to place, firing the
columns of Generals Aldecoa and
Linares aud Colonel Hernandez, and
occasionally giving them a short fight,
but moving on when troops began ar
tillery FIRE.
In addition to the forces which have
recently joined Gomez, other bands of
orientals are moving west through
Santa Clara and Matauzas provinces.
Government troops are being coucen-
trated 10 the territory in which Gomez
and Maceo now operate and a decisive
engagement at an early day seems prob
able.
Oh all the sugar estates 10 MataDzas,
Habana and Santa Clara provinces, the
only one now grinding 10 CoustaDcia,
near Cienfuegos. 1t is owned by an
American syndicate. at the head of
which is the firm of Perkins & Walsh.
New York, which recently failed. In
spite of many attempts to destroy the
cane and machinery, the crop is being
gathered and turned toto sugar as rap
idly as possible Grinding was begun
Jan. 20, .and has been kept up con-
tiouously since that date. At this
writing. 10000 bags have been pro-
daced, and it is hoped 10. 900 bags
will be ground before the ueasou ends.
As this is the only estate on the entire
island outside Of Santiago province
which is grindicg. something about
the method followed may be interest
ing.
A chain of forts or block houses have
been built around the estate. There are
46 of these forts. 10 each fort are 10
to - men. and mounted guerrllas
ride from one fort to auother, and are
always in readiness to move to any
point which is threatened There are
$50 men employed as guards and de-
tachment Of 100 Spanish troops is sta
toned on the place.
The numerous small bands of insur-
gents in the neighborhood make fire.
queut attacks, aud exchanging shots
with the enemy is a part of the daily
routine. These encounters seldom re-
suit more seriously y than in the wound
ing of one or two of the guards, and
occasionally the death of an insurgent.
The latter have burned 20 cabins 90
the estate, but have not succeeded in
burning the cane or mills. A force OF
about l 200 men are now at work 90
the estate. The extra cost af guards
is about $40, 900 month. The man.
ager of the estate, the Marquis Apez-
teguia, calculates that the increase 10
the price Of sugar this year will make
the grinding profitable.
The owners of estates in Matanzas
province who have been ordered to be-
gin grinding by General Weyler will
6nd it necessary to employ guards as is
done at Ccostancia, and even then they
will risk losing cane mills aud all, if
they violate Gomez's order prohibiting
grinding The estates at the east end
of the island which are grinding are
those near Guantanamo, Mauzaulllo
and Gibara 1t is said that they are
paying ravenue to the Insurgents for
the privilege of grinding. They also
must pay their tax to Spain. but will
even then come out at a. prodt. 10 Ha-
baoa province the on y estate that has
attem pied to grind is Toledo, which 6o.
ished with 10000 bags about week
ago.
The hundreds of other estates with
millions of dollars worth Of cane ripe
in the fields have not attempted to
Il.