The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-08-20
THE WARFARE IN CUBA.
The Government Cannot Assure
Safe Railway Transportation.
TRAIN HELD UP BY INSURGENTS.
Spanish Reinforcemonts Finally Succeed
in Relieving the Delayed Passengers.
Neither Side Making Headway in the
Conflict, and There Is No Sign of Peace.

Neither Side Making Headway in the
HAVANA, Aug. 2O.-The mystery of the
missing military passenger train has been
solved, and 1t furnishes another instance
of the audacity of the insurgents and of
the troubled state of affairs existing In the
province of Pinar del Rio.
On Sunday last a train, having on board
o number Of civilian passengers and q
strong escort of troops, consisting Of regu-
lar cars and armored cars for the military
and escort, left Consolation del Sur, Plnar
del Rio, for this city and should have ar
rived here the same day. But the train did
not appear. The railroad authorities be.
came alarmed and the military authorities
were notified. Apparently, however, the
latter were very slow in taking action in
the matter In any case, throughout
Monday the military authorities professed
absolute ignorance Of the whereabouts of
the train, although it was understood that
inquiries of some description had been
sent along the line, but without any
definite result.
On Tuesday several exploring parties
were sent out to search for the train.
Later the scouts reported that the engine
and passenger coaches, together with the
military cars, had been derailed between
Bacunagua and Taco Taco, and that it
appeared that severe fighting had taken
place between the escort of the train and
the insurgents who attacked 1t.
This news stirred up the village author
tiles sufficiently to cause them to send re-
lief trains, loaded with troops, towards
the scene Of the engagement They have
just returned with the story Of the delay
in the arrival here of the train. The troops
brought with them the passengers and
the survivors and wounded of the military
escort of the train. The train, it appears,
was compelled to slow up on account of
an obstruction across the line, and as it
did so smart rifle fire was opened upon
the train from both sides of the road,
while party of insurgents was seen to
dash out of concealment behind the train
and place heavy distractions across tho
road. Other insurgents occupied them.
selves actively in removing the rails be-
hind tho obstruction, thereby catching the
military train in a trap from which 1t
could neither advance or retreat.
The troops promptly returned the fire Of
the insurgents, who kept well under cover.
The firing lasted three hours, according
to the official statement at the end of
which time the insurgents are said to have
been repulsed. 1t is added that the mill
tary escort upon the arrival of the relief
train, burned the military passenger train.
Unofficial versions OF the affair, how
ever, say that the train was deraled and
subsequently burned by the insurgents,
and that the escort Of the military train
were rescued just in time to save them
selves from being eHterminated by the
enemy. AS it was six soldiers of the es-
c0rt are admitted to have been killed and
ono lieutenant and twentyonc soldiers
were brought here wounded. The lieu
tenant is expected to die.
The general situation in Cuba is about
the same as it has been for months past.
Each side seems confident of tiring the
other out, and little or no progress is being
made by either the insurgents or the gov
ernment forces. The threats of Captain
General Weyler to take the field in person
against Antonio Macoo have turned out
to be nothing more than rumor. Maceo
practically holds Pinar del Rio, while
Maxine Gomez appears to be doing as he
pleases in the eastern part of the island.