The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1896-01-09
MARTIAL LAW
The SITUATION IN CUBA BECOMES
VERY CRITICAL.
authorities Declare Martial Law in
the Provinces Of Havana and
an Uprising Of the Friends of the
Insurgent Cause In Havana.

WI Havana. Jan. 6.-The authorities con
TESS the grave condition of affairs by
proclaiming martial law for the prov
inces of Havana and Pinar del Rio.
Maxine Gomez has declared his in
~tention to penetrate into the province
of Pinar del Rio. Although his forces
have not reached the borders Of that
province, the action of the authorities
is understood to indicate that they
have no hopes OF preventing him from
carrying out his threat.
1t is not only the organized armed
force of the advancing insurgents
that they find themselves compelled
to prepare against. In fact. there Is
little apprehension that this force
could effect much success in an assault
upon this city, great as is the damage
that they have wrought in the country.
, But tie irresistible progress Of the in
surgent army whittier II listeth, from
one end of the island to the other, has
Served i~mmeaSureably to Increase the
boldneSS of their SympathiZerS, VINO
have hitherto remained passive non
COmbatantS. If these were To see the
occasion for a successful stroke, there
ID no doubt that great acceSSlons 10
the insurgent force would be gained
throughout the provinces of Havana
and Pinar del Rio. and there al" now
grave fears that an uprising would oc-
cur in the city OF Havana itself.
1t is not by any means to be cOnSid-
cred that the apparent lack or nope or
checking the new advance SHOWN by
the authorities has led to the ceSSatlon
of efforts to prevent the advance. Tue
Spanish forces swarm on al sides OF
Il s,. .A.,I ~ a, 1'glI N tIInn
TO time there are maSSed at a salient
pOint, with the hope of bringing about
q pitched battle. which the Spanish
military leaders feel certain would re-
suit in cutting Tie insurgents into
pieceS. But the unri vailed skill and
generalShip shown by Gomez and his
lieutcnants in avoiding such traps II
Ia carrying his Tmy past the most
Deliberately planned barriers of the
Spanish have served to greatly dis
courage the leaders on that side. Their
elusive antagonist seems never TO be
Within their reach. and yet always IN
hicting the most serious damage upon
their territory.
Twenty Miles of Havana.
1t is believed that a large band OF
the Insurgents is still trying 20 force
frs way into Havana by way Of the
~ lUbuIllIllS ol LII pobtiti III w -
ern part of the province of Havana,
going thence south of San Niceles. y
small force Of insurgents. according to
official reports, has already appeared
IN the district of san NiCcleS, which
adioins GuineS OF the east.
Reports have beer received here TO
the effect that the inSurgent forces
moving westward from the southern
portion of the province Of iavana
have now passed Mclena, about 30
kilCmcteYS from Havana. The North
ern i%nSurgent army has been reported
at Aguacate. As already cabled. it is
Believed that the southern army of the
Insurgents intends to make an attempt
to effect a junction with the division in
the province of Pinar del Rio. to the
Westward of Havana. Additional in
formation received this evening shows
thai the insurgents have burned the
zane fields Of the plantation of Santa
Teresa. neal San Nicales, which is
some distance eastward of Melena.
The Cubans have also burned several
fields between Guincs and Melena.
Word has also been received that the
Insurgents have burned the can fields
on the SabradoS plantation in the Gu
banO district and two or three in the
district of Sagua. The village of Ze-
lucia has been burned. and the rail
road bridge over the river Hanabana
has been destroyed. Quintin Bandera.
third in command Of the insurgents.
abs transferred his headquarters to
Aspol. between GuineS and Sabana,
which is nOt much more than - miles
from his city.
Advancing Upon Havana.
Later-The insurgents are apparently
making Il swift advance directly upon
Havana. The advance guard of their
cavalry. under Gen.Lacret. was. at the
latest accounts, ut Tapaste, which is
Is miles from GuanabacOa. the latter
being but a suburb OF Havana. five
miles from the city. where Il bathing
beach f~requented by the citizens Of
Havana is located.
WORD was received from la Cateli-
M, between GuincS and Bainoa. and
about a dozen miles from Tapaste. re-
PORTING that there are indications of a
rapid advance movement in cOnsidera-
Die force on the part of the wing of
the insurgent army under Bandera.
Nothing definite is known as to the
strength in numbers Of Bandera'S
command but the news Of the near ap.
proach of the insurgents has caused
tthe utmost anxiety on the part OF the
authorities. and every preparation is
hastily Being made TO have the city's
defense in readiness to repel an at
tack or 10 prevent damage being done
Within the city. even IL the projected
movement should prove to be nothing
but a dashing cavalry raid.
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