The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-01-24

CLOSE TO HA Y ANA.
CUBAN INSURGENTS ARE BECOMING
DOLDER.


They Como withia Five Miles % the
Capital and nurn = Town ana :,
Village, Witch Caascs Panic =.
Eiavaaa-0en. Camnoa 10 Greatly
discouraged ana Wants 10 Reslrn
Havana, Jan. 16.-This afternoon
clouds OF smoke were seen arising In
the direction Of the village Of Vegas,
near San Francisco de Paula, small
town only about i've miles distant.
This was followed by a red glare show
Ing that great flrc was In progress In
that direction. Tho alarm spread at
once throughout the city and the re-
port was again circulated that the In
surgcnts were approaching. But this
was as nothing to the feeling of terror.
which came over the more timid por-
ton of the population when still
larger fire was seen to have broken
out. This time It was made out that
the town Of San Francisco de Paula
had been Get fire to by the insurgents
and the alarm increased, although the
authorities protested to sneer at the
matter, claiming that the fires were
only the work Of q few beaten and re-
treating insurgents who had been
driven to desperation.
In spite Of these assurances and the
statement that the Spanish generals
have for three days past been aware
OF the whereabouts Of Gen. Maxine
Gomez and completely ignore his pre-
sence near Havana, It is claimed that
the troops must be very busily, en-
gagged elsewhere for the insurgents to
be able to burn town and q village
within sight of Havana and vet re-
main unattached by the government
forces.
The greatest apprehension here is
for the safety of the water works
which supply Havana. They are
situated ut Vento, about five miles
from this city and less than that dis
lance from San Francisco de Paula.
The friends Of the insurgents have
repeatedly asserted that they expect q
popular demonstration in their favor to
be made in this city so soon as they
arrived In sight of Havana. But they
are now practically in sight Of this
city and yet there is absolutely no
danger Of such an outbreak. Every
measure which 1t is possible to take
Tor the defense Of the city and in order
to protect property has been taken.
In addition to the military, volunteers
and civil guards, all the different
branches of business have organized
special corps Of men who will take
part In -
The Defense of Havana
against an enemy from without or
Wltnin. VI course, the insurgents in
small bands may succeed in approach
Ing still nearer to Havana, the Spanish
authorities admit; but the military
men insist that they have completed
their plans to drive the insurgents out
OF this province and they seem to pay
little or no attention to the movements
OF the enemy about Havana, relying
upon the strong garrison, powerful
forts and the warships to defeat any
attempt to make dash into this city.
Regarding the rumor that the in
surgents have planned to explode
bombs and start fires in several parts
OF tn1s city upon q given signal, SO
soon as the insurgents are near enough
70 Havana for them to be In the posi-
ton OF making q dash for the capital,
the authorities say that steps to de-
Ieat such movement have been taken
Tor weeks past. They claim that the
streets OF every part of this city are so
tnoroughly patrolled by day and by
nignt tnat the authorities are.in posi-
tlon 70 NIP such q conspiracy in the
Dud, and that at the first signal of an
outbreak every Strategic point will BIO
occupied IN overwhelming numbers by
the military who have been previously
detailed Tor such purpose all over this
district and that. consequently, it
would be utterly impossible to cause
any diversion Of Importance here in
favor Of the insurgents.
Although the Spanish authorities IRE
making the best Of the situation. It ia
known that tho captain general is.
very much disheartened at the turn
events have taken during the last six
weeks and rumor succeeds rumor. day
~ day, OF his probable retirement
from the command Of the Snanish
forces here, IL not mis- return to Spain
Havana, Jan. 16.-Exctting news
from the front was received here
about noon, in shape which prevent
ca Its accuracy from being denied.
The sound Of continued artillery firing
was heard south Of Rincon, not far
from Bejucal, the town which was ut
tackled by the insurgents yesterday
with the result that, according to the
official statement Of the affair. they
were forced to retreat after strong re-
sistance upon the part Of the govern
ment forces defending that place, the
battle lasting, it is claimed, for five
hours. But it is admitted that the In
surgents plundered stores in the out
lying streets Of Bejucal, burned q
number Of houses and destroyed the
railroad depot by fire. Previous to this
they had burned the town Of Saluda,
quite q good sized place, and partially
destroyed Quivican, a smaller place.
They varied these operations with
burning freight trains and destroying
railroad engines, as they pushed north
ward and toward Havana. This force
OF insurgents is the one which in sup.
posed to be commanded by Gomez in
person, although 1t has been insisted
that he 10 still in the province of Pinar
del Rio, and that he was in conflict
with the Spanish troops commanded
by Gen. Linares. It IL believed that