The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1896-01-18
CLOSE TO HAVANA.
CUBAN INSURGENTS ARE BECOMING
BOLDER.
They Come Within Five Miles of the
Capital and Burn n Town and a
Havsna-Gen. Campox In Greatly
Discouraged and Wants to Resign

Havana, Jan. 15.-TMS afternoon
clouds of smoke were seen arising in
the direction Of the village of Vegas.
near San Francisco de Paula, a small
town only about five miles distant.
This was followed by Il red glare show
ing that a great fire was in progress in
that direction. The alarm spread at
once throughout the city and the re-
port was again circulated that the in
| surgents We're approaching But this
was as nothing to the feeling of terror
! which came over the more timid por-
ton Of the population when a still
larger IRE was' seen to have broken
out. This time It was made out that
the town of San Francisco de Paula
had been set fire to by the insurgents
and the alarm increased, although the
authorities professed to sheer at. the
matter, claiming that the fires were
treating insurgents who had been
driven to desperation.
In spite Of these assurances and the
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 a town and Il 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 at Vcnto. 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 a
popular demonstration in their favor to
be made in this city so soon as they
arrived i'll 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 it is possible to take
for 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
within. OF 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 a dash into this city.
Regarding the ru!nor that the in
surgents have planned to explode
bombs and start fires in several parts
OF this city upon a given signal. so
soon as n insurgents are near enough
to Havana for them to be in the posi-
ton Of making n dash for the capital,
the authorities say that steps to de-
Feat such movement have been taken
for weeks past. They claim that the
streets of every part of this city are so
thoroughly patrolled by day and by
night that the authorities are in Il posi-
ton to nip such a conspiracy in the
bud, and that at the first signal of an
outbreak every strategic point will be
occupied in overwhelming numbers by
the military who have been previously
detailed for 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 are
making the best of the situation. it is
known that the captain general is
very much disheartened at the turn
events have taken during the last six
weeks and run,or succeeds rumor. day
by day. of his probable retirement
from the command of the Spanish
forces here, il not mis- return to Spain.