The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-06
REDUCED TO RUINS
WHAT DEVASTATED PINAR DEL RIO
LOOKS LIKE.
Whole Towns ObIiterated From on the
Earth, Leaving No Trace Except Their
Ashes-Populations Rendered Homeless
aud Driven to Seek Such Shelter and
Subsistence as They May Chance to Find
All According to spanish Official Dis
patches-Weyler Receives Deputations
of Business Men.

Havana, March 5.-The reopening oi
| telegraphic communication with The
region of Pinar del Rio brings the frs
detailed information of affairs in thai
province for several weeks.
The condition of affairs disclosed is
| little less than appalling. The rich
| Vuelta Abajo district seems to have
| been put TO the torch, and is apparently
reduced to bowling and desolate wild
erness. Whole towns have been oblit-
| Grated and reduced to heaps of ashes
| and their inhabitants are wandering
| helpless over the face of the country
without place TO lay their heads, OF
wherewithai to be clothed, and many OF
them are starving. The villages and
| towns of Cubanas, Bahia Honda, San
Diego de DuneZ, Santa Cruz de Los
Pinos, Los Palacios, Piso Real de San
Diego, and San Diego de Los BanoS are
known TO be reduced to ashes, and re-
ports of others will bring the number
destroyed up to thirteen. Ali of these
were important and thriving centers OF
population and business.
GREAT TOBACCO TOWN.
The last town which has succumbed
to the insurgents torch is San Juan Y
Martinez. The tobacco from this town
is famous the world over, to all con-
noisseurs, for it's matchless flavor. Its
cultivation brought great wealth to the
people of the district and gave material
for large commerce in the town, and
support to over one thousand families.
San Juan de Martinez is, however, no
more. When the first column of Span
ish troops arrived on the site of the
town, they found only debris and smok-
ing ashes all around and a seemingly
1iTSitless sea of fire. A hundred desolate
families had taken refuge in poor huts
outside of what was once the town and
were waiting helplessly for any assist
ance that would save them from starva-
ton. They were without clothes and
without food, and saw no prospect
ahead, in their despair, of securing
either.
San Juan Y Martinez is erased from
the map. The adjoining town of San
Luis had narrow escape from the
same fate, but escaped almost by a
miracle. The inhabitants had already
fed outside, seeking a refuge from the
flames, which the torch was all ready to
apply.
CONFIDENCE IN WYLER.
A committee representing the cham
Der of commerce and the Spanish casino
called upon Captain General Wyler to-
day and assured him of their patriotic
adhesion to him in his policy.
In consequence of the distribution of
a circular containing General Weyler's
proclamation requiring the concentra-
ton of all country people within the lin
it's of the towns, for protection, there
have been many delegations of farmers
coming to Santiago de Cuba, to inquire
of the military authorities how far the
requirements applies to them, and for
an Interpretation of the provisions. The
consuls of foreign governments are
seeking the same information.
a column of troops coming into Ra-
mon de Los Yguas, Santiago de Cuba,
was fired upon by the insurgents, near
the mountains of PalmarieaS. The lat
ter were routed, leaving several dead.
The leader, Vega Verala, was wounded
and made prisoner.
The Spanish bark, Grain Canaria, of
500 tons. has been lost off Cayo Cinfites,
north of Romano. 1t is believed that all
of the crew were saved.
Admiral Caravo will leave here to-
morrow on board the cruiser Herman
Cortes, for the north coast of Pinar del
Rio. Generals Bernal and Vicuna have
arrived here for conference with Cap
tain General Weyler.