The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-07
FIRE ON HAVANA.
Insurgents at the Gates of the
Capital.
Hundreds of Suburban Families
Abandon Their Homes.
SPANISH HAVE HOPE.
Campos' Men Claim Havana
Cannot be Taken.
Insurgents Destroy the Light
House at Cabannas.

NEW YORK, Jan. IA special to the
Journal from Havana says: The in
surgent armies are in sight of Havana,
and the firing of muskets and cannon
is plainly heard in the eastern suburbs.
The trains that can be gotten into the
city on the few railroads that have not
yet been destroyed by the patriots are
loaded with refugees from the sur
rounding cities and villages.
Hundreds of families in the suburbs
and in the city have abandoned their
homes and are crowding the quay,
watching with blanched and eager
faces for steamers to take them from
the island All sorts of craft are
utilized by the refugees, who offer
their last peseta, so long as the own
ers are willing to keep them from the
shore. The steamers which have
cleared to-day are crowded to their
utmost capacity with fleeing passen-
gers.
The forces of Gomez and Maceo
have practically surrounded Havana.
The avenues of communication out of
Havana have been cut off, and there
is little authentic information as to
the movements or intentions of the in
surgent commanders. Enough is re-
ported from points in the province of
Piuar Del Rio, however, to show that
the insurgent columns have covered a
wide territory in that province and
are increasingly destroying the sugar
cane and damaging tobacco crops.
Loud disclaimers are being uttered
by the authorities that they have any
fear for the welfare of the city. 1t is
pointed out that the city is well forth
fed, being protected by the strong
Fortress Moro, and being garrisoned
by the Cubanas Principe, Alares, San
ia Clara and Reina troops, with
heavy artillery, and by 10000
volunteers, with 10000 more loyal
citizens in the city willing to
take up arms. With these forces
at command the authorities express
the opinion with great confidence that
it would be impossible for the insur-
gents to capture the city unless they
were provided with siege artillery.
1t is claimed only small bands of in
surgents are engaged in the opera tions
under Gomez, and that they are sue
cessful only in small towns.
At Ca bannas, a seaport town of con-
siderable Importance on the northern
coast, the insurgents have destroyed
the lighthouse The destruction of
Guira Melena seems to have been COM
plete.. Guira Melena is an important
village of 4 900 inha bitants, situated
there said the insurgents plundered
the church, the business houses, the
stores and private residences, and then
destroyed them entirely. They are also
said to have killed the mayor and a
prominent merchant of the place.
Similar tales come from other towns
in the route of the insurgent march.
Guara. a small village east of Guira
Melena, and west of Guines, was also
burned. The zone included in the
country about the villages of Quivi-
can, Durand and San Felipe, in the
southern part of the province of Ha-
vana, has been swept clean by the de-
structive torch of the insurgents, and
the plantations of Salvador, Julia,
San Augustin, Santa Teres, Merce-
ditta, Mora and Mirosa have been
burned.
Incoming trains from the South are
bringing in vast throngs of refugees,
men, women and children, some of
whom have been burned out of house
and home. This large infusion OF
panic-stricken people into the citys
population spreads a contagion OF
alarm, and the force and proximity OF
the instruction becomes more real to
the mind of Havana every hour.