The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-31
COSTLY FOOD IN HAVANA.
RAPID ADVANCE IN PRICE, Witty
THE PAST MONTH.

HNHNN "S-AN
aad Garcia Aeting ToEetber-The Span-
inrds Afraid 60 Give Them Battle.
HAVANA. May p0.-Since the middle OF
January It has been reported that provisions
were commanding a very high price In Havana.
Most Of the time. however. until tho middle Of
April. provisions and all other commodities
were cheaper than ever before In the history OF
this city. People who raised vegetables brought
them TO the city and disposed OF them for any
price they could get to get rid Of them bsfors
they were consumed by the armies that were
certain to pass through the country. Both
armies foreged on the country as they passed
along. IL was the same also with meat of all
kinds. but milk was higher in price. Proprietors
| OF stores were closing out their goods at prices
below their actual cost. and many articles could
be bought cheaper than in New York. All
| tradesmen were getting themselves in . position
to close their stores.
About April 1 the Insurgents began . siege 81
this city. They announced, however. that 40
| many Of their friends were In the city theY
would permit vendors to bring provisions to the
| city upon condition that they pay an impose
duty to the Cuban Government. Since that
| timo provisions have become very high. and liv~
ing is exceedingly expensive. Steak now IL from
fifty five TO sixty cents per pound; roast, thirty
to forty cents: mutton from thirty to forty
cents; pork. thirty to thirty-nve cents; SCUM
meat, twenty cents: ham. imported, thirty
cents; eggs, fifty cents q dozen. All vegetables
are correspondingiy high and very poor in DUAL.
ity. Milk has not increased 90 much In price.
but has deteriorated in quality.
Large quantities OF jerked becf have been im>
ported to take the place of fresh meat. Much
Of this meat has been forwarded to the trcopq
when they are not able to forage on tho country.
Much Of It 10 sent to the troops along the trochasi
Large quantities OF fish, also. have been ims
ported from Key West for consumption in this
city.
Tho people who first closed their establishes
ments In the city were owners of restaurants.
These were soon followed by other tradesmen in
different lines. who found that there was NOT
sufficient business to pay for keeping their stores
open. Many OF the wealthlest Spaniards have
closed their stores and gone to Spain.
When Weyler's appointment MS Captain-
General was made, many thousands Of Cubans
left the island on account of his reputation as .
butcher. Now the Spaniards are leaving the
city because there Il no business left for them
to do, no employment. and there is nothing but
starvation staring them in the face.
It is said that there are 1000 vacant houses
on the books OF the gas company. and WE'LL
informed real estate dealers here report 5000
houses vacant in the city.
Gen. MelRuiso and his Spanish troops passed
through Salud and Govea In the province Of
Havana on May $40. He killed forty paciicos.
Some we're taken from their houses. and others
were killed while ploughinR the fields. Ramon
Cruz, who was in his house with a two-months.
old child in HIS arms. was shot. He fell on tho
child. His wife ran to save the child and was
attacked by Spanish troops. had her arm Gus
of by q mach etc. and was wounded with .
bayonet.
On May 10 Spanish guerrillas OF Santiago do
las Vegas Ts en- to SAP Pedro, province Of Ha-
and q negro 3 years old. They afterward went
to the farm called Bobadilla and killed Fred
cid sEiG 1er rs51 o1se 50 sea tS oId. an. %3f saaiy w saso sa
ming other workmen. It is reported that the
sa1s band Inc tho then; nt to the farm at H 81 aarrs .na tn nesf
nifty women and children. A
ienscio Garcia had been residing in this city
H liza sPn P, had I'd. jSSined the he ,nsuTsent army and Vas
MaIisnao : friend 1oiidsd him he would BE- ar.
Ale.las Mayor Of Mari.nao; who told him TO
evening asrcia wa. arrested in the town. The
skirts. He had bsen shot.
On the 10Th Maxine Gomez was reported in
about seventy.eiightt miles from Havana w aRS
e. 900 men and fifteen cannons. The municipal
three miles south Of .Nueva Paz going toward
tower Of ne church IN that village. The Spanish
troops made no effort to attack them. although
A Spanish merchant, living at Guerra do
Meiena. wa. DESTROYS Of going to the village Of
at times the trains were fired on by the insur-
gents. He started on foot with his son, taking
bundle he put his money. On his way he met
! han, body tSs OF insursep,s, :, They Questioned him
them that 1t contained money. They told him
was dangerous to travel with his money in
That way, and detailed a guard to compa
The following letter. dated May a.. was
province ofsanta Clara:
palo S Priefo Win III h dss general 8 ak staff is ensanped %
mons. Here we have some Spanish troops. They
all know where Gomez is. and nevertheless no
s.rio "S!ef To-Day otdS1e ca aim d"iTTs a hcFe Garlic %TG very sr
opnns d II the " wsPds Of San L2reqzo and
have 5000 infantry. with three rapid.
a am mn Gsnn0ns' rh They have large amenities OF
Seraan Sanchez at the head Of 700 cavalry.
.erafn Sanchez Just arrived from Sancti Spir-
and Calixto Garcia has arrived from
Col Palanca, hearing that Gomez intended to
,ttack tls zee determined to go there yester-
PATRIOTS In his way. he concluded to retire. He
"a not been surrounded, owing to the swiftness
since Yesterday, in solanima. Santa Clara,
,ni. SeR9ra has been fighting with some OF
,as two cannons, and his men are ali veterans.
,onstant cannonading is heard from the Ma
ilde plantation. They say that the column OF
'egnra Is surrounded by Gomez. The Insurgents
'cdE numbering several thousand men.
me number OF men going into the patriot
rmy Is Increasing every day. The insurgents
ether" -o'oo a'to-
HAysAsA. MAY, PA leave for six months to
o 70 spain has been granted by Gen. WeyIer 10
amer Adoifo Castillo. the pastor OF San An
nhlo del Jibaro. In the d district of SanctI Sriritua.
hough Father Castillo had made no appiica-
ION LOT the leave. he knew very well the mean
RI 81 the onicial communications. Father CAS-
lois Droad-Ininded, and his influence is large
mohR AL classes OF society. He was Invited to
bis influence In behalf OF the Government,
Us answer Was that this was beyond his power.
OF absence.
me message OF tho President of the Spanish
rnh9poiy tobacco company congratuiatinR Gen.
eyer upon the prohibition against exporting
10 leaf To tho United States. thus facilitating
: puronase by tho company at a low price, has
zen cOmmen led upon very severely. and IL