The evening times., 1897-02-20

=
rived on the Aransass yesterday, who, on
reliable authority, is said to come from an
extensive trip through central provinces
Santa Clara, Matanzas. and Havana, and
he gives the Impressions of his journey ia
the following terms:
The ruin and desolation was frightful to
witness, he said, the country being bare
and wasted, cane fields and plantations
burnt, no vestiges of the country homes re-
maining except those stone built, black
ened walls only remaining. Thatched :'uts
were but heaps of ashes; villages, towns
and cities were partially destroyed, but
crowded withmiseraDl ,forlorn eDple, with
their emaciated, hungry-looking, starving
faces They were all huddled in small
spaces, without commodities, with no
hygiene and suffering from diseases, be-
yond air description, aud dying by bun
dreGs daily. All this state Of things Was
brought about by weyler's brutal and N
human decree ordering the concentration Of
the country people into the towns. wey-
Ter, in his marching through these provinces.
has left a trail of fire and blood
Horrible stores are teid of the outrag.s
and butcheries committed under his direct
personal orders. Such rs the terror ne
inspires that the mere fact of his approach
creates CONSERVATION, and the alarm is at
once spread to all the people, who rush u
the nearest town for protection. When
tins gentleman left Sancti Spiritus Weyler
was reported as encamped near Caibarfei,
and expected to arrive there that day.
His forces numbered fifteen Thousand men,
and as he marches without provisions the
result is that on the road his soldiers sack
all the stores, as happened at Santa Clara
City, which was left bare, with the
natural result ofincreased misery and star
walton for the poor people there.
Near Sancd Spiritus. at a place named
Guayo, a column of Spanish troops, when
passing last Friday. after killing all the
catrle. set fire to the buildings and ranches
ana butchared the owner. a planter named
Ramon Napole, a man OF independent
means. wel known and esteemed in that
diStric,. This was reported as a rebel camp
captured and destroyed
The same colHma found party of rebels
lying n ambush. and, taken by surprise
they only had time to escape. after a des
perate fight. in which a Cuban officer,
Lieut. Perez. made brave defense against
-
was hacked to pieces with the machete
after surrendering. Two other Cubans per-
iShPl This was also reported as great
encounter. in which the rebel losses were
by the hundreds The result OF
this destruction and the terrible atrocities
committed by the SpaniardS has been the
increase or the rebel force in great num-
bers All able-bodied men in these prov
inces are rushing to the Cuban ranks, anu |
hundreds Of families prefer to suffer hard |
ships in the woods than misery and staryd- |
ton in the towns.
At the estate Bihacoa, near Tunas, about |
one hundred families were living in peace. |
When ordered to move into town they /
al once took to the woods. This is but /
a single instance in hundreds OF similar |
cases. Meantime these shocking things on /
the Spanish side only increases the Cuban
army, scores constantly flocking to them
The evident signs Of weakness which Spain
has all the more determined the insurgents /
displayed by offering so-called reforms |
o continue the struggle.
From reliable sources il is learned that /
Gomez will now initiate a more vigorous
After arranging with the Cuban
the plans and purposes or his /
uture movements, Gomez ordered a con-
'entTation OF all the rebel forces, pre-
to his advance into the Western
province His first step was to send the
Cuban government back to Cubitas, with |
headquarters in Camaguey. The party
started with an escort OF t wo hundred men,
md seccessfully crossed the Central trocha
night near the best protected
,art of the line at La Redonda, under the
cry walls OF a Spanish fort.
This is another instance OF the useless
leSs OF the Spanish trochas. Gomez plans.
appears. to sneak back through Weyler |
ine, and once on his rear guard commence |
lis campaign by attacking and destroying
III the sugar estates grinding gainst his
riders. He viii alsc, il is reported punish
evereiy all the local Cuban leaders who
ave tolerated grinding within their juIis-
iciion.
Gomez ; exact location is unknown as he
constantly moving from Remedies to !
ancfi Spiritus. watching Weyler's move
nents in order e. seize the first opportunity
D outflank him. Weyler, as customary,
as had no engagement with the rebels
lie carries with him such a strong body