The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-26

Sacked by Insurgents.
New York, March pa special ca
BILE dispatch to the Herald from Ha-
vana says:
Havana is uneasy from many
causes. All eyes are upon the coun-
try near the line which divides Santa
Clara and Puerto Principe, where 1t is
known now that General Weyier VIII
make a determined effort to cripple
Gomez within a few days If General
Weyler fails TO secure some decided
advantage over the insurgents at TINS
time the serious plight of Spain will
become doubly clear and the SraVeSI
consequences may be expected.
No sooner had the captain-general
left Havana by sea at midnight on
March 81 than couriers were dispatched
carrying the news of his departure.
1t is known that his destination was
Caibarien, and before he had fairly
started the news reached Havana that
there was a general eastward move
ment of insurgent bands for the pur-
pose of reinforcing Gomez in the neigh
borhood of Sancti Spiritus before Gen
eral Weyler could march inland from
Caibarien.
No one here believes that a decisive
engagement will follow. If it does not,
the rainy season will find affairs in
their present unsatisfactory state,
which means that the insurgents will
continue to make daily raids in the
districts which the Spanish have pacl-
fed, as they declare, and that Spain.
unable to end the war, must speedily
decide whether or not she dare attempt
continued occupation of the island
throughout another deadly summer
There are many indications here
that Weyler realizes his position. Many
towns have been left to protect them
selves The soldiers who garriSoned
them have been sent to the field to
await the captain-generars coming.
NO GREAT OBSTACLE.
General Arolas, who commands the
Jucaro- Moran trocha, came to Havana
just before General Weyler left the
city and stated that he needed more
reinforcements if the military line were
to be depended upon. If Gomez finds
it necessary to move to the eastward
from his present position he could
easily cross his tTocha in force and
leave Arolas to explain matters TO Cen
eral Weyler when the captain general
reaches the line. The trocha is. in fact.
no great obstacle to the insurgents
game of hide and seek.
Two days ago a large expedition,
supposed to he that which left Punta
Gorda, landed at San Juan De Las
Playas, on the north coast of Santa
Clara, within eaSv distance of Gomez.
A large supply of dynamite was in
Guided in the cargo, and this, with one
or two field pieces, rifles and ammuni-
ton. will be in the hands of the in
surgents before General Weyler has
oh distance
News Of skirmishing, telling of ac-
tivity on the part of Cubans. comes
from ali sides. CalabaZar. which is only
Is miles south of Havana, was raided
by the insurgents, under Aranguren,
on March 81 The stores were sacked.
This is an example of pacification at
the door of the palace.
Holguin, an important town in San
tiago De Cuba. according to advices
received here, was entered March 10 by
General Calixto Garcia, with a large
force. He remained two days. sacking
many stores and burning many build
ings. Trains are stopped or blown UP
daily and conveys are cut off and de-
layed so long as to he nearly useless.
IN DEEP GLOOM.
This is the condition of affairs in the
field Havana itself is deep in gloom
over the Spanish failures here and the
reverses in the Philippines. The
money question presses. Yesterday
morning there was a riot at the Span
ish bank. where hundreds struggled
for a chance to exchange their bank
notes for silver coin at par. In the
afternoon there were not more than
200 men in the mob, and the police
handled them without bloodshed. The
crowd will grow daily in numbers and
fierceness as the monetary situation
grows more desperate. 'Billete re-
ceipts" will be in order then.
Lieutenant Fondaviella, who was in
command at Guanabacoa. when Ruiz
was found dead in his CELL is the chief
of police of Havana. There will be no
less trouble here on that account. His
reputation is not calculated to make
the city more cheerful.
There seems to be concerted action
among the Spanish newspapers here
just now to conciliate the United
States and avoid any incident which
might lead to intervention. The re-
lease of Americans continues. 1t is
believed that all will be allowed to
leave the island. They would, in fact
be released wholesale, but such a
course might cause an anti-American
demonstration here.
There is renewed talk now of the re-
lease CT the Competitor crew, and the
Diario dc Marina says that the Nc
Kinley administration will be merely
watchful and insist upon the rights. OF
American citizens. which - only just
though Uncle Sam cannot be annoyed
if his troublesome nephews are sent
back to him. all of which means that
Spain wishes to be lef. alone until she
has made a final effort to accomplish
something in the direction of putting
down the rebellion. General Weyler
has gone to tly his hand at it and
Havana watches him, and gloomily
fears another failure. which can hardly
fail to Drecipitate grave trouble.
AS wri.e a rumor is current that
Gomez. with 1000 men. has reached
Madruga. in the eastern end of Ha-
vana province. about So miles from this
city itself The runor is generally dis
credited, as there had been no report
of his progress westward from the
Sancti SDiritus division.
The story. however, is quoted in of
fetal circles and Cuban sympathizers
speak hopefully of it. thinking thai
Gomez might have been marching
westward since his position was last
definitely reported, and then, hearing
that General Weyler had set out fol-
Santa Clara, had seized the opportu-
nifty 20 make a demonstration in Ha-
vana province. The story has caused
TO excitement here, as it is considered
too improbable for belief.