The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-02-22
Santa Clara, MantanzaS and Havana
Provinces in Ruins.
HOMES AND CROPS ARE GONE
Partially Destroyed Towns Crofded
With Miserable, Forlorn People.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE DYING DAILY
VIEWERS DEGREES Ordering Concentra-
ton of People and Burning OF
Property Causes Distress

Key West. Fla. February ia passen-
ger arrived on the steamer Arkansas TINS
morning who. on reliable authority, IS said
to have come from an extensive trip
through central provinces-Santa Clara
ATatanzas ana Havana-and no gives the
Impressions Of his journey in the follow
ing terms:
..The ruin and desolation were frighuui
10 witness" he said '"rhe country was
bare and wasted. cane fields and planta-
tons burned: no vcstiges of the country
homes remaining except those stone built
blackened walls only remaining.
.eThatched huts were but heaps OF
ashes; villages. towns and cities were par
TALLY destroyed. but crowded with ms
cradle. foriorn people, with emaslated'
hungry-looking. starving faces. They were
all huddled I'm small spaces. without COM
modlties. with no hygiene, and suffering
from diseases beyond all description and
dying by hundreds daily.
"An this state of things was brought
about by Weyler's brutal and inhuman
decree ordering the concentration of the
country people into the towns. Weyler
IN his march through these provinces has
left trail Of FIRE and blood.
"Ieartrending stories are told of tho
horrible outraEes and butcheries commit
ted under his direct personal orders. Such
is the terror he inspires that the mere
fact Of Ills approach creates CONSERVATION
ana the alarm at once spreads TO all the
people who rush TO the nearest town Tor
protection"
When this gentleman left Sancu Spiritus
Wcyler was reported as cncamped near
tn lt r.
day. his forces numbered 1900 men, ana
as he marches without provisions, the re-
suit is that ON the road his soldiers sack
an the stores. as happened AZ santa cara
city. which was left bare with the natural
result OF increased misery ana Starvation
for the poor people there.
Near Sancti Spritus ut place named
Guayo. "a column Of Spanish troops, when
passing last Friday. after killing ali tho
cattle set fire To the buildings and
ranches and butchcred the owner,
planter named Ramon Napoleo man Of
independent means wen known and es-
fe-mud I'm that district This was reported
as d rebel camp captured and destroyed
we Killed Hundreds"-WEYLER.
THE same column found party of rebels
LAYING ia ambush and. taken by surprise.
they only had time 20 escape, after des-
persite fight. I'm which 90 cuban ofhcer
Lieutenant perez. made brave defense
against eight soldiers.
lie had 10 succumb and was hacked to
pieces with the maohete after surreudering.
Two other Cubaus persisted This was
ALSO reported as great encounter in
which thc rebel losses were numbered by
the hundreds.
ghc result OF this destruction ana the
terrible atrocities committed by the Span
iards has been the increase of The rebel
forces iu great numbers. All ahle-bodied
men IN these provinces are rushing to the
Cuban ranks and hundreds OF families
prefer 10 suffer hardships in the woods
than misery ANA starvation in the towns.
At thc estate Gtbacoa. near Tuuas. about
one hundred families We're living i'm peace.
When ordered 90 move into town they at
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 increase tna cuban
army. scores constantly Hooking TO them.
The evident signs Of weakness which
spain displayed by Offering sO-calied re-
forms, have all the NOR. determined the
insurgents go continue the struggle.
Gomez Will Begin Vigorous Warfare.
From reliable sources 10 IS learned that
Conner VIII now initiate Cd more vigorous
campaign. After arranging with the Gu
ban government the plans and purposes Of
his future movements. Gomez ordered
concentration of an the rebel forces. pre-
paratory 10 his advance into the western
province.
Ills first step was 10 send the Cuban
government back 10 Cubltas with head
quarters Ga Camaeuey The party started
with an escort Of 1u mon and success
fully CROSSED the central trocha Saturday
g'ht near the best protected part of the
line az Ia RDduuda, under the very walls
of Spanish fort
This IS another instance of the useless
ness OF The Spanish trochas. G0mezs
plans il appears, are 10 sneak back
through Weyler's line and once ON his
rear guard commence his campaign by at
tacllng and destroying all the sugar cs-
tates grinding against his orders. Tie win
also. IL IS reported. punish severely all the
local Cuban leaders Who have tolerated
grinding within their jurisdiction.
Gomez's exact location IS unknown. as
he is constantly moving from Rcmedlos TO
Saucu Spiritus. watching Ncylcr's move
mtnts I'm order TO seize the first oppOrtu-
nifty TO outtlank him. Weyler, MS custo-
mary has had no engagement with the
rebels
lie carries with him such a strong body
guard that nobody cares 20 Interfere with
his movements. and they leave him TO
march along unmolcsted. Garlic Is re-
ported cncamped with 15oV0 men near
with about 2000 men near the Ia
Euasco farm. This IS the nucleus OF the
rebel forces operating around Sancu
SpirituS. Their organization IS perfec;
they are fairly well supplied with arms
and ammunitions. and they are complete
masters of the field to such an extent that
n,t thing enters Sancti Spiritus without
p1rmit and the payment of specified taxes
10 the revolution.
Jose Valdivia. an American citizen re-
siding near Sancti Spritus. formerly
rich cattle raiser. has been ruined by the
Spanish troops. His cattle ranch has been
destroyed. the buildings burned and all his
cattle carried away by Spanish troops,
despite the fact that he showed his papers
proving his citizenship. Ills protest was
OF no avail lie viii now file a claim
through the American consul