Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-07

| parture COmes-All Have Conf
| dence in Lee-Desperate Position
| Of Some Cuban Women.
| Havana, via Key West, Fla, April 6.
After many days of foolish conf
| dence that nothing would happen, a
! number Of people here, Americans and
| others. have been plunged into equally
| foolish fears turmoil and all sorts of
/ wild rumors in advance of the message
/ OF the President to Congress.
| People who should know better in
+ sist that war has been declared, others
are equally sure that His Holiness,
! the Pope, has secured peace with hon
| or. Bankers with close American con-
! nectlons are packing their papers, col
| lectlng ali possible debts, arranging
| for guards for their vaults and send
| ing their families away.
1 Cuban women with husbands, faith
ers or brothers in the insurgent ranks
are in state of terror and are really
! much to be pitied, since if any one
! is marked it is they, since all history
+! on parallel lines shows no very great
| consideration from Spanish rioters for
! the gentler sex.
| The few Simon pure Americans who
| remain, keep as cool as may be with
| the temperature at 50 degrees in the
| morning hours. The fact is, so far as
| the officials and newspaper men are
concerned. they have heard so many
weird tales, which they have traced
/ TO their sources and found were bun
| combe, that they are not prepared to
| believe any evidence but that of their
| own senses.
When Consul General Lee says. with
| that delightful chuckle of his, well,
| gentlemen, guess we would better be
| getting our traps together" all viii
| stand to attention, formally salute,
say Very good, SIR and pack up.
/ Probably it cannot be done, but it
| would be gratifying to sail out past
Moro Castle with the yellow Fern as
! the flagship in the lead, little but
| saucy, and the Bache and Mangrove
| in her wake, all decked with American
bunting from taffrails to peaks and
with banners bearing the legend: I'VE
| go, bat will return soon'' or the short
er dictum: See you later"
1t is fact worthy of record and to
! the credit of the government here,
| that, despite it was we'll known that
to-day was crucial, with war probable
and Spanish defeat certain, Havana up
to II O'Clock this morning was quiet,
| orderly and self-contained BY Ha-
| vana the city in general is meant, and
not isolated cases of individual excite
ment. Some of the Spaniards still
talk wildly about the United States
! fleet being blown out of water by fire
from the Havana batteries on the
water front, but as careful practice
two days ago showed the inability of
the gunners to come within hundred
yards of target on smooth water at
| a range of two miles or theabouts,
| naval men need not be apprehensive
of the effect of the Havana guns.
The story sent north that forty
! mines had been recently sunk in Ha-
vana harbor is not verified. 1t is i'm
probable. Likely enough, however, a
single line and perhaps a double line
of torpedoes has been laid in the mar
| rOWeSt part of the channel near the
! entrance.
Consul General Lee assures the cor
| respondent of the Associated Press
that he has received no instructions to
| leave Havana. 1t is reported, how
| ever, that some of the consular rec
| ords We're sent north by the Mascotte
| to-day. She is expected back from
Key West on Friday. With the Bache,
Mangrove and Fern, there will be am
{, pie accommodation then to take away
all who are entitled to go.
Extra guards of mounted police have
been placed around the Hotel Ingla-
| terra and everywhere that Americans
assemble. There is no sign of an out
break
During the last "a hours there have
been issued ESQ passports TO persons pro-
ceeding about to proceed to the United
States
Miss Clara Barton, of the Red Cross
| Society, who arrived by the Mascotte.
this morning, visited Governor General
! Blanco at o'clock this afternoon and was
most kindly received. She left the palace
expressing herself as satisfied with the in
terview
| KINGSTON, Jamaica April 6.--The
steamers Beverly and Brookline, which
have been dispatched, by United States
| Consul Dent from here to Santiago de
Cuba to embark the American citizens at
| that port sailed for Cuba this morning.
KEY WEST. April 6.-a:i0 D. m,--Mas-
cote arrived with 90 passengers aboard,
She is coaling at the government dock and
| will return to Havana as soon as through.
| Consul General Lee did not come. Every
| state room ON the Mascotte was enga gedL
| The City Of Key West will have a big
crowd tomorrow. It is reported that
| there is great excitement in Havana.
| TAMPA, Fla. April 6.-The steamship
Olvette sailed tonight for Havana to
| bring over Americans DESTROYS of coming.
This ship has been undergoing repairs
ana 1t was with the greatest urgency that
| she made ready for the trip.
/ RICHMOND. Va. April s.-Fitzhugh
| Lee. Jr who contemplated leaving Rich
mond to-day to join his father, Consul
General Lee. at Havana. received about
! noon a cablegram from his father, advis-
ing him to hold the fort for further or
ders" He thereupon gave up the trip.
A close personal friend Of General Lee s
! here received a letter from him to-day in
| which tn Consul General stated that he
| would remain in Havana until the clouds
| fall or until | am recalled by the United
| States government. For the present he
a.