The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-30
SUFFERING IN HAVANA.
Food is Held az Prohibitiye Prices. and
the Army IL Only Half Fed.

KEY WEST. July 2S-A Letter from a
resident OF Havana. giving a picture Of
the awful suffering I'm that city. was rec
ceived here to-day by the Sun CORE
epondent The letter bears date of July
18th. and is as follows.
I'm respcct 10 news. We get two classes.
Ona set q reports comes from the Gov
eminent. where the censorship is so strict
that n looks more Ike an absolute Gov
eminent than anything for they give no
reports but those that the Government
desires 10 promulgete On these We have
10 use logic and reason 10 ind the real
truth other reports are those that pass
from mouth 10 mouth and arc always
favorable 10 our brothers fhe insur-
eentsl. These reports are exaggerated,
but always have a basis ~ truth by this
time the city Of Santiago must pe taken.
because it is said here with great cm-
phasis that the rule Of the Cuban iepuh-
Die and the American Government is 10
be established there in few days. and
10 seems like truth after the reports OF so
much fighting during The past few days.
There IS great talk here about the
expeditions that have landed at Nuelta
Abaio. Pinar del Rio under General Lee.
and others at Santa Clara. bat whether
true or not the fact IS that we have
only 10 60 90 the outskirts Of Havana. 10
Guanabacoa MarianaO. Jesus del Monte.
To- find Cuban forces. and this shows
clearly that the Government As only ON
tho defensive The Government has no
money. # owes troops pay for six or
seven months. The soldiers food is
scarce as possible and OF bad quality 1T
cannot be understood how they can fight
in this condition as they are not fighting
for a principle.
Public order has not been disturbed in
Havana except few days ago. when
there was some trouble over want Of
bread. The effect Of the blockade has
been very bad ON the city. We have no
rice no lard no garlic. no onions &c.
and I say we have not these because the
little there is is selling at these prices.
Twenty-Five pounds OF rice. 800. gold;
lard. so TO $3.50 per can of twenty-five
pounds; head of garlic, 40 cents; uqart OF
oil. 40 cents; Cuban potatoes. 50 per 100
pounds. twenty-five pounds sweet pota-
toes. $3.50 Other vegetables are very
scarce and dear. Beef sells at 60 cents a
pound
"Au other eatables are so dear that II
is impossible for people 10 live. Public
houses have suspended giving food to
children thus compelling 5000 children
10 be without food. Omnibuses are cir
culating very little because there is no
food for horses IL is a sad sight to see
the poor beasts fall about the streets in
the shafts. dying OF starvation Street
car lines are also running very few cars
and ara feeding their horses with peas
and palm tree seeds Carriages are very
scarce. and If you hire a hack 1t goes
only as fast as a man can walk
I'VE can be satisfied II we have for a
meal a plate Of consomme. a little corn
meal. beef and one other dish We have
no bread This. as we say in Spanish,
costs as an eye of our head. ] went the
other day 10 see friends who were in
good circumstances before the war, and
I found the father Frustrated In bed.
The daughters who could not find any
work. were IN a most sOrrowful condi-
ton. The only live by eating a little
cornmeal. cooked with salt. once day.
one OF the young women was so weak
that she tainted while talking 10 me OF
her troubles. II don't die Of hunger, as
might happen, and If the Americans de-
termine TO lombard Havana AID II f. ny
fortune to escape with ny family un-
injured. / think We shall be together
very soon under the redeemed ilab OF
our free country. "-NcN York san.