The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-28
HARD PRESSED IN HAVANA.
FOOD SCARCE AND DEAR AND POOR
PEOPLE SUFFERING.

The Soldiers of the Garrison ScantiIy
Fed and in Rags-The Army Re-
yorted Almost as Badly Democrat
lied and Pnnic-StriclNen as the
CiviIians-WeaIthy Residents Pay
Fabulous Prices for Passage on the
Lafayette-COaI Scarce and the City
in Darkness at Night-Water Sup
My Also short.
New York, May 27.-The Press says:
"Among the twenty-seven passengers
which the British steamship Are
cune. chartered by the war de-
partment, brought here from MeAi-
can ports were three families of
refugees from Havana. With many
others they escaped from Havana to Vera
Cruz on the French steamer Lafayette.
The refugees are Jose Otero, his wife
and five children; Alfred de La Ferte
wife and two children, and Mrs F. C.
Demiranda.
They say that the Lafayette tried to
purchase coal but Gen. Blanco would al
low none to be sold. The limited supply
there is being guarded jealousy and OF
night the city. is in complete darkness.
"The electric plant has been shut down
all factories where coal is used for fuel
are stopped and the water and gas works
are forced to get along with as little coal
as possible. For this reason water is
scarce.
when the Lafayette sailed for Vera
Cruz there was a stampede to get out of
the city. Fully 1900 Spaniards and Gu
bans had obtained passports to leave, but
exhorbitant prices for passage were &c
manded and only part of them could at
ford to pay the rate demanded. AS it was
the Lafayette took 1900 men, women and
children away from Havana, all that She
was able to carry.
There were thousands left, who al
though willing to pay the price asked
could not get passage, and they ran about
like mad men, Offering fortunate ones
twice the amount they had paid for their
tickets.
"A passenger named Xiques paid 81, 400
for passage for himself, wife and two
children. Many others paid as high as
81 900 each, and then they were compelled
TO sleep on the decks or wherever they
could find room to lie down. Three miser-
able days were spent on the Lafayette
with only a scanty allowance of food for
each passenger. Nearly all the passen-
gers were wealthy Spanish merchants in
Havana and other Cuban cities.
Jose Otero, who brought his wife and
daughters, Louise, Marguerite and Clemen-
eta TO this city was formerly connected
with the city government in Havana. He
said When l left Havana it was said
the insurgents were only fifteen miles
from the city and at night the lights of
their camp fires could be seen firing in
the hills. Between the fear of lombard
ment by the United States w2rships and
attack by the insurgents, the city is panic
stricken and a combined attack is looked
for every hour. Food is very scarce and
fresh meat can scarcely be bought at any
price. The blockade is felt more by the
poor classes, and as they are the ones
VINO have been most loyal 10 Spain, the
suffering among them is the worst
"Mr Otero would say little about the
Spanish troops in Cuba under Gen. Blau-
CO. but from other passengers it was
learned that the army is almost as bad
y demoralized and panic-stricken as the
civilians. Ammunition is scarce, and
many Of the troops are clothed in rags,
and without shoes Radons are being dol
ed 10 them sparingly, but the soldiers
watch carefully all places where provisions
are known to be stored and the authorities
viii not allow private families TO purchase
supplies for more than one day at a time"