The record-union., 1898-08-04

VINO daily ole or munger IN the houses.
No words can describe the horrors of
Los Foscos, at the foot of the Prado,
where the reconcentrados are herded
together. l was told that there were
no less than 1900 Of these miserable
people in the place when / came away.
and they are dying by hundreds, for of
course nothing is being done for their
relief. Even the Government has not
enough food for it's own soldiers. Worse
than this, the officials beat and abuse
them shamefully.
"A few gas lamps still burn in the
streets, but the electric lights are only
lighted on Thursday nights, when there
is music in the Parquet Centrale. What
CHASTITY mockery those band concerts
are, with so many people starving TO
death within the sound of the music!
All theaterS are closed, and their lob
bies are nightly crowded with the
homeless poor. Wine is the only thing
in the city that is plentiful and cheap,
SO that even the poor can set a little at
times.
Almost all the stores in Weyler and
O'Reilly streets are closed, as are the
principal hotels. The stock of coal is
almost completely exhausted. and for
few days the local trains that run TO
Vedado, past the Santa Clara battery.
were stopped for want of fuel. They
are now burning wood, but even that
will soon be gone
Juan Zarraga Sarte said: Il do not
know anything of the conditions in Ha-
vapa, but l do know that there is much
misery at Cardenas and MatanZas
Things, however, might be worse, con-
sidering the stringency of the blockade.
Much starvation has been avoided by
the foresight of the merchants, who, in
anticipation of the outbreak of the war,
laid in large stores of provisions. OF
course they have sold at high prices,
and I heard of one man who made
500, 900 in a speculation In flour in
Sagua. All the stores which have pro-
visions are kept under constant guard
by soldiers to prevent thel starving peo-
pie from looting them. Every one is
tired of the war, and on all sides one
hears prayers that peace will soon
come
The Nansen brought up a cargo Of
sugar, which she discharged at Will
iamsburg. She also brought 3GS bales
Of tobacco and 322 cases of cigars.
This was the first cargo of sugar reach
ing the United States since the surren-
der Of Santiago.
SPANISH REPORT AN AMERICAN
DEFEAT.
HAVANA, Aug 3.-The German
cruiser Geier has arrived here from
Vera Cruz, Mexico. She had on board
prominent German, Herr Gustav
Book, who is well known here in bust
ness and other circles. AS the Geier
passed Cabanas Fortress she played a
German march.
The French cruiser D'Estaing is ex-
pected at Sagua.
A French steamer, the Manoubia,
was captured last Saturday afternoon
off Isabella, and was taken to Key
West.
Spanish report says that at noon
Saturday last an American Warship
fired on the Punta Maya Matanzas bat
terry, after the battery had opened fire
on the warship, which is said to have
withdrawn for time and to have re-
turned with another ship. The two
/ vessels, it appeared, fired eight shots
at the battery. which were answered by
twenty shots from the shore guns,
whereupon the ships are alleged to have
withdrawn. 1t is said that only one
Spanish artilleryman was wounded.
During the evening of Saturday last
only one ship was in sight from Matan-
zas.
1t was announced from the palace
that on Sunday morning last the plan
tation of Precise. province of Matan-
zas, was attacked by force of infan-
try and cavalry under the American
flag 1t is added that squadron of
Spanish cavalry from the plantation Of
Dos Rosas assisted in routing the
Americans" who are said to have left
ten men killed on the field The Span
iards, according to the report, had two
men badly wounded