The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1898-05-05
SPAN|ARDS ATTACH FOOD.
The Military at Santiago de Cuba
Take Supplies and Leave Civil
ians Without Provisions.
COMMANDMENT or NATANzAS FORTS.
Nerves of Onicers aud Men-A Steamer
Loaded with supplies for the Starving
People Around Matanzas May soon
Land Her Cargo Mt That City.

Land Her Cargo Mt That city.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, April 0.-The
German steamer Rcmus, from Ham
burg for Baltimore, touched at Port
Antonio. this island, early to- day and
landed there AL German, Cuban, Brit
ish and American refugees from Santi-
ago de Cuba. They will be detained a
short time in quarantine, to comply
with the law, and will be brought TO
Kingston by train this afternoon.
The Remus, which is loade d with iron
ore, agreed with Brooks Bros, of San
tiago de Cuba, to take the passen.
gers as an act of charity, and ran out of
its course to Port Antonio in order to
land them The refugees are mostly
women and children, many of them
persons of refinement. There was no
accommodation for them on board the
Re mus and therefore they were com
PEELED to stay on deck all night and
they had nothing to eat as the steamer
was not provisioned d for so many people.
The refugees, not having had any break.
fast, were very hungry when they ar,
rived and were worn out by their com.
fortress night at sea. One of them
said: "We may as well starve here as
there. The Spaniards have at
tached all the food in Santiago de
Cuba for the army and the civil
population of that city, about 20,0
persons is almost without provisions I"
The refugees confirm the reports that
the Spaniards are abandoning the
small cities and the plantations which
they have been guarding, burning the
plantation buildings before leaving
them. The insurgents activity has
greatly increased recently, owing to
the news that they have re ceived from
the United States, and they are raid
ing up to the very outworlxs of Santi-
ago de Cuba and Guantan amo. The
city of Santiago de Cuba, when the ref
ugees left, was in a state of semi
panic, fearing the blockade of the
port by the United States feet.
There were about 10, 900 Spanish troops
there and in the vicinity. But food,
excepting army supplies, was running
low. Mr.. Hyatt left so tons of provi-
sions in the United States consulate at
San tiago de Cuba, and 100 tons of sup
plies, which had just arrived, in the
custom house. The British consul to
Santiago acting for the United States,
has distributed the so tons of provi-
sions which were left in the consulate,
but he has not been able to get the 100
tons of provisions stored in the custom
house, owing to the tee hnical devices
adopted by the Spaniards to prevent
him from so doing. These provisions,
which consist of flour, cornmeal and
rice, have not yet been confiscated by
the Spaniards, but it is said that this
will probably be done before long.
Bombsrdment OF Matanzas' Forts
KEY WEST, Fla, April 30.-The sud.
den and paralyzing bombardment OF
the forts at the mouth of Matanzas har.
Dor will hardly be unde rstood without
an explanation of what preceded. "a
peaceful blockade" sounds well at a
distance. 1t is very trying on the
nerves of officers and men of a squad
ron keyed up to the fighting pitch.
The desire to do something more
than chase merchantmen has be-
come almost irresistible on board
the blocka ding ships. Two days ago
Adm. Sampson cabled to Washing
ton "a very earnest request that he be
allowed to reduce the defenses of Ha-
vana. The answer sent back by the
secretary of the navy was that there
must be no bombardment of the de-
fenses of that city. If the admiral
felt il was absolutely necessary to do
something he might, if fired upon at
some smaller places, return the fire.
Within five minutes after getting the
answer to his III essage Capt Sampson
started his flags hip for Matanzas. He
entered tn e mouth of the harbor with
the Puritan and as soon as shot was
fred from the shore the New York
and the monitor turned loose
their guns in both directions. The
Cincinnati turned up and begged the
privilege of joining. In 2S minutes
the batteries on both sides of the har-
Dor were silenced and the defenses
were knocked TO pieces, The state
ment is made that the blockade of Ma
tanzas will be maintained d for the pres
ent, just as though the shore batteries
had not been silenced. The full mean
ing of the bombardment is now under
stood. Matanzas is the cen ter of the
district in which distre SIS among recon
eentrados is most terrible. Hundreds
of tons of food received from the
United States in the early part of the
present month we're contiscated by the
Spanish authorities. Since then the
population has had no relief. Troops
viii be kept busy for some time in pre-
pairing a way for effe ctive relief.
The Keller Steamer
KEY WEST, Fla, April 30. The ar
rival of the Red Cross vessel, State of
Texas, last night from New York,
loaded with supplies, makes more
feasible the early landing at Matanzas,
or some point near there, which would
serve as a center for distributing re-
lief Four members of the Red Cross are
on board who are expected to serve as
distributing agents. There are no
calls for Red Cross nurses yet Part
of the supplies are perishable, and it
Is assumed that they win not be
allowed To go to waste waiting for
opportunity of distribution, when so
many people are starving around Ma,
tanzas The State OF Texas has 1, 400
tons of canned goods-rice, corn meal,
etc.
AIgsr Needs Thirty-four Million Dollars
WASHINGTON, April so. Secretary
Alger has submitted deficiency esti.