The herald., 1898-05-28
CONCERNING THE CONDITION.
IN CUBA
ELECTRIC LIGHTS PUT OUT
Coal Too Scarce to Be Used for FactQ-
ries-All the Poorer People
Starving
Associated Press Special wire

NEW YORK, May N.-The Press sayns
Among the twenty-seven passengers which
the British steamship Arecuna, chartered
by the Ward line, brought here from Mex
lean ports, were three families of refugees
from Havana. With may others they es-
capped from Havana to Vera Cruz on the
French steamer Lafayette.
The refugees are Jose Otero, his wife and
five children; Alfredo de La F'erte, wife and
two children, and Mrs. F. c. De Meranda.
They say the Lafayette tried to purchase
coal, but General Blanco would allow none
to be- sold. The limited supply now there
is being guarded jealously, and at night
the city is in complete darkness.
The electric plant has been shut down, all
factories where coal is used as fuel are
stopped, and the gas and water works are
forced to get along with as little coal AZ
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 Cubans had OBJ
tanned passports to leave, but exorbitant
prices for passage were demanded and only
part of them could afford to pay the
rate. AS it was the Lafayette took
1900 men, women and children away from
Havana, all that she was able to carry.
willing to pay the price asked. could not get
passage, and they ran about like mad men,
offering the fortunate ones twice the
amount they had paid for tickets.
A passenger named Xiques paid $1400 for
passage for himself, wife and two children.
Many others paid as high as $1,000 each, and
then they were compelled to sleep on the
decks or wherever they could find room to
lie down. Three miserable days were
spent on the Lafayette with only scanty
allowance of food for each passenger.
Nearly all the passengers were wealthy
Spanish merchants in Havana and other
Cuban citizens. Jose Otero, who brought
his wife and three daughters to this city.
was formerly connected with the city gov
ernment in Havana. He said:
when left Havana 1t was said that the
insurgents were only fifteen miles from
the city, and at night the lights of their
camp fires could be- seen burning in the
hills. From fear of bombardment by the
United States warships and attack by in
surgents the city is panic stricken, and
combined attack is looked for every hour.
Food is very scarce and fresh meat can
scarcely be bought at any price.
1.-THE blockade is felt more by the poorer
classes, and as they. are the ones who have
been most loyal to Spain the suffering
among them is the worst"
Mr.. Otero would say little about the
Spanish troops in Cuba under General
Blanco, but from other passengers It was
learned that the army is about as badly
demoralized and panic stricken as the
civilians. Ammunition is scarce and many
| of the troops are clothed in rags and with
| out shoes. Rations are being doled out
to them sparingly, but the soldiers watch
carefully all places where provisions are
| known to be stored, and the authorities
will not allow private families to purchase
supplies for more than one day at time
Senior De La Ferte is a Cuban of French
descent, who owns a large plantation near
Havana. He said he had brought his fam
lily here for safety until the war is over,
but at the outbreak of the rebellion Ed
uardo Garcia, the manager Of his planta-
ton, had raised a regiment of 1900 men
from his and neighboring plantations and
joined the insurgents.
''When the Spanish soldiers heard of
It," said Senor De La Ferte, they marched
upon my plantation, burning and Destroy
ing everything above ground. We only got
away with our lives"
Senior De La Ferte said he did not think
1t was true that the steamer Lafayette
had unloaded any arms or ammunition at
Havana, or that some of her passengers
were French gunners. He said the forts
around Havana will be able to make
poor reply to a bombardmert Although
some of the guns are modern and In good
condition the supply of powder and pro-
jectiles is short All the refugees were
met at the Ward line pier by Cuban friends
living in this city and given joyous well
come.
Beginning to Rain
KEY WEST, May 27.-The rainy season
is Just beginning in Cuba and the fleet Of
warships and newspaper dispatch boats
have experienced bad weather during the
past week, with frequent rain storms. or
the Cuban coast today the weather 10
pleasant The new cruiser New Orleans,
formerly the Amazonas, excites the admi-
ration of all naval men during the present
cruise on account of her speed and app
parent effectiveness as a fighting ship.
No Move Imminent
WASHINGTON, May 27.-At the close of
the Cabinet meeting today it was author.
itativey stated that although the gov
ernment had no official information on the
subject there was no reasonable doubt that
Admiral Cervera's fleet was in Santiago
Harbor and that Commodore Schley was
on guard at the entrance. Although the
information upon which this belief is
based Is regarded as entirely trustworthy
the government will make no important
move or change its plans in the absence
Of direct confirmation from official
sources. 1t was also stated that any con-
templated movement against Cuba or Por-
to Rico would be held in abeyance until
the Spanish fleet either was destroyed OF
otherwise rendered helpless to seriously
interfere with our plans in any direction.
The Cabinet discussed the situation at
length, but nothing of great consequence
was decided upon. The work of equipping
and mobilizing the volunteer army will be
pushed with all possible vigor with view
to being in perfect readiness for any call
that might be made when the Spanish fleet
shall no longer be a serious factor in tho
war problem. All the members of the
Cabinet were present except Attorney
General Griggs, who is at his home in
New Jersey.
A Soldiers Funeral
!