The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-07-13
THE SITUATION IN HAVANA.
An Account from a Madrid Paper Which
Was Confisoated by the Government.

Washington, July 1l.-An account.of
the situation in Havana taken from a
Madrid newspaper which was confscated
by the Spanish government and written
from the Cuban capital by Senior E.
Lopez Allue, Madrid newspaper CORE
spondent, has reached Washington. 1t
was written before the destruction of Ad-
miral Cervera's fleet and while the in
habitants of Havana were expecting that
squadron to come to their relief with
provisions.
SIN Havana" he wrote. "we are feel.
ing every day more and more the depri-
vations due to the conduct Of the war. At
the beginning of the trouble when the
American fleet first established the block
ade there were plenty of stores in the
warehouses and In the custom house, and
for time the traffic and movements in
the streets were the same as in times of
peace Then it was difficult to move in
such streets as the Gale de Officio, Gale
1nquisador, Gale San Ignoacio, Gale
MuraIla, Gale Lamparilla and Gale
Obrcopia, because of the congestion of
heavy trucks, loaded wagons and vehicles
of all descriptions.
"Now 1t is all different. The merchan-
disc has all been distributed from the Gus
tom house and there is an utter paralyza
ton in oil branches of trade. Today those
streets where once was all activity and
hustle wear holiday or rather mournful
air OF quiet. Hungry dogs sniff along
the cutters which they have long since
cleared of all refuse. They have lost their
domesticity, flee at the approach of man,
and their lean TANKS and hungry eyes
give them the appearance of wild animals.
"In the shadow of every tree and build
ing can be seen dozens of steyeGores,
coachmen, wsgoners, and public laborers
lying idle and hopeless. For weeks they
have been without work, passing gradu-
ally from the comparatively opulent liv,
ingEto miserable existence Thousands of
working men and women in the tobacco
in iustry are reduced to the same condit-
ion. Efforts have been made by the offic-
ials here to keep this condition Of the city
and it's people a secret, but do not te-
lieve that patriotism requires it. 1t is
necessary that these facts be made public
in order that the people of Madrid can
appreciate the situation in Havana and
recognize the efforts of our people here to
maintain the national integrity at what
ever cost.
"The shore defences of Havana are
now completed. The task was titanic
Oilc3 DlOuStlAd5 I'll 1hpOIcIn pt1u& h6UU 8U
work sday and night 1t is but just that
tell you that we owe all this energy
and activity to Gen. Pando, who from
the time of mis- arrival In Havana on
April 20, has not been idle moment.
"From the Instruction we know moth
ing or next to nothing. All such news
comes to us by cable from the south
which is in the hands of the government
On the north we are completely inoom-
municatio. 1t is generally understood,
however, that our troops have evacuated
Orienta and have concentrated in forts
along the coast. We have just heard that
the insurgents have driven our troops
from Bayamo and have taken possession
Of the city. Such news as we receive
from Spain is so distorted by the officials
here that we can place little reliance upon
it.
"This letter goes out through the kind
ness of an officer on German vessel
bound for Europe. -