The age-herald., 1898-01-30
HOUR TN IHE CIT


Havana, Jan 29-To be scared for a Week. To be frightened out of your sensesl To be startled out of your house and homel That Is what the residents of Havana have had to live under the past week.
 It is only seven days since the riot in Havana Only a week since the Spanish officers charged on the newspaper offices and afterward upon every American citi- zen seen or found in the streets. But in that week Americans have suffered torture The Irish boycott was nothing to it, the Scottish ban was pleasant compared to it. Only the siege of Paris described by Min ister Washburn, compares to it. We are in state of siege, not only of food, but of everything comfortable.
 If we walk out we are startled by fierce looks if we stay in the house we are in dread of assassins. for our very servants eye us with scowls. If we sleep, it is with the distant cannon ringing in our ears. On- 1y the American legation is safe; and though Gen. Lee does all he can for us, he, too, is troubled, and the legation cannot hold all.
 The riot was nothing unexpected. For a month, since the Spanish autonomy rule came into operation, we have been looking for it. Autonomy was unpopularly met in the states.
 The news that the Maine and the Mar
  West was heard with delight by us, but with anger by the Spaniardss Their war ships fill the Bahama Channel. and they want no others sthere. At one time Amer- cans in Havana seriously thought of ask ing the British residents of Cuba to re- quest the queen to send one of the flying squadron here; for though, in case of war Great Britain would be necessarily neutral yet the presence of the British flag, floating from any warship. would be vastly comforting than the everlast- ing Spanish emblem that greets our eyes everywhere.
 the president hold back? These are the questions that whispered every hour by the Americans of Havana. Yes, ana whispered with dread, for the minute the hand of the United States is shown, that same minute the life of American in Havana will not be worth the paper on which his name is written. Personally, at the first word of war, every Spanish officer would issue forth, armed with a machete to wreak vengeance upon every American he met, for the United States is so unpop- ular here that the mention of the word in the streets is sufficient to start street brawl.
 And why? Because the United States will not put down the Cubans. Because the United States has decided to wait and let both sides struggle it out little longer. And meanwhile we residents of Cuba, kept here by business of purse or state, must wait and live in anxiety.
 A little way off the walls of Morro Cas- tie gleam. They are bright with arma- ment. Every ship that sails from Havana stops further along at Moro. Who enters there goes not forth!
 The armament of the city is not strong It consists of small cannon and one big gun all told less than the Maine carries. Its battleships off the coast slow. Eight hours to Key West Is the best they do. Our Columbia makes it in four. Of machetes Havana has plenty, but of ammunition it is scarce. The fortifca> tions around the city scarcely supplied with fifty charges, and were the Cubans to fire steadily upon them they would reduce them in three days.
 Blanco, Weyler and Mckinley, these are the names you most frequently hear. Blanco and McKiney~are for peace. Blan- co wants to make concessions and Mo 1<inley, according to the meagre reports that reach us here, wants to receive them. JThe Weylerites-and there are six thous- and of them-are for blood and are con- cocting schemes night and day for shedding it.
 There is a crisis in the air Of that every one feels certain.
 The famine is coming. too. Great car goes of rice, sugar, spices and died fruits