Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-05-28
TIE SPANISH ARMY IN RIGS.
nsmoralized Condition Of the Soldiers
Who Arc to Defend Havana.

short of Ammunition Food is
Very Scarce in the City and the
Gnnoly of Coal is So Short That
the Electric Light Plant and All
FACTORIES Have Been Compelled
IN Shut Down - Thousands OF
People Gladly Would Leave the
Blockaded City.
New York, May 27.-The Press says:
Among the q passengers which the
R,itish steamship, Areouna, chartered
,., me Ward Line, brought here from
Mexican ports, were three families CT
,efugees from Havana. With many
o.begs they escaped from Havana to
Vera Cruz on the French steamer
LAFAYETTE They are Jose Otero, his
wife and five children; Alfredo de la
rs~ia wife and two children, and Mrs
II C. de Miranda They say the
-afaye-te tried to purchase coal. but
Cen Blanco would allow none to be
sold. The limited supply now there is
hsng guarded jealousy, and at night
.4e ctv is in complete darkness. The
electric plant has been shut down, all
facrories where coal is used as fuel
are stopped and the gas and water
works are forced to get along with as
rfr'e coal as possible. For this reason
water is scarce.
VI en- the Lafayette sailed for Vera
Cruz there was a stampede to get OUT
of The city. Fully $4,000 Spaniards
and Cubans had Obtained passports to
leave. but exhorbitant prices for pas
sage were demanded and only part
Of them could afford to pay the rate de-
handed As it was the Lafayette took
100 men. women and children from Ha
yana ali she was able to carry. There
were thousands left, who. although
willing to pay the price asked could
not get passage. and they ran about
like madmen, offering the fortunate
ones twice the amount they had paid
for tickets.
A passenger named Xiques paid
n 400 for passage for himself, wife and
wo children Many others paid as
high as 81 600 each and they were COM
Dsled to sleep on the decks or
wherever they could find room to lie
down Three miserable days were
spsnt on the Lafayette with only
scanry allowance of food for each pas
song6r Nearly the passengers were
wealthy Spanish merchants in Havana
and ether Cuban cities.
Jose Otis, who brought his wife and
daughters, Louisa, Marguerite and
Clemencita, to this city, was formerly
connected with the city government
in Havana He said: when 1 left
Havana it 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
Between the fear of bombardment by
the United States warships and attack
by the insurgents the city is panic
stricken, and a combined attack is
looked for every hour Food is very
scarce, and fresh meat can scarcely be
bought at any price. The blockade is
felt more by the poorer classes, and
as they are the ones who have been
most loyal to Spain, TIE suffering
among them is the worst"
Mr.. Otis would say little about the
Spanish troops in Cuba under Gen.
BlancO, but from other passengers it
was learned that the army is almost as
badly demoralized and panic stricken
as the civilians. Ammunition is
scarce and many of the troops are
clothed in rags and without shoes. Ra-
tons are being doled out into them
sparingly, but the soldiers watch care
fully all places where provisions are
known to be stored, and the authorities
Will not allow private families to pur-
chase 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
mad brought his family here for safety
until the war is over, but at tie out
break Of the rebellion Euardo Garcia,
tAe manager of his plantation, had
raised regiment of 1,200 men from
ais neighboring plantations and then
Joined the insurgents. when the
spanish soldiers heard of it," said
senior de la Ferte, 'they marched upon
my plantation, burning and destroying
everything above ground We only got
away with our lives
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