Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-05-02
SUNDAY In HAVANA.
Fen Pictures of Scenes in the City and on
the Fleet,

the TIeet
Key West, Fla, May To-day
must have been an interesting and ex-
citing one in Havana.
Was the band playing on the stand
around the statue Of the great Isabella?
Probably not. Even these murcurial
people would scarcely be in musical
mood when a short walk to the shore
would show that the pillars Of fire by
night" made by searchlights by the
blockaders. Of course. the principal
cafes were crowded. Officers and the
better class of civilians were surely
congregated there in great numbers,
drinking their light wines or a small
glass of absinthe-they are not given
to drunkenness-an talking fifteen to
the dozen, while hands and arms
waved wildly and shoulders were per-
petually in action.
a recent letter to the writer, SNUG
gled out by friend in Havana, said:
1.-The big hotel Inglaterra had two
guests, Mr.. Gollan, British consul, and
a Madrid gambler, but the patronage
Of the cafe was on the increase. These
people are gregarious and must talk
or explode
1t is astonishing with what equani-
nifty we bore the thought that some
of the people spoken of above were
likely to be hungry before long. But
when we thought Of delicately nur-
tured gentlewomen, orphaned, widow
ed. or deserted, whose incomes were
zero and whose hopes of help were
vanished, we could not feel so in
different. any more than we could
when remembering the poor little in
mates of the Lee orphanage rescued
from death, it is feared, only to die
at last and from starvation, as in the
first instance.
Fervent was the hope of every
American breast that our naval and
military forces would take and hold
Havana before death came to all who
were dependent upon charity from the
United States.
The band of the New York is playing
the march from "El Captain" the
big cruiser slowly FORCES along
through a sea blue as heaven save
where it is dotted with the blood-red
of a small jelly fish peculiar to these
waters, the sun CLEANS on the rifles
and Announcements of the marines on
guard. and it's rays make the big
eight-inch guns, poked clear of the
turret, look as if swathed in hippopo-
Janus hide Now and again long
strings of parti-colored bunting float
from the signal halyards to be an
swered far away to the westward by
a similar display from the Iowa. The
man in the foretop wig-wags in fran
tic fashion his flag of red-white CEN
tire, and presently with a snort the
long black Porter comes alongside
with swift motion composed of rolls
and darts there to receive orders that
send her scurrying off to some other
ship, or maybe, to Key West with
dispatches.
An attractive picture. But we would
like it better were the guns less bright
but buster and were the signal calls
to general quarters
Probably as yet the Spanish officers
and the wealthy contractors in Ha-
vana have food enough, or the where
withal to buy it, even with beef at
$3.50 per pound (the last quotation
reaching u.s.. Beyond question,
large majority Of the people Of Ha
vana would welcome the lombard
ment they daily expect, if assured
that when it was over and the city in
the hands Of the United States forces,
food conditions would change and the
awful uncertainty as to what the next
hour might bring forth be resolved
into certainty in the crucible of ac-
ton.
When night came we could see the
reflection in the city from the lights
in Parque Central and Parade We
knew as well as if we were at the
lnglaterra hotel that along the broader
streets, the yolunearies were march
ing and conference.-the. their Of
ficers swishing the 1.-THE canes they
are so fond Of and their buglers IN
vain trying TO keep time TO their own
music. We hope some of these vol
unteers were hungry, since they Ger
tainly deserve to be.
Washington. ID. g.. and Return Only SIu.
Via Pennsylvania Lines. THURSDAY.
May 18th, from Wheeling. Ten DAYS
return limit For details. apply to ].
G.. Tomlinson or Jno Bailie. ticket