Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-07-13
IN HAVANA.
The Situation Described by Span
lard in a Personal Letter to a
Friend.

New York, July 12.-An interesting
account of the situation in Havana
written by Senior F. Lopez Allue,
Madrid newspaper correspondent, has
reached the Cuban junta here. 1t was
written before the destruction of Ad
miral Cervera's squadron and while
the inhabitants Of Havana were ex-
pecting those vessels to come to their
relief with provisions.
I'm Havana" he wrote, eve are feel
ing more and more each day the de-
privations due to the conduct of the
war; At the beginning of the trouble,
when the American fleet first estab-
lished the blockade, there was 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 about in such streets
as the Gale de Officio, Gale Inquisi-
dor, Gale Sanignacio, Gale Muralla,
Gale Lamparilla and Gale Obropia,
because of the congestion of heavy
trucks, loaded wagons and vehicles of
all kinds.
Nov all is different The merchan-
disc has been distributed from the Gus
tom house, and there is an utter par
alization in all branches of trade. To-
day those streets, where once all was
activity and hustle, wear a holiday or
rather a mOurnful air of quiet. Hungry
dogs sniff along the cutters, which they
have cleared long since of all refuse.
They have lost their domesticity, fee
at the approach of a man, and their
lean TANKS and hungry eyes give them
the appearance of wild animals.
'In the shade Of every tree and
building can be seen dozens of steve
{ dores, coachmen, wagoners and public
laborers, lying idle and hopeless. For
weeks they have been without work.
passing gradually from comparatively
opulent living to a miserable existence.
! Thousands of workingmen and women
in the tobacco industry are reduced to
the same condition.
Efforts have been made by the Of
flcials here to keep this condition of the
city and its people secret, but l do
not believe that patriotism requires it,
tits necessary that these facts be made
I public in order that the people Of
Madrid can appreciate the situation in
Havana and recognize the efforts of
the people here to maintain the national
integrity, whatever the cost to them.
! The shore defences in Havana are
now completed. The task was a titanic
one, thousands of laborers being kept
at work day and night. 1t is but Just
that l tell you that We owe all this en-
ergy and activity to Gen. Pando, who,
from the time of his arrival in Havana,
on April %, has not been idle a mo-
ment.
From the instruction we know
nothing, 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 incommunicado. 1t is gen.
orally understood, however, that our
troops have evacuated the interior of
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 that city. Such
news. as we receive from Spain is so
distorted by the officials here that we
can place little reliance on it.
This letter goes out through the
kindness of an officer on German YES
sci bound for Europe"