The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-27
CONDITIONS At HAVANA.
Refugees Tell Of the Effects Of the
Blockade.
blANco IS GUARDING HIS COAL.
Thousands Of People DESTROYS ut
leaving the City-Americans on
One side. Insurgents ON Other.

New York May ee.--The Press says:
Among the twenty-seven passengers which
the British steamship, Arecuna, chartered
by the Ward line, brought here from Mex
lean ports, were three families of refugees
from Havana. With many others they es-
capped from Havana to Vera Cruz on the
French steamer Lafayette. The refugees
are jose Otero, his wife and i've chldrea,
Alfredo de la Ferte. wife and two children
and Mrs. +. c. De Miranda.
They say that the Lafayette tried to pur-
chase coal, but General Blanco would al
low none to be sold The limited supply
now there Is being guarded jealousy and
at night the city Is in complete darKnsss.
The electric plant has been shut down, al
factories whore coal is used as fuel are
stopped and the gas and water works are
forced 20 get along with as little coal Is
possible, For this reason water Is scarce.
When the Lafayette sailed for Vera Cruz
there was stampede TO get out Of the city
fuiy $4,000 Spaniards ard Cubans had %
tanned passports to leave, but exorbltant
prices for passage were demanded and only
i part OF them could afford to pay the rate
demanded. AS it was the Lafayette touK
zoo men, women and children away from
Havana, all that she was able 10 carry.
There were thousands left who, although
wiling to pay he price asked, could nos
get ls ssage, and they ran about like mad
men, Offering the fortunate ones twice Abe
amount the had paid Tor tickets.
passenger named Xique5 paid Sii00
for passage for himself. wife and two
children, Many others paid as high as
$1,000 each and then they were compelled
10 sleep on the decks or wherever they
l ~ t,,NI - ,.,tx
able days were spent on the Lafayette,
with only scant allowance of food for
each passenger.
Joseph Otero, who brought his wife ana
daughters, Louise. Marguerite and Glenn
oncita. 10 this city, was formerly connected
with the city government In Havana. He
said When left Havana 1t was said
that the insurgents were only tifteen miles
from the city and at night the lights OF
| their camps could be seen burning In the
hills. Between the fear of bombardmeni
! by the United States warships and attack
| by the insurgents the city is panic stricken
and combined attack is looked for every
| hour
Food is very scarce and fresh meat car
! scarcely be bought at any price. The block
ade is felt more by the poorer classes anc
as they are the ones that have been mos
| loyal to Spain the suffering among then
| is the worst
Mr. Otero would say little about I'll,
| Spanish troops in Cuba undsr Genera
Blanco, but from other passengers IL wa
learned that the army is almost as BAIL
| demoralized and panic stricken as thu
civilians. Ammunition is scarce, and man,
Of the troops are clothed In rags and with
out shoes. Rations are being doled out 4
them sparingly. hut the soldiers watcl
carefully all places where provisions ar
known to be stored, and the authorize
will not allow private families to purchas
supplies for more than one day ~ time
Senior de la Ferte is Cuban of Freno
descent, who owns a large plantation nea
Havana. He said he had brought his fam
lily here for safety until the war is over
but at the outbreak OF the rebellion e
ouardo Garcia, the marager of his planta
ton, had raised a regiment Of 1909 me
from his and neignhoring plantations an
then Joined the insurgents,
When the Spanish soldiers heard G
It." said Senior dc In Ferte. they marche
upon my plantation, burning and destroy
ing everything above ground. We Only 20
away with our lives"
Senior de 1, Ferte said he did rot thin
Il was true that the steamer LAFAYETTE In
Nnlcaded any arms or ammunition al Ha
vena or that some of he~ passengers ~.
French gunners He said that the fSrt
around Havana will he able to make br
a poor reply to a bombardment. Althouq
some Of the guns are modern ana In g1o
condition tho supply OF powder and pre-
!ectiies is short
All the rofurnes were met at the War
line pifr by Cubpn friends living in TIL
city and given Joyous welcome