The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-07-22
HAVANA

There is not a little rare and curious
reading to be found in the occasional
copies Of the Havana newspapers that
now and then dribble through the
blockade. Copies of La Lucha, re-
Gently received but already many days
old, are particularly rich in oddities
of Havana journalism.
One is Immediately struck by the
marvellous meagerness Of the news re-
latlng to the war, but for this the GEN.
sor is doubtless largely responsible.
The only reference to the blockade in
one number is a three line "official'
notice that only two American ships
are in sight of the port Of Havana.
To make up for this, however, a
leading article headed Piracy Of the
Worst Kind" is devoted to the particu-
lars of the capture of the steamer Ar
gonauta, with Spanish officers n SOL
diers on board who, by the way, are
simply described as passengers"
After roundly denouncing the Amer
lean officers and sailors as no better
than pirates in their treatment of the
passengers and crews of all captured
vessels, of whom they are said to have
spared neither men nor women, the
article continues: Let us tell what
happened to the passengers on the
Argonauta. On Selling the ship the
enemy swarmed over the side. poniards
in hand, like fierce buccaneers and be-
fore taking charge of their prize, or
even approaching the captain, FASTENED
to loot the baggage of the passengers,
plundering all alike of whatever money
they had, either in their valises or on
their persons. From a Portuguese lady
they tore the rings from her fingers
and robbed her of $1,000 in gold and
Spanish bank notes which she had in
a satchel, which she attempted to con-
ceal under her skirt.
Having finished the WOrk of pillage,
the pirates cast loose Of the ships
boats, into which they hustled all their
prisoners, all the while heaping on
them the grossest abuse and indigni-
ties. Before casting off the boat, not
content with the infamies already conn.,
mitted, they turned the steam hose on
their victims. How worthy these
wretches of being officers in the navy Of
the country of Lincoln!"
The article closes with the comfort
ing reflection that the nations Of Eu-
rope will know of these "acts worthy
of pirates, but unworthy of sailors who
pretend to represent the honor of their
nation"
A dispatch dated Matanzas and
adorned with a rude cut of rifle shell.
tells with whimsical particularly how
the projectile fired from the American
lleel was unedTCneu Dy d committee OIL
distinguished citizens, officially ap-
pointed for the purpose. The narrative.
which takes the form of a regular
process verbal, describes infinitely how
the committee 'proceeded to the ex-
traction of the projectile," which fell,
lin connection with others" in the
patio of No. 80 Gale de San Fernando.
The "extraction' which it is declared
was only accomplished with much la
Dor, took place in the presence of sun
dry military dignities whose names are
given.
Dewey's victory at Manila is disposed
of in a four-line dispatch, dated Manila
and headed, "The First Battle-The
American Fleet Routed. The Cavite
fleet has h~eroically fought the Amer
lean fleet, which retired badly dam
aged" By way of preparing the pub
lie for the truth a paragraph in an
other column states that there is "sOme
anxiety in Madrid over the result Of
the battle.
Prices of all sorts of provisions are.
of course, enormous, condensed milk
being quoted at 81 in gold per can.
Curiously enough, however, we find an
advertisement adorned with a pictur-
esque cut of a mare donkey and foal,
which states hat asses milk, deliv-
cred at you residence, is now cheaper
than ever" Little herds of she asses
MIXED from door to door are one of
the most familiar sights in Havana.