The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-19
now LirE GoEs ON IN CUBA.
Proyisions Running Low on the
North Coast

North 0Oust.
Now York Sun.
The Munson line ship Bratsberg tNoTwe-
sianl. Captain Thorsen, which arrived yes
t,rdav from Sapua la Grande, east OF Inc
blockade line on the north coast OF CUBA.
port she left on May 20, brought a numper
OF refugees who lad much 10 TEL OF tno
increasing scarcity Of food and supphes III
the purt OF the country from wnicn thry
come There we're forty nine passengers
INCLUDING Cubans, Chinese and american
citizens Meny of them wore duck SUNS
or coats of very light flannel, and these
shivered dismnlly In the DRIVING ram as
they made their way orr the snip ihoy
had expected TO find warm wealhcr here,
md were much disappointed to learn tnat
VIC were In the midst OF n rainy season OIL
our own Ono OF the American cltizehs
aboard was j. More. Cuban by birth, VINO
OWLS n plantation ut Sagua and left there
with his wife and son because he was
afraid TO stay longer.
THE Spanish threatened us time eater
time" he suid, and finally told me that ~
| did not want TO have my throat cut anu
my wife and child carried off, i had better
get out right away. The threat against my
family decided me to 20. My son, VINO was
connected with the consulate there. toiu mo
lust before wo left that there were num-
Der of Americans still In Sogua. There IS
only about twenty days supply Of food lett
dition II help does not como. When lett
there WAS lawlessness. aud It was not sate
to be on the streets after dusk. The de-
lenses of the place are unimportant, Two
small pieces in the fort and little gunboot
lying In the harbor."
A man from Santa Clara, who refused TO
give his name on account OF his wife and
family, whom he has left there. had this
to say as to the conditions there:
ALREADY when / left the town was feel
ing the effects Of the blockade severely.
Provisions for one month were there, ana
prices we're high. a man named Masso
Para who pretends to be an autonomist,
has been trying TO raise 1000 Spcnish troops
In the province by offering $50 u month
and board, half of the first months pay
to be given as soon as the man IS mustered
in This offer has brought into Santa Clara
Il gspg Of cut threats, thieves and rasoais
OF III descriptions. AZ soon as they tina
that the promised money Is not Forthcoming
they refuse to enlist ard turn themselves
loose lipon the town. You can imagine the
drppers to the neaceable population OF
having such gang enjoying the freedom
OF the town. Most of the regular troops
have gone to Cardcnas and Cienfuegos.
The day after the bombardmont OF Car
denas troops were sent there from Place
tas and Camajuini. Some OF the Spanish
ideas Of defense are Imaginable. For in
stance, as q protection against TIE In
sLrgents they have put barbed wire fences
around the town. THE outlets are blocked
with barrels filled with sand. There is
some smallpox in the town Of Santa Clara.
but II has not reached formidable proper
tons"
j. wellborn Of Newark has been in the
sugar business In Matanzas for nine years.
and has returned to his home here for q
short stay. Although he Is an American.
Mr., Wellborn has not suffered any ill-treat-
ment, and says that any American who Is
known in Matanzas can stay there with
safety so long as he does not go out looking
for trouble.
''rhere are a number of Americans there
now" he said, "Sho intend 10 stay right
through, The only difficulty they antici-
pate IL In the matter OF food. should
think there was not more than enough food
TO last twenty days. Meat Is very high,
eggs cost twelve cents apiece. and other ar
ticles % food are In proportion. except
bread, which has not risen SO much Coal
is mighty scarce. shin that could get
there With cargo OF coal could get s25
ton for It, There are 10000 or 1900 regu-
lar soldiers there and perhaps 1000 volun-
teers Military law is strictly enforced.
there is 70 disorder and nobody Is allowed
on the streets afttr Z o'clock except the
military. As for the insurgents. II there
are any in that part OF the country. they
are keeping very quiet. l have been far
back In the hills and all about and never
caught glimpse of them. want to re-
peat that Americans having friends at Ma
tanzas need be In no alarm as to their
safety, SO far as the Spanish soldiers are
concerned. The Spanish are In high spirita
and think they are going to Wipe us on the
face of the earth. Some OF their ideas
about what they are going to do In this war
are very amuslng. but also very exAsper-
ating. They will be terribly surprised lot
when they come face to face with the
truth"
Another passenger wasscyrii r. LesAus-
sier Of New Orleans. wAo has lived for
many years IN Sagua- He said:
There il smallpox ut Sagua. though Il Il
vol under control. Scarcity OF food. which
will be felt IN fifteen or twenty days. may
increase the danger from the Disease. AZ
CardenAs heard Of only two pegpoas heing
killed outright In the iowa ~ u tlpn6 ee
the bonibardment. one = candy se1leR, Who
was hit by fragments OF "a exploding ohell Il
and the other woman who Wne ako~t ~ 4
90 out walking and looked out of bGr Mn
dow just In tima To have ~ ~ ~ ~ Il
head torn on by : sheJ 9aGnn = Dg01tX
the town Was noe Greal Qaoaa - Dec113 ~
quiet q preesnt Int q = ~ ~ IN
Ameyicnna - ~ - - ~ ulgoGoG oU