The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-29
A GREAT IMPORT LOSS
The Blockade of Cuba Was Very
Effective.
PUERTO PRINCIPE RUINED
Provisions Scarce-Civil Employees Un-
paid for a Long Time-The Village
ofJibaro Captured by the
Insurgents.

1.-THE following items have been trans
mitted by a Spanish correspondent in
diary form.l
Havana, Aug. 20.-According 10 off,
cial figures it is shown that prior to the
beginning of hostilities between Spain
and the United States an aggregate of
about 100000 tons of provisions was i'm
ported monthly at all the ports of Cuba.
but that since the commencement of
the war the loss in volume of these inn
ports has amounted to 226, 900 tons.
The Menendez line of coasting steam
ers has lost five vessels since the
Americans invaded the island, as fol-
lows: The Argonauta, captured by
American warships at Cienfuegos: the
Reina de Los Angeles, seized at Santi-
ago de Cuba after the capitulation OF
| that place. and the Jose Garcia. Gloria
| and Purissima Conception. burned dur
! ing the bombardment of the port OF
| Manzanillo.
on the night of July % the insurgent
| leader Juan Hernandez was killed in a
| fight with a Spanish guerrilla force,
which had ambushed the party. The
| Spanards had one soldier wounded.
| on the 21th the insurgents had an
| encounter with Spanish troops near
| Placeta, i'm the province of Santa Clara.
| which resulted in the killing of one in
| surgent and the wounding of 10 others.
| A Spanish captain was badly wounded.
on July 2S a committee representing
the guards and Jail employees of this
| city presented a request to the civil
governor that they be paid at least a
portion of their long overdue salaries.
Reports received here on July 2s from
I n.
| that the ruin in that part of the island
is very bad. Provisions were scarce
and the little to be had were held at
! eXorbitant prices. The civil employees
! had received no salary for eight months
! and most OF them had resigned their
| places. Special efforts were being
| made to maintain the efficiency of the
! civil hospital. and the civil governor
had given orders that everything possi-
| BILE be done in this direction.
According TO the data furnished by
| the civil government the deaths In
Santa Clara city during the month of
May numbered 2.265, and during the
month of June 2,565.
From July 20 to Aug. I many persons
| arrived at Havana and Caibarien from
Puerto Principe, Neuyitas and adjacent
places, which had been abandoned by
the Spanish forces.
The village Of Jibaro. near Sancti
Spiritus, province of Santa Clara, was
recently taken by the insurgents, who,
II is said. captured IS Cuban guerrillas.
whom they macheted in a most savage
manner, merely because they were ma
tives Of the island.
The governor of Matanzas. on Aug. 3,
issued a bando establishing contribu-
tion Ito be levied on every person who
brings viands and other products to the
MatanZas market for sale The CON
tribution" IS to be given i'm the form OF "A
certain portion Of each of the various
products brought by venders as
follows: For every 25 pounds of ba-
nanas. one-half pound to the munich
pality: for every 20 pounds Of pump
lkins, ? pounds; every 10 pounds OF
bread, l pound, and for every 25 pounds
of each Of the other products. . pounds
The dealers will be allowed to send
their goods to other parts of the prov
ince only when the local consumption
Is satisfied, and when this Is done an
extra contribution is to be levied
on the night of Aug. 3 a detective in
the city of Matanzas visited a kitchen
where food was prepared for sale and
discovered a trunk containing 375
pounds Of horse meat. The owner of
the kitchen, Ramon Ortega AMI his
son, were arrested and have been sent
to prison.
Reports from Caibarien saw that on
July 22 an American ship captured at
Caio Frances the Norwegian steamer
Frantlyn and the launches Dos Amigos
and Remedio. The last named being
empty. was abandoned by the Ameri-
cans, but the Franklin and Dos Ami
gos were held by their captors
La Union Constitutional referring to
the capture by American vessels of the
Spanish steamer Humberto Rodriguez,
asks in its issue Of Aug Z: How
would Spain have been judged If an
American ship. hoisting flag Of truce.
had approached the port of Havana
and the city's batteries had fired at Il?
The same judgment" the paper SAYS,
fought to be pronounced regarding the
capture OF the Humberto Rodriguez,
which was effected by the American
feet on the high seas while the steamer
was towing two schooners with sick
and wounded under the Red Cross So
ciety's flag" The Union Constitu-
cional further says: THE American
feet ought 10 have rendered tribute TO
the steamer and her convoy and es-
corted them to Havans waters. thus
carrying out the rules agreed upon in
this matter at the Geneva convention
by the delegates who framed the CON
venti0n. 4 naval tribunal may, as II
is logically expected, declare the cap
ture Of the steamer void. but will they
return the lives Of those who died dur
ing the long and dangerous voyage on
which they were carried by the Ameri-
Cans2 The value Of the CAPTURED
steamer is very small. yet her seizure
will not be allowed TO pass without a
protest against the action of the Ameri-
can fleet"
on Aug. La Tucha. referring 10 the
position Of the Puerto Principe civil
employees in regard to their salaries.
saws the amounts those employees have
received on account Of their salaries
during the past 10 months has hardly
been sufficient TO maintain them. not TO
speak OF supporting their families
The MatanZas papers announced on
the 9th inst. that for the purpose Of
celebrating the arrival at that port Of
the Spanish steamer Montserrat. which
had Just reached there. il has been de-
cided to present Captain Deschamps,
the commander Of the vessel with a
r-,Ta r-.aaI arH a H{rIoy,,a