The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-21
Weight of the Blockade Is Felt at
Havana.
BREAD RIOTS PREDICTED
INTERIOR TOWNS EVACUATED
BY SPANISH TROOPS.
Important Points Occupied By In
surgents-Defenses at Havana
Greatly Strengthened-Spaniards
Are Enthusiastic and Look For
ward to Victory.

Havana, May 9, via Vera Cruz, May
1S.-(Copyright, 1898, by the Associated
Press)-The weight Of the blockade is
beginning to be felt here. Business is
almost at a complete standstill and
there is hardly any movement in the
streets, which have a sort of holiday
appearance. The parks are almost de-
serted and there are very few people
to be seen on the plaza de Aramas at
night, although the band plays there
and everything possible is done to keep
up the spirits of the people.
There is a feverish desire to leave
the island and over 5000 people are
booked at the Office of the consignees
of the French steamer Lafayette,
which leaves here today for Vera Cruz,
Mexico, with this letter which will be
posted at that port. In fact an actual
panic now prevails, while, when the
blockade commenced, there was a feel
ing almost of serenity among all
classes. But things have changed. The
grim earnestness of the Americans is
steadily forcing itself upon the minds
of even the most hStheaded Spanish
officers, though the latter are working
vigorously at the Notifications, which
and improved since the war began. The
Spaniards, it must be admitted, are
preparing to fight as desperately as
possible under the circumstances.
Many families without means. desir-
ing to emigrate, are endeavoring to
borrow money from more fortunate
people in order to pay their passage
But it is impossible to see how their
condition will be improved to any con-
hax 10
coed in leaving the blockaded city, for
they have been rendered penniless and
their chance of earning a livelihood in
any foreign country is very slim.
There is considerable feeling against
the men who are DESTROYS of leaving
the city, and posted on the corners of
houses all over the town you can see
such notices as follows:
Here are sold women's shirts for
men who are abandoning the island of
Cuba
MILITARY OPERATIONS.
There has been no disorder I'M this
city or in the provinces, so far as
known, though it is true people here
are entirely ignorant of what is trans
piring at Santiago, no mail having been
received from there for some time past,
and the cable being in the hands of the
government and almost exclusively de-
voted 20 further military operations.
which are about limited to evacuating
the interior towns and concentrating
the Spanish forces at or about the
large cities.
1t is reported" here that Santa Cruz
del Sur, on the south coast of Puerto
Principe, has fallen into the hands of
the insurgents. If this is the case, the
latter now have a port at which their
friends can land arms, ammunition and
supplies, without interference. Other
important events are said to have
transpired at Santa Cruz del Sur.
The officers of the Spanish gunboat
Cuba Espanola have reached Sancti
Spiritus, province of Santa Clara, by
land, and are on their way to Tunas,
and from there by coasting steamer to
Cienfuegos. One report has it that the
commander of the Cuba Espanola
burned or blew up his vessel in order
to save it from falling into the hands
OF the insurgents. Another version of
the affair says the gunboat may have
been captured by the insurgents.
TOWNS EVACUATED.
Confirmation has been received here
that the Spanish troops have evacuated
Jiguno and Bayamo, IN the province of
Santiago de Cuba and that they have
been occupied by the insurgents. The
SpdnlardS say the troops destroyed
these two towns before leaving them,
but this is not believed. The troops
from these places retreated upon Man
zsnillo. and some of them have reached
other coast towns by this time.
Although the prices of provisions here
are very high, it is calculated that there
is food enough obtainable to last about
five months, because, it is claimed, con-
siderable stores were laid in before the
bic ckade, and no provisions are allow
ed to be sent from here to the interior
towns
Eggs cost 10 cents each, glass of
milk costs from 20 TO % cents, and the
size of a loaf of bread has been reduced
one-half. This, however was done be-
fore the blockade began.