Omaha daily bee., 1898-05-09
IN THE BEleAcUEReD CITY
Pen Picture Of sights and scenes that
Are TrRnspirinR I'm the

SVDOu N0DVab.
Copyright, 1898. by Press Publishing Col
KEY WEST, May s.-(New York World
Cablegram-special Telegram.)-The night
Of April 21. when the American feet first
appeared of MORO castle. the city OF Ha-
vana was warned by three alarm guns fred
from MORO castle at o'clock In the even
ing. Although the notice had been expected
for several days, everybody had been hoping
against hope that something would turn UP
to bring about a peaceful settlement OF
affairs SO that when the alarm was duly
given everybody was astounded and every
thing throughout the city was In confusion.
Few except the most ignorant Of the people
believed the city would be bombarded.
Nevertheless, those living along the sea
front left their houses and went to less ex-
posed parts OF the city.
Although many troops had been concen-
trated in and around the city, there were
hardly any troops in the batteries and at
the points most liable to attack. The great
est confusion prevailed, and the streets were
filled with bodies Of troops hurrying
from one point to another trying to find the
positions assigned them. The volunteers
and the new recruits enlisted in the last
few weeks were running about the streets
in complete disorder, and 1t was midnight
before order was established. All that night
and the next day and the next night every
body stayed at their posts, guarding them
the best way they could
By this time General Blanco had come TO
the conclusion that the city was not going
to be attacked at once and issued procia-
nation dividing the city up into uistric's
and appointing committees to look after tne
families left unprotected by the men being
at the defenses and also to keep track OF all
! men in their respective districts. NO one
is allowed to rove from one house TO another
without permission and these committees
who consist only of native born Spanards'
are held responsible for any disturbance or
depredations in their districts and serve all
| the powers of a judge.
| Since then the greatest quiet and order
have prevailed throughout the city. Every
body that did not have employment was
| compelled to work on the fortlncations.
Work was carried on day and night ana
! they have done wonders in snort time.
This forced employment served to take up
the minds of the people and also gave them
a chance to get food; as after the money was
received on board the Montserrat the
government paid the men every night.
| OF course for several days there was
feeling of suspense throughout the city. but
that has generally worn off and the general
| feeling is that the sooner the Americans at
| tack them the better. The Spanish element
| ia lust auixotic enough to believe that as
soon as the troops are landed they are go
ing to have an easy victory. You near tne
expressions everywhere, "Oh, just let them
land roops and we will show them what
Spaniards are made OF.
There is no doubt but that they have the
courage and desire to fight. But hair OF
the troops depended on to defend the city
are militia and raw recruits. most OF wholh
have never fred a gun. Business IN the
city in many lines Is at complete stahu
stil, and many of the shops and stores are
closed All the cigar factories have smut
down because there was no way OF shipping
their cigars. The large Henry Clay cigar
factory closed two weeks ago, but is diVid-
ing $4,000 a week among its employees.
There is fresh meat in the city for several
davs vet and selling on the Sd inst. at 6o
cents a pound in silver, which Is not very
dear under the existing circumstances anu
considering that the Spanish silver has de-
clined almost so per cent below our cur
rency. The prices on all kinds OF provi-
sions with few exceptions had only peen
raised about 80 per cent. Condensed milk
was selling at 81. 20 tin. There are plenty
of provisions in the city for at least month
, and the government will probably regulate
the prices SO that they will not go much
higher.
! So far there has been little suffering from
hunger except among the reconcentraoos
and they are in very bad shape ana man!
will die of starvation. even II havana Is
captured within the next two weeks Theri
, we're 1000 bags of corn meal and 14O boxes
of salt pork, with clothes and medicines, II
the store houses consigned to General Let
Ganeral ArOiaS
, the general of division in command OF thu
Z defenses of the city, embargoed these ant
. turned them over to the commissary de-
, partment Of the army. The city has beer
in semi darkness ever since the lombard
ment began, as the electric lights are no
, lighted and along the shore the gas lignt
, are not lit Every afternoon the open space
about Queens battery and also the hati
houses at the west Of the Prado are thronge'
=, with thousands Of people watching the snip
: on guard before the city. The usual promo
made on the shore at the foot OF Prado stree
cannot be approached OH account OF the rih
= pits and entertainments that have beel
, placed there A number of the schooner
: that have been seized have been capture
u five or six miles off Moro and within plan
sight of the throngs on shore. 1t Is need
less to say that the remarks were anythin
hut complimentary 10 Tue AIhciiCaho' u
u Spaniards are greatly incensed because tn
9 Spanish fleet does not come over to brea
/ the blockade and everybody was confiden
II that it would surely appear on the secon
a of May, which is a great Spanish holiday
d and that they would have another grea
II victory to celebrate.
: They were greatly disappointed bu
It made no demonstrations. All anyone ha
N to do to get one of them was to ask wher
Is the squadron. Absolutely no authenti
= news from the outside world has been pub
= lished for days and they are completely ig
J. norant of what is going on in Spain.
General Blanco has done everything pos
e sible to try to persuade the insurgents
n join issues with the Spaniards against tn
r. Americans. He issued proclamation call
J. ing them to enlist in a battalion to b
commanded by the renegade Cuban, Colo
% mel Joan Pana, but they would not bit
ID and he had to give 1t up.
& Every evening the parks extending alon
the Parade from Monte street to La Punt
are filled with the new recruits drillin
and great enthusiasm and patriotism al
shown. Small pox, which has been ragin
\ for some time in small towns outside {
, the city, has apparently been brought int
the city by the troops and in the last fe
days MANY cases have broken out in Hs