The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-05
CUBANS REFUSE TO WORK
sPANIARDs IMPORTED TO TOLL IN
THE MINES OF SANTIAGO.
Street Cleaners on Strike, Being Too
Lazy to Labor for Good Wages
General Woods Threat.

OANI1AGO LIE CUBA, NOV. 4-IWo local
mining companies, owing TO the continued
refusal of Cubans to accept employment in
mines en- account of the organization of the
army, have employed 40 Galejodes miners
from the ranks of the Spanish garrison at
Cienfuegos. They were employed with the
consent of General Blanco. The work IN
the mines here has been delayed on account
of the lack of laborers. The Galejodes men
are the only ones available They viii be-
gin work as soon as they arrive. Undoubt-
eddy trouble will be raised by the Cubans
over the Introduction of Spanish iaborers.
General Wood will furnish protection, if
necessary. The men are expected next
week.
The Cubans who have been employed in
cleaning and repairing the streets Of San
tiago have struck for higher wages, though
they have been receiving 81 a day, or 50
cents and two rations-highcr wages .han
have ever before been paid for similar v ork.
In fact, local employers of labor have teen
complaining of this high rate alleging that
1t was quite impossible for them 10 COM
pete with the government on such terms
The Cuban laborers, at the best, are lazy
and slipshod. They want an increase OF so
cents d day. Gen. Leonard Wood absolute
adopt heroic measures If the strike Is not
promptly declared off. The trouble is that
many Of the strikers have rations enough
on hand to last month or more. and they
think they can coerce the United States gu
thorities. General Wood says he will arrest
every laborer able to work, and under
Nagrancy law which he will establish, com
pei him to work thirty days for RI atoms
COnflng0 hi FJa icli
OF importing labor, but believes that this
must be the ultimate result.
Collector Donaldson has returned from
Gibara with $4,000 customs receipts at that
place. He reports that there is considerable
smallpox in the neighborhood of Holguin
but no yellow fever.
Colonel Hoods Second Immune Regiment
Is encamped at GiDara in a healthful local
ny, waiting to occupy Holguin on Nov. 10.
Gen. Demetrius Castillo, who is assisting i'm
the work of organizing the military depart
ment in that district is busy engaging men
for gendarmerie, accepting men only of good
physique.
Colonel Ray, who has returned from Guam
tanamo- says that the Cuban general Perez
is about To grant indefinite furlough to his
men to enable them to go TO work, the rea-
son apparently being that many are prac-
tlcaiIy starving and would have gone to
work anyhow. Lieut. j. II. Blount, the
Judge advocate, is acting as lieutenant gov
ernor.
Captain Chester, of the United States
cruiser Cincinnati, after an examination of
the wreck of the Reina Mercedes, is of the
opinion that the vessel can be raised at
small expense. She is of an antiquated Tyre
but would be useful, when repaired, as a
school snip or for coast defense, although
sum in reftting her.
pr. Woodson, medical inspector of the
military department of Santiago. who ar
Cincinnati, after visiting Holgun, Gibara
Baracoa, Sagua de Tanamo and Guanta-
namo, reports that on his arrivl at Gibara
more than half the population suffering
from smallpox. There were also many cases
of typhoid and dysentery He went imne-
dlately to work and systematically isolated
the houses, insisting on the regiment (the
Second Immunes) being encamped in a
healthful location near the sea. Every eff
fort will be made to prevent the American
and Spanish soldiers from fraternizing, as
the Spaniards come from Holguin about
thirty-seven miles from Gibara, and are
between the two towns is thickly populated
and plague is scattered all along the route.
Medical supplies are badly needed there, as
well as delicacies for convalescents, and the
situation offers an excellent opening for the
nurses and doctors Of the Red Cross So
ciety.
General Wood will soon leave to make a
personal inspection of the points visited by
DR.. Woodson, despite the advice of his
is simply interchangeable in the line of duty.
He will send DR.. Woodson back to Gibara
on the steamer Reina de los Angeles with
five doctors and a large quantity of sup
plies. General Wood says he knew Of the
epidemic, which has been continuoug for
three years, and had every man in Colonel
Hoods regiment vaccinated. He believes
that none will be stricken and that there is
no cause for alarm.
Colonel Ray of the Third Immune Regi-
ment, reports a recent ARRAY on the Santa
Isabel plantation between two of his men
who were guarding cattle and some fifteen
insurgents. Three OF the Cubans are be-
lieved to have been wounded, but their com
rades carried them off Colonel Ray sent for
the Cuban general, Perez, and questioned
him regarding the matter, declaring that he
was positive the men were of Perez's COM
mand as they were all armed and wore
Cuban cockades He insisted that If Perez
kept his men under arms he should also
keep them in camp. Il cannot understand
your object" said Colonel Ray to Perez,
''in keeping your men armed in American
territory Are they armed against the
Americans? There are no SpaniardS in arms
within hundred miles. What is the neces-
sity of doing what can only lead to further
troube?"
General Perez said he would issue orders
restraining his men from similar predatory
attempts. =, -. -,
Colonel Ray replied: II shall treat all
armed Cubans caught stealing or trying to
steal cattle as bandits. There Is no reason
why these men should not go TO work.
Colonel Borrup has completed his Schedule
of the guns captured from the Spaniards 10
he shipped north The total NUMBER Is 15i,
VARYING from one and a half incheS up 10
eight and a half inches in caliber. There
are eighty-six siX-inch bronze pieces, thr9e
steel guns and forty-two cast iron guns; IN
addition to this ordnance there are 22OOO
Mauser rifles and 900 cartridges.