The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-21

| Havana. May Q, via Vera Cruz, May
13.-The weight of the blockading is be-
| ginning to be felt here Business is al
most at complete standstill and there
is hardly any movement in the streets,
which have a sort of holiday appear
| ance. The parks are almost deserted.
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 Of
flee of the consignees of the French
steamer Lafayette, which leaves here
| to-day for Vera Cruz. Mex. 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 feeling almost of serenity
iamong all classes But things have
| changed. The grim earnestness of the
Americans is steadily forcing itself
upon the minds of even the most hot
headed Spanish officers, though the
latter are working vigorously at the
Notifications. which have been consid-
erably strengthened and improved
since the war began. The Spanish. it
must be admitted. are preparing to
fight as desperately as possible under
the circumstances.
There is considerable feeling against
the men who are desirous 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 shirt for men who are aban-
doning the island of Cuba"
There has been no disorder in this
city or in the provinces so far as
known, although 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 exclus- |
lively devoted to further military oper- |
ations, which are about limited to
evacuating the interior towns and con-
centrating the Spanish forces at or |
about the large cities.
del Sur on the south coast of Puerto |
Principe has fallen into the hands OF |
the insurgents. IL 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 1t that the
commander of the Cuba Espanoa
burned or blew up his vessel in order
to save IL from falling into the hands
of the insurgents. Another version of
the affair says the gunboat may have
been captured by the insurgents.
Confirmation has been received here
that the Spanish troops have evacuated
Santiago de Cuba, and that they have
been occupied by the insurgents. The
Spaniards say the Nroops destroyed
these two towns before leaving them.
but this is not believed. The troops
from these places retreated upon Man
zaniIlo and some of them have reached
other coast towns by this time. AL
though the prices of provisions here
are very high. IL is calculated that
there is food enough obtainable to last
about five months because il is
claimed. considerable stores were laid
in before the blockade and no provis-
ions are allowed to be sent from here
to the interior towns. Eggs cost 10
cents leach. a glass of milk costs from
20 to 25 cents. and the size of the loaf
of bread has been reduced one-half.
This. however, was done before the
began.
There are thousands Of men from the
cigar. tobacco and other factories out
of work. and the authorities are en-
ploying a s many of them as possible on
the fortifications. The number of men
idle causes the authorities considerable
anxiety. Up to the present they have
been provided with food in one way or
another. mainly by their former en-
ployers being compelled to contribute TO
their maintenance. but the time must
come when these men will feel the
pangs OF hunger, and then rioting is
sure to follow.
People here are looking forward with
apprehension to the eventual triumph !
Df the insurgents. as IL is believed they
viii wreak terrible vengeance upon the
Spaniards and upon those who have