The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-11-29
EXPLOSION IN Havana
Close to Forty People Injured
in a Magazine.
NEARLY A SCORE WILL DIE
Victims Were Unloading Cart
ridges for the Powder.

havana, Nov. IA terrloIe cNpioSlOn
took place this morning near the Reina
battery, killing or injuring forty persons.
The explosion occurred on the Avenue
Infanta. between the Santa Clara and
Reina batteries. Many boxes of powder
were stored in private house. which also
contained five rooms full of Mauser and
other cartridges. The careless handling
of one of the boxes of powder mot a box
OF dynamite, as at first reported,) or of
one of the boxes of cartridges, caused
the explosion, which killed or more or
less seriously injured IS persons.
The presence of such a large quantity
of cartridges-known TO have been brought
recently from the artillery depot-in an
out of the way house, where they were
stored roof-high, has not been explained.
Most of those employed in emptying the
! cartridges, evidently their only duty on
the premises, were boys and girls under
II years of age and they formed the
greatest proportion OF the victims. The
employment of children in such a dam
gerous occupation and the existence of
such large quantity of explosives within
the limits of the city is in controvertence
OF the municipal regulations.
Whether there may be some Interior mo-
tive in storing the explosives there can
not be answered. but the casualty sug
gests the probability that there may have
been other similar deposits where the To-
calities are unknown to the authorities.
Senior De Castro, the civil governor OF
Havana, has stationed a guard over the
unexploded powder and an investigation
into the whole affair has been ordered.
THE SECRET OF THE EXPLOSION.
S:45 p. m.-Nobody was killed outright
by the explosion, but three of the injured
died this afternoon and the condition OF
most OF the others is more or less critf-
cal. At least 10 are not expected 10 live.
Ii now appears that man known as Ge-
ronimo Smith had acquired several thou
sand cartridges, many of an old pattern,
at the various military depotS here for
mere song and was arranging 10 turn his
investment to account by removing the
gunpowder from each projectile with a
view to a later sale at profit. To this
end he hired about fifty boys and girls.
with a few men and women to do the
work.
Up to the hour of fling this dispatch
no arrests have been made, although or
ders have been given for the removal of
similar contents of other houses in differ
ent parts of the city, which implies an
official knowledge Of the existence of such
deposits in, different localities.
BLANCO'S RETIREMENT.
General Blanco's retirement and the
resignation of the autonomst cabinet in
crease the confusion here which proceed
American control. Regret is felt that the
United States does not take immediate
jurisdiction. Blanco is carrying out his
original purpose not to participate in any
formal surrender of authority to the
American flag. Besides his personal feel
ing in this matter. he avoides growing
difficulties with the troops. One million
dollars is promised toward their payment,
but advances on this amount have not
been received.
The Madrid government, however, is
showing how energetic 1t can be in en-
barking troops. Transports now in the
harbor and to arrive within a few days
will take away 1900 soldiers by December
10. General Castellance, who is the sue
cessor of Blanco for the short period that
remains of Spanish sovereignty, has been
in command of the troops in Puerto Prin-
cipe province.
THE INSURGENT PROBLEM
Many insurgents have asked for and re
ceived discharges without awaiting the
return Of the Garcia commission from
Washington The insurgent commanders
have completed a skeleton organization of
rural police from the ranks of the insur-
gents. While this scheme is in line With
the Po44eS u tHS O4lIttu Sotdbeo AoA Id d y
prevail has not yet been given it. Dis
qUieting reports are received from some
parts of Santa Clara that the insurgents
who have been a part of Gomezs forces
are not willing TO give up their arms
when they disband. They are reported
TO be hiding both arms and ammunition.
Sugar planters in Santa Clara complain
because the plans for the early with
drawal Of the Spanish troops were chang
ed. They may suffer temporary incOn-
venience. but as the United States takes
control in January there VIII be no in
reference with the sugar crop.