Evening star., 1898-06-20
TRAFFIC WITH CUBA
Supplies Reaching the Island From
the Yucatan Coast.
THEY ARE LANDED At BATABAN0
Testimony of a Reliable Foreigner
Resident in Havana.
NO FAMINE IN THAT CITY
NO FAMINE IN THAT CITY


Correspondence of the Associated Press.
KEY WEST, Fla, June LA prominen
resident of Havana who left that plact
June arrived here yesterday on his way
to New York
His description of the situation in Ha
vana at the time he left contradicts wide
spread reports of famine suffering in tina
city and throws new light on the effect
iveness of the blockade, which, it appears
fails in its purpose, as far as cutting on
all. means of supplies and communication
with the outside world is concerned.
His story is entitled to full credence and
consideration, coming, as it does, from one
of the leading merchants of Havana, for.
eign resident, unbiased in his views o;
sympathies. He reports, in the first place
that Havana is practically an open port
as it is not blockaded on its southern ap'
proach. Batabano, on the south side, is
only forty miles from Havana, with which
city it is connected by rail. Batabano has
never been more than a shipping point anc
headquarters for the sponge fisheries OF
southern Cuba and landing place for the
Isle of Pines ferry boats which there con.
meet with the north-bound trains for Ha.
vana.
BatabnnO Overlooked.
The water between Batabano and the
Isle of Pines being very shallow, nowhere
exceeding nine feet in depth, and therefore
inaccessible to any large craft, has caused
the Isle of Pines to be overlooked as pos
sible port of entry or base of supplies FOL
western Cuba and a point deserving Of
greater consideration than that attaching
to a fifth-rate and much mismanaged pena
colony.
1t now appears however, that constant
"a tl~ I..I.
of Pines and the 4ucatan coast, and that
full cargoes of provisions and live stock
have been regularly landed there from
steamers, schooners and other sailing YES
sells. unmolested by American warshps
which rarely, if ever, patrol those waters
The work of tranSshippng those carSoes
to Batabano on the fiat-bottom ferry boats
constantly plying between that port ant
Nueva Guerona, the principal port of tho
Isle of Pines, has, of course, been an easy
matter, as also their subsequent transpor-
tation to Havana by rail.
In the first four days of June, it is as
serted, over 500 mead of cattle were landed
at BatabaEo, besides large quantities oi
flour and grain. Not only are the ship
mentS not limited to supplies of provisions
and the neceSSaries of life, but, our inform
ant reports, coal in large quantities is also
brought over. This statement practically
confirms the reports that the Spanish gov
ernment has established large coal dapots
on the Yucatan coast.
At the outbreak of hostilities it was re-
ported that Havana had sufficient reserve
supplies in store to last six months. Since
then, it is asserted, fresh shipments have
been received by way of Batabano and the
Isle of Pines far in excess of the consGmp-
tion, 50 that apparently so far from suffer
ing from the evils attendant upon the
blockade Havana has kept on in the even
tenor of an unruffled existence with sutii-
cient stores Oh hand to last another half
year.
Actors Run the Blockade.
gay and cheerful note in these war
like times is sounded by the announcem mt
that by way of this same Progreso-Bata-
bano route an intrepid ''Compania de Ear
zuela.' or theatrical troupe, from Mexico,
made its appearance in Havana and has
since been playing to full houses at the
Albsu Theater, unmindful of the impend-
ing fate that hangs over the doomed city.
The daily routing of life, it is added, con-
tinues unaltered and theater parties, dances
end the usual social diversions are indulged
in in times of peace.
Considerable fear says the Havana mer-
chant, has been entertained as to the to-
bacco crop. Following the usages of war
fare. practiced by SpaniarGs and Cubans
alike, ii has been confidently expected that
at least one-half of the Vuelta Abajo crop
would be ruined or set on fire in the field,
but, much to the general surprise, almost
the entire output CT the Nuelta Abajo and
Remedies districts has been baled, shipped
and stored in Havana warehouses. One
firm clone, it is alleged, had TO- 500 bales of
'9S tobacco stored in Havana on the 1st Of
June, valued at ever 81, 100000.
The general health is reported by the
merchant to be particularly good. espe-
cially for this season of the year. and he
denies the reported ravages of yellow fever
and smallpox the island.
He confirms the military activity noticed
and recorded by the officers on blockade
duty. and considers Havana today very
strongly fortified. Work on the new bat
teries and earthworks is kept up night and
day, and, judging from outward and visi-
BILE signs and from the tone and language
of the officials and sodiery in Havana the
Spaniards are preparing to defend the city
TO the last and intend only to strike their
colors when thesiast cartridge has been
fired.