The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-03

Barnegat, N. J., at which a majority
pledged themselves to refuse to give
any information to Americans regard
ing the condition of things in Cuba. a
few, however, consented to talk after
they got ashore, but even then they
were unwilling to permit their names to
be used.
One woman who had reached Sagua
by rail from Havana said that the con-
dition of affairs in the capital was de
pIOrabIe and was daily growing worse.
There is plenty of money" she said,
but of what use is it when it will hard
1y purchase anything? 1t is impossible
to get beef at any price, and even horse
flesh costs 81 a pound. Bread costs %
cents a pound and is very bad at that
Eggs, which are brought in from the
country in small quantities, cost 50 cents
each The supply of condensed milk is
pretty much exhausted and the little
left is sold for 81 a can such as you
buy here for 10 cents. On an average,
ten to twelve persons are found dead of
starvation in the streets every day and
this takes no account of the scores who
daily died of hunger in the houses.
mo words can describe the horrors
of Las FesOs, the place at the foot of
the pradO where the recOncentradOs are
herded together. I was told that there
were no less than 1900 of these miser-
able people in the place when I came
away and they are. dying by hundreds,
for of course, nothing is being done for
their relief, even the government has
not enough food for its own soldiers.
Worse than this, the officials beat and
abuse them Shamefully.
"A few gas lamps are still burning in
the streets, but the electric lights are
only lighted on Thursday nights when
there is music in the ParQue Centrale
What a mockery those band concerts
are with so many people starving TO
death within sound of the music. All
theaters are closed and their lobbies
poor. Wine is the only thing in the city
that is plentiful and cheap, so that even
the poor can get a little at times.
Almost all the stores in Weyler and
O'ReiIIy are closed, as are the principal
hotels. The stock of coal is almost ex-
hausted and for few days the local
trains that run to the Vedado, past the
Santa Clara battery, were stopped for
want of fuel They are now burning
wood, but even that will soon be gone.''
Juan Zarraga Searte said:
Il do not know anything of the con-
dition of things in Havana, but I do
know that there is much misery at
Cardenas, and Matanzas. Things how
ever, might be worse, considering the
stringency of the blockade. Much star
walton has been avoided by the fore
sight of the merchants who, in antici-
patton of the outbreak of the war laid
in large stores of provisions, of course
they have sold at high prices and I
heard of one man who made $400, 900 in
a speculation in flour in Sagua. All the
stores which have provisions are kept
under constant guard by soldiers to
prevent the starving people from loot
ing them. Every one is tired of the war
and on all hands one hears prayers that
peace will soon come"
The Nansen brought up a cargo of
sugar which she discharged at Will
liamsburg. She also brought 1868 bales
of tobacco and 322 cases of cigars. This
the United States since the surrender
of Santiago.