Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-10
HAVANA GETS A BAD SCARE
RumOr that Insurgents Had Captured
Armorsd Train and Machine Guns,
STORY PROVES TO HAVE BEEN eRouNDl1ss
Has n Brush with Rebels and Junction
10 Formed with the Garrison from
City of Pine del RiO-Peace
Negotiations Continue.

correspondents were thrown into a state Of
excitement this evening by men who had
arrived here from Paso Real with stories
that the armored train which left Havana
Friday and met with various obstacles be-
yond Herradura. had been thrown from the
tracks and its 300 men, machine guns.
horses aud equipment captured. As these
tales were confirmed by the Western Rail-
roads first telegraphic advices from Paso
Real they were believed to be true until
authentic reports of actual occurrences
were wired by those who had returned TO
Paso Real from the scene.
The real facts Of the case are that Colonel
Avalos. who was believed to be surrounded
| in Pinar del Rio City, and the armored
train made a junction east of Consolation
del Sur, and the government forces to that
extent are improved. The news of this
fact caused much relief in official circles.
The train proceeded Saturday evening
| from Paso Real to two and one-third miles
east of Consolation del Sur. at which point
the rails had been removed, and replaced
locomotive and three cars which had
been thrown from the track. The insur-
| gents attacked. but were driven off by the
two machine guns handled by the Amer
! lean captain, Webster
| Tt is believed that many insurgents were
killed. but the number is not known.
Meanwhile a large portion of Colonel
/ Avolos' force had come eastward from
/ Pinar del Rio for the purpose of making a
| junction with the machine gun corps. AT
| Consolation del Sur their advance was dis
| puted by a large band of insurgents and a
! lively fight ensued. The insurgents were
\ driven of and several of them were killed
or wounded. Avalos and his men contln-
ued their journey eastward this morning
! and made junction, first with the cavalry
force of Captain Ravenna which is scout
ing ahead and finally with the disabled
| troop train. The train has not been mo-
Tested since the junction was effected, but
| the bridge over the Santa Clara river east
ward from the train was blown up today.
! together with two smaller ones. prevent
/ ing the use of the road beyond Harradura
Railroad Bridges wrecked.
! AS the bridges westward near Puerta
| Golpe also have been destroyed no trains
can operate from Pinar del Rio City in
| either direction. Both the railroad and the
telegraph line continues in use to Paso
| Real.
Tonight 25 men and four machine guns.
commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Clews.
started for Paso Real The sending Of this
force was hastened by the false news OF
| a disaster.
| CAPTAIN Ravenna, one lieutenant and four
privates wounded, are the only casualties
reported in the Consolation del Sur oper-
/ stions ss
4 There is some alarm in Havana on ac-
| count of the nearness to the city OF sev-
eral hundred insurgents belonging to the
| forces of Ashbert. Loynaz and Castillo,
some of whom are often seen in the hills
at Jesus del Monte, In the southern ex-
tremity of the city fntimations received
from these bands are to the effect that
| they are merely awaiting the outcome OF
peace negotiations, practically all the in
surgents In the provinces of Havana and
Santa Clara having ceased operations for
the present In accordance with the tenta-
tive agreement with the peace commits
sioners.
] The Fourth week OF the rebellion opens
with the government forces better equipped
and improved in discipline. but enlistments
are slow. President Palma's action in call
ing a special session OF congress is meeting
with some adverse criticism. Many per-
sons believe that no good purpose will be
| served by a discussion Of the causes OF the
war and of peace proposals bv the congress.
The veterans peace committee continues
hopeful of being able to persuade Pine
Guerra TO cease activities temporarily and
possibly of inducing him to come TO Havana
and Join In the negotiations for peace. but
the attitude OF the leading liberals con-
tinues to preclude hopes of an immediate
peace. At the veterans meeting this after
noon resolution was formally adopted to
use all peaceful means to stop the war
and IL these failed tho sufficieut army
be raised to crush II by D rec.
Meanwhile intervention by the United
States is being discussed on all sides. Many
Cubans who hitherto were not favorable
to Intervention now believe that II will be
the only means of placing Cuba perma-
nently in its rightful position.
Reports received by the government say
that 2oo revohltionists were in the encounter
near Consolation del Sur. but the reports
are not considered authoritative. The fight
is reported to have already taken place.
Loyal Troops outnumbered.
| PASO REAL. Sept 9.-The government
troop train which left Havana Friday
Jumped the track two and one-half miles
east OF Consolation del Sur. The train was
surrounded by several hundred insurgents
commanded by Pine Guerro in person and
sustained a fire all Saturday night and
until O'Clock this morning. The train
would have been captured but for the
timely arrival of Colonel Avolos and 4cO
men. who had fought their way through
from Consolation del Sur.
When this force arrived the revolutionists
returned westward after having destroyed
the bridge over the Santa Clara river and
some culverts and cutting wires near Her
radura. The revolutionists are camped to-
night at Arroyo Cruz west OF Consola cion
del Sur.
Guerra's force at Consolation del Sur and
in that nelghborhood numbers 1000 men
and those of the government So1 The gov
ernment force had one killed and six
wounded. Captain Ravenna was slightly
injured. After the fighting yesterday Pine
Guerra sent a note to Colonel Diaz. COM
manding the troop train. demanding his
surrender. DiaE replied that he would die
first. The engagement near Consolation
del Sur lasted an hour In this hight Pine
Guerra carried away dead. The troops will
proceed westward tomorrow.
Gold I'm Walls of Houses.
| MEXICO CITY, Sept Sit has beer