Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-04-28

fHforf
Tho lNilem ni ircuuas nom Fin.
land have spoken ~ she pru.pccls oi
hmlUe boz ihe countries mean lho nh
d, Seal AOwnm NtN raeA us ihat
arr tla! appalling, end ihe evident
hclplcssncss of ,hc case tvnden Il
douhly distressing We wcfc told Ia
Finland that the crops had failed for
several successive years, that lhe pco.
pie in the interior were ,king out
their lives BY consuming everything
from which any support could be
drawn. even the bark OF trees, and
that another failure OF crops would be
tho utter ruin Of thousands We find
IN the World statement that the
worst Tears arc made real, aud dire
famine, with all It's horrors, is now
reigning there. The same report
comes from Finland, Livonia, Estho-
MIA and Conrland from the shores Of
the Gulf Of Bolhnia and Lake Pcipus,
from the lowlands Of Poland, aud
from the densely pcoplcd towns along
the Baltic coast. There is no seed.
corn to be had for the crop of this
year; bread, having long been obtain.
able at famine prices, has now be-
come unobtainablc at any price; pes
thence has made its appearance, and
is adding its horrors TO the overflow
ing cup of misery pressed to the lips
of the stricken people Of those unhap.
py lands. Here is Il picture Of the
scene as described by writer ut st
Petersburg; "Ficlds lying waste ;
villages depopulated private houses
turned into hospitals fever -parched
skeletons tottering from the doors Of
overcrOwded places OF refuge; chill
dren wandering over the country in
gaunt and squalid nakedness crowds
of men, driven to desperation by long
misery and ripe for any outrage,
roaming the streets night and day"
There is no exaggcration in this fear
full description il is only too well
supported by official accounts trans
mittcd to st. Petersburg from the
afflicted regions.
In Esthonia, Livonia and Courland, +,
three provinces Of vast extent, there is
population OF 1904 ,435 souls in
Finland, where there are immense
tracts Of barren and irrcclaimable soil
there is a population of l,766,000.
These countries are reached but by a
single line OF railroad, and the greater
portions of them are almost as mac
cessible as are the mountains of Abys-
sinnia. The soil is thin and rocky
aud wretuhcdly cultivated, and the
people arc never secure from the ter
rible evils that are now exterminating
them. A letter from one Of the con
trail districts of Esthonia says that
the distress this year is sorer than
ever. The harvest of 1867 was u bad
one but there was little corn stored
up, and there was hope of relief in
1868. But no relief came. On the
contrary, from the 23d Of May 10 the
18th Of August, last year, no rain fell,
and the summer crops were scorched
up Bread can now be scarcely got,
even at the most exorbitant prices,
and, as the roads are impossible by
reason of the extraordinary wet win
ter, no help from abroad can reach the
people. The dcbiliiatcd condition OF
the people, and their herding together
in the larger villages in the hope OF
getting foud and shelter, has engcn-
dered disease, which is making fearful
ravagcs. "All heart for work is gone
out of the peasants" says this lotter
"their once fresh and hopeful faces
show only the blankness OF despair.
Children are deserting their parents,
parents their children; some wander
about the country, begging and plum
dering; others flock into the town to
swell the aggregate Of want and mis-
cry already gathered there, and perish
in scores BY famine and disease.
Crowds have to be turned away for
want Of means to supply their need,
and their imploring faces haunt me
night and day"
The inhabitants Of ST. Petersburg
and Moscow, as well as the govern.
ment, are doing what they can to a.
leviate this distress; but the difficulty
OF reaching the sufferers is so great,
and the transportation OF supplies 10
them is attended with so much loss OF
time, that it is feared they will be re-
lieved by death before the assistance
provided for them can arrive.-N. Y.