Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-01-09
FAMINE IN THE EAST.
The People OF Asia Minor Terribly and
Fatally Stricken.

The People ol Asia Minor Terribly and
Fatally Stricken.
The LeUqat Herald publishes distress
ing accounts of the famine in Asia Minor.
The prospect is represented as appalling.
The visitation of famine which came
upon the people of Angora, in Asiatic
Turkey, some few months since, and
which then pressed so heavily ON the i'm
poverished population of that once
famous market place, was temporarily re-
lieved by government aid and the charity
of foreigners. ITS effects remained, not
withstanding. The poverty of the people
has been gradually extending, until now
we have the fact that grim want, followed
by disease and deatl., has invaded the
wretehed homes of those who inhabit the
poverty-stricken territory which is
known as Anatolia-the western ex-
tremity of Asia, and, in its mos. extended
application, identical with Asia Minor.
This country includes six Turkish pasha-
lies. Anatolia is included between the
thirty sixth and forty second parallels of
north latitude and between the twenty
sixth and forty-frst meridians of east
longitude. The Ottoman Turks consti-
tute about nine-tenths of the population
There are many Greeks, Israelites,
Armenians, Koords, and some few
Zingari. Agriculture, as q practical art,
is wholly unknown. The principal in
dustry of the people consists in growing
crops for wine and oil, and in weaving
carpets and shawls. The country was
known to the Romans, and so well that
they traversed it in every direction. OF
late years its material resources have al
most entirely disappeared under the
combined influence of a heavy imperial
ist taxation and the pecrllations of host
of greedy officials.
A very late report from the scene says:
The present famine has already been re-
ported to the outside world. An Eng
\ lish gentleman, who had just returned to
Constantinople from Asia Minor, writ
ing on the 18th of November, speaks of
the calamity in the following words
"The need for help continues to be
great. At Angora, 1900 persons are de-
pendent for their daily bread on charity.
The governor OF the place is doing his
utmost, and Geals out some three-quar-
ters of pound of flour daily to each of
these poor people out of the supplies
which reach him. The vineyards of the
district were laden with fruit, but as
there was no one to gather it, it was rot
ting away. Cold has already set in, and
as the winter advances the want of means
wherewith to procure fuel will make it.
self felt. Portions o" Galatia are high
uplands, and ghe cold i'll these districts
/ is severe in winter. The poverty of the
people is greater after so long a period
of famine. Touching incidents have
been related to me which reveal the mis-
cry which prevails in these regions bet
ter than any labored account of it. An
English friend, who had occasion to
travel through the country during the
summer, met two children, a boy of nine,
with his sister, about four, trying in
their simplicity to make their way down
to Smyrna, where they had relatives, III
order to flee from the land of death.
The same friend, when relieving a hun
cry crowd, heard Moslem woman ex
claim, "That is the kind of infidel
should wish for my father" Another
English friend, who had distinguished
himself for his efforts for the famine dis
tress, has had his feet kissed again ant
again by the objects of his kindness. "