The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-02-26
THE IRISH FAMINE.
Graphic Pictures of the Suferings
Of a Starving People.

A correspondent OF the Freeman S
Journal. writing from Rosmuck, on
the Galway coast, on the 18th of
January, says: II found that stock
of any sort have disappeared from
Hundreds of holdings, even to the
very hens, and that whatever little
famished mountain COWS are lefC
are not only absolutely valueless
for sale, but are literally starving,
like their owners, for want of food.
| found that the seed oats are in
many cases gone, and the seed DO
tatoes in all places going. l found
that the kelp trade, which was as
vital to the people as agriculture,
has within two years declined three
fourths in amount and two-t thirds
IN price-is, in fact, utterly and
hopelessly ruined that their fishing
has been of the rudest, and that
that, too, has been unfortunate;
that the very oyster dredging which
used to give the people employment
has been three fourUhs DESTROYED by
the cupidity of the rich proprietor
of the fishery. l reckon that six
hundred families at the least will in
a month have exhausted their last
ounce of food and their last chance
of raising any, and tn 1T at least one
hundred families are now IN that ter
rible strait. | saw numbers of men,
women and children who were slow
ly wasting for want of food-upon
two meals day, upon one meal a
day, and that handful of Indian
meal lent by some less wretched
neighbor, and eaten without drop
of milk. l saw a man prowling
over dug potato fields, and digging
them again for couple OF forgot
ten roots l saw an infant gnaw
ing a turnip, and eight little broth
ers and sisters about her without a
rag of underclothing. l saw beds
of stone and seaweed that, if they
were in any other country of the
world, would raise humanity in re-
volt. | saw q sick old woman, who
could not stand up without pulling
the roof off the little circular she'll
ing made of sods of bog mold, which
she herself had CONSTRUCTED be-
tween three huge powders that an
swered as walls. | saw more than
one hovel in the depths of the bogs
actually built all over with dripping
bog mold, thatched with heathgrass.
l saw family of nine who had no
thing in the world to keep life in
them except such perIwinkles as
they could gather on the neighbor-
ing strandp'
A correspondent of the Free
mans Journal, writing on the Goth |
of January from Rosbelgh, county !
Kerry, says: "On Monday prelim-
mary meeting of the most practical
nature was held there, its object be-
ing to organize local committee |
and to ascertain with certainty the |
extent and character of the distress |
existing in the district. During |
toe proceedings a crowd of about
seven hundred persons assembled |
outside the room clamOring for re
lief, bearing unmistakable signs of |
hunger, the majority of whom were
able bodied men. They consisted of
small farmers, holding the grass OF |
from one to three COWS but no |
COW on the land-and laboring men |
who were ready and willing TO work |
tor a days hire, but can get no
work. Both classes are equally
destitute. 1t was ascertained that |
about two hundred and eighty fam
lilies were in distress, each family |
on an average umbering about five.
Another member of the committee |
stated that he knew cases in which |
families, consisting of seven eight |
and nine persons, were living on |
cabbage alone for the past week,
aud eight others on a stone of meal
ior week. These people hide
their nakedness all day long in
their wretched novels, without win
dows, without chimneys, without
bed to lie on, except a handful of
straw, until the shades of night af |
ford them an opportunity of com
ing out to beg the aforementioned
choice morsels from their neigh
bors. Several other cases were |
brought to light where persons,
having nothing else to eat, were
compelled TO root out of the ground |
the small potatoes left there for |
seed, and this is their only means
of support for the present Even
this, as a last resource. will fail |
Them in few days, and then God |
alone knows what will be the fate
of this wretched and i'll starred peo-
pie if timely assistance be not rem
uered To them"
Fruit of Drinking.