Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-02-10
miscellaneous.
STARVATION IN IRELAND.
500. 900 DESTITUTE, AND MANY DYING OF
HUNGER.

The cry of distress and suffering from
starvation comes with increasing force
every day from Ireland. Already the ac-
counts from every part of the En-
erald Isle are sufficient to appall the BRAY
est.
That grand and noble response to the
cries of u starving people will be made
throughout the length and breadth of the
United States is already almost a settled
fact; that the touching and unhappily too
true stories of the anguish and privations
of over a quarter of Il million men. wo-
men and children in Ireland will touch the
hearts and open the purses OF every one
of charitable instincts in America, is be-
yond doubt. Mr.. James Gordon Bennett
has started a subscription list in behalf OF
the suffering people. and he has headed
the list with the prnccly gift of 100000.
But very rarely has such a generous and
magnificent donation been made. and il is
but seldom that u cause so deserving or
worthy has arisen to call out such liberal
ity.
From nearly every part OF the island
the cry of distress is heard. even from To-
calities in which the farmers were hither-
to supposed TO be pretty comfortable. or
at all events safe from actual starvation.
Every dav makes the situation worse, and
already the ominous accounts are heard.
short but terribly pathetic, "Died from
starvation" Ifspeedy relief is not given
in many Of the poorer districts. there is
very little doubt but that many, very many
persons will die from starvation. The ac-
counts pouring in daily are of the most
heartrending description. From Galway
especially the appeals are urgent and
touching. From kinvara comes the ar-
peal. MANY families are living on one
meal day. and hundreds have but provis-
ions for another meal left" .'The chill
drcn remain at home from school crying
from hunger is the wall from Whtegate.
lIeadford says, 1.-The prospects are gloom
Ter every day" and Drumgriflin. Gort
and Aughrim follow with 1.-The entire
population of five hundred families in
want" MANY are actually starving"
"Many will be dead and buried before
help will arrive" From Kerry comes
the news, Landlords giving no employ
ment." and ''local efforts are useless"
Kilkenny says: 1--WE are without food,
fire, bed or clothing" Mayo walls forth
Unless relief works are started our pee
pie must die From Roscommon. Cork.
Limerick. Monaghan. Sligo. Tipperary
and other counties pitcous appeals for
food, clothing and money are received,
and there is no mistaking the simple and
striking language which calls for some
thing TO eat To make matters worse. in
very many districts the unfortunate peo-
pie are living off their seed potatoes, and
consequently when the time comes for
them to plant the potato crop for this year
they will have nothing to plant.
The planting season is now near, and II
the potato crop next year is failure the
people will be in more deplorablc con-
dition than ever; the suffcrings and priva-
tions will be increased tenfold. Ina great
number of districts the people have been
living Off of turnips for weeks. and now
even these are giving out. Most Of the
destitute people have large families, and
the suffering among the little ones is in
tense. They are not only destitute of
food but they have no clothing or fire,
and cold and hunger combined sweep of
hundreds. They are also destitute of
medicines and medical attendance.
That the terrible scenes of 1S47 and
1864 will be repeated if prompt assistance
is not sent into the districts where II Is
most urgently needed, is admitted by
every one in position to know anything
about the actual wants of the people.
The farmers have struggled along un-
der their heavy rents, and every penny
they made from last years crops went to
satisfy the landlords, and in thousands
of instances they are even behind in their
rents The failure of the crops was
the climax, and the rains spoiled the
corn and rotted the potatoes and hay.
and found them a people with no means
Of subsistence, no clothes to wear, no
| fuel to burn. no food to eat and in fact no
roof under which TO live. The above
statement is no exaggeration whatever II
the miseries and suffcrings Of nearly
800. 900 Of IrishmeD, women aud children.
What they want is aid, and that prompt
ly.
| II is calculated from returns received
that in Mayo. there are over 10000 per-
sons in want, in Galway over 10000. in
Kerry over 10000. in Donegal nearly 3d.
! 900. in Sligo over 10000, in Roscommon
% 900, in Cork $4,000, in Clare 10000,