The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-12-16

ST. PETERSBURG, Dec. 15.-No mention
of the existence of the smallpox is made
by the newspapers. and, IN fact, they even
print nothing about the famine, and
person with no other source OF 1nforma-
ton would never know from reading tne
papers that the dread specter of famine
and pestileDce had spread its wings over
a vast tract of what has been heretofore
Russia's most fertile territory. This is
due to secret instructions issued by the
police, ordering the newspapers to ignore
the famine and the epidemic OF smallpox.
In two small Villages of the government
of Rizan 200 persons are down with the
loathsome disease and fifty deaths have
already occurred The smallpox is also
ravaging the provinces of Viatki, Samara,
Vladimar, Kursk, Orenburg, Peterhotf
and Sarkoff In addition to this vista
ton of smallpox, typhus fever Is carrying
off numerous victims in various provinces.
On the whole, more gloomy outlook
could not we'll be imagined, and, although
the few doctors scattered throughout the
country are doing their utmost to stay the
diseases, their efforts are almost useless.
The people have reached stage where
they think it useless to fight against any
affliCtion sent them, and consequently
many who might recover, had they any
energy or Will power, lie down ana sue
cumb to disease without making single
effort in their own behalf. Many, too.
prefer death from disease to suffering the
slow, torture Of death from starvation.
At Shadrinsk, in the province of Perm,
the same condition of affairs exists, and it
NAV be necessary for the government to
interfere to prevent the wholesale carry
ing off of the inhabitants by famine. The
granerieS there are almost exhausted, and
the poor people know not where to turn TO
obtain food to keep life in their miserable
bodies The missionaries who were sent
to relieve them were unable to buy corn
at any price.
ST. PETERsBERG, Dec. 15.-The Moscow
Gazette denounces the acceptance OF for
eign aid for the distressed people OF Rus
sia, and especially English aid. 1t declares
Great Britain wants to turn Russia into
another Egypt and warns the people
against the duplieity of philanthropy;
Madame Toisloi, wife of Count Tolstoi.
the ov list, in an interview today, sad
she doubted whether the government
wou consent to act as medium for the
distribution of foreign assistance; but that
there was 20 objection to Count Tost s
distributing such assistance privately.
The extent of the famine, Madame
Tolstoi says, instead of being Overstated,
is greater than any outsider would suppose.
In the province of RaZan, where her hus-
band is working, the peasants get thirty
pounds of grain monthly, but no me 1t or
potatoes. Within twenty days the month
" allowance is consumed, and the peas
ants then pass the remaining ten days OF
the month in state of starvation. The
furnishing peasants often visit the houses
of the landlords with threats to burn the
property unless they receive food Count
Tolstoi's family is now scattered, the men,
bers being stationed at various points
organizing relief independent of the gov
ernment officials, who have been accusing
them of being revolutiouaries.