Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1892-07-07

people, will prove future source Of
good to the very toiler now engaged in
pushing them forward to completion.
In fact, they will prove a safeguard
against one of the most potent causes
of the present distress-the want of adj
quate means of transportation. Were
it not for the sad lack existing in this
respect many lives could have been
saved from the holocaust of famine. Ac-
cess to the depots of relief has been SO
difficult in majority of cases that peo-
pie died before succor could reach them
or they could reach it. Had compre-
hensive system of railroads existed an
incalculable amount of suffering might
have been averted, and numberless
cases of hardship brought within the
sphere of official aid Hence the
peasantry work with a will on these
railroads, rejoicing in the task.
Letters just received by me contain
accounts Of the railroad now being con-
structed from Zlatoust, east of Samara,
to Tcherliabinsk, in the very heart of
the Ural district. 1t will form branch
of the Samara- Ufa- Zlatoust Railroad,
and its route lies through at most pict-
uresque region. 1t traverses he banks
of, and in some instances crosses, the
Satka, Sim and Yourzany Rivers. 1t is
hoped that this project, now well under
way, and which has line of operations
extending through some of the very
worst of the famine-ridden districts,
will prove great blessing to the people,
who are tlocking in numbers to seek en-
gagements on the works.
Seeking Food
Zlatoust is great entrepot and base
of supplies, where relief is dispensed to
the famine sufferers.
To show the difficulty of intercommu-
nlcation In many parts of Russia | may
mention that this town has been literally
overrun with famished peasants. They
have Travelled in some instances as far
as 400 versts in their little carts, num-
bers falling by the way worn out and
exhausted, while their overtaXed ami
mails dropped dead in their traces.
There were at one time as many as
10000 carts gathered at Zlatoust, whose
owners had braved all kinds of hardship
and fatigue in their toilsome journey in
search of grain. Arrived at their des-
tination, they fiercely fought among
themselves for places in the long line OF
applicants waiting to be served. Many
were detained at Zlatoust for period OF
sixteen days awaiting their turn.
1t was striking and pathetic scene
that this multitude presented, congre-
gated around the squares and in the
streets of the town, sheltering as best
they might from the severity of the win
ter weather, content at last if their
wants were supplied and they could
commence their return journey to un-
dergo repetition Of the hardships en-
countered on their way thither. AS
described in my correspondent letter,
all this was worthy reproduction on the
faithful canvas of Verestchagin or a
Repine, Russia's two great realistic
painters. The combined effects of pri-
walton from insufficient food and excess
sive fatigue We're plainly visible upon
the faces of these devoted people.
A Case of Cannibalism.
The region stretching from Zlatoust to
the Ural districts is on the direct route
to Siberia. The condition of its inhab-
itants has recently been such that the
efforts Of philanthropists We're turned
toward the task of alienation. What
Count Tolstoi has done in other dis
tricts in establishing soup kitchens and
relief stands is duplicated here by Prof.
Schmurlo. This humanitarian deserves