The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-02-02
MILLIONS STARVING
Minister Smith Writes Of
Russia's Condition,
TRUSTWORTHY ACCOUNT.
The District Affsc ed Larger Than Ger
many, With 27O0O,oOO Population,

The Scarcity of Provisions Not the Only
Misery of the PeopIe--Lack of Fuel
Causes Great Distress, While Pestilence
is Decimating the Population--The Gar
Has Given EnormousIy--Russia'sL Loss
said to Amount to One thousand
Million RoubIes
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.-In response to
many sympathetic inquiries and proffers
OF aid received from friends in the United
States, the Department of State has re-
ceived from Minister Smith at st. Peters
burg, an interesting report of the actual
conditions of the stricken districts of
Russia prepared from evidence of eye
witnesses and most trustworthy sources
of which the following is an epitome:
The territory affected by the drought
compromises thirteen provinces of Euro
pean Russia, where the famine is general
and in five other provinces where it pre-
walls in part.
The first thirteen provinces in area are
one-third greater than all Germany, the
population being about twenty-seven
millions.
This vast section is agricultural, and
the richest, and, ordinarily, the most
fruitful soil of Russia
An official estimate of the number of
those without food or means of support,
who require aid, is given as $4,000, 900
persons, and this is probably below the
urue number.
The great proportion of peasantry is
not provident. The peasants make no
savings, but live wholly dependent upon
yearly crops, hence long-continued and
wide-spreading drought leaves them sub
ject to outside relief.
The scarcity of provisions is not the
only misery OF the people The crops
are the foundation of their whole eco
nomic structure. When their crops fail,
various evils follow The government
loses revenue and the peasants lack all
the necessaries of life-clothing, fire.
wood, farming implements, subsistence
of horses and cattle, all depend upon this
resource, the crops The taxes and
/ rental continue and 1t is as difficult to
/ get fuel as food in some sections.
| Cold as well as hunger cause terrible
suffering Large numbers of persons
huddle together in some houses most
conducive to warmth, and thatched roofs
are torn off and the straw fed to the
dying embers. Clothing is given away
for bread. Horses and cattle are sacri-
feed Fodder is as scarce as human
food, and in some cases horse flesh has
been used for sustenance.
During the winter there is no work.
and frequently fathers have left their
wives and children to fight the battle of
want alone, because they could do moth
ing and their absence would leave fewer
mouths to feed at home. The bread
many are eating is composed of wild
arrock, potatoes, chaff and leaves. And
these terrible conditions produce disease.
Within the radius of one mile there
are 120 cases of typhus fever; pestilence
and hunger are daily gaining ground
and pestilence is dominating the people.
The Russian Emperor has personally
given enormously, and all classes are
giving according to their means. The
loss to the government revenue will be
at least 200, 200, 900 roubles, about 500,
000 900 or more, while conservative
estimate of the loss to Russia, in view OF
all consequences, is placed at not less
than ZOO, 900, 900 roubles