New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-21
FAMINE-STRICKEN RUSSIA
TELLING OF THE SUFFERING THERE.

A LETTER FROM ONE WHO KNOwS-MoRTALTTx
ON THE INCREASE.
In tho absence of trustworthy news from tic
famnestricken districts of the Russian Empire, the
letter given below, from prominent scientific man
of the city Of Ekaterinburg In the Province OK ferhs
makes interesting reading. Tie Information rom
this man can be trusted, as he Is phlantnropso
without political bias, and merely SENDS THIS ietteF
to The Tribune as he hopes that the account Of the
suffering among the people Of his province will move
some OF the vast army o Tribune readers to put their
hands in their pockets and send money to their des-
perate and starving brothers. The letter was sens
through George F. Kunz, the precious-stone expert,
who met the scientific Russian last summer hi Ehat
crnburg which is situated almost in the heart OF she
Ural Mountains. The letter follows:
Ehaternburg Government OF Perm,
December 10, 1891.
This year is a very heavy one foi Russia. Last
summers corn harvest having been exceeding
ly bad, the news, as it comes to u, here,
IS growing wore and pIvo w oG en- III. In east s
Of the UraI Mountains the corn was almost en-.
re ruined was able to get exact reports I%'H 81 .hs
shall speak only of Perm. The crops OF corn, rye,
wheat aud oats were entire failures In the districts
Ekaterinburg Kamyshlaf and shadrlnsk, and II fell
much heavier the people as last years harvest had
been very low. ,. ,,,
At the beginning OF June the Minister OF Finances
issued special map. showing the expected harvest IN
all Russia. and which the districts beyond the Craa
were put down for most satisfactory crop IN
happily the result did not up TO the promises.
As early as in May the morning frosts had ruined the
i~ lime ynv and August that the corn.ieds
burnt by the sun and the little that remained was de
voured by grasshoppcrs. which were very abundans
last summer. According to the observations OF inc
physical observatory Of this city the rainfall IN inc
summer months only about half the average ior
the last fifty years The low water In the rivers ana
seas together with the lack OF ram DRIED tie sss pe
fore 1t had fully grown up so tat .c SgIP ~ vas ' in
S Sufficient for the needs Of 1890 ,. 90.
Irving to the lack OF food the prices Of horses ana
>ba-f coll \
now for paper rubles sl o2I: The districts which
are suffering most arc Of course the o opss
Gcnt to find work this side ne Rnl,ag S Oh te
mountains as the production Is diminishing eNeeiIAn
where. Some of the great u mini oSces to ~ stop
water in the pounds TO supply the engines FINANCE.
The last pcemap issued by the ,S M ser El of one
nlI thrtyx ponndS) Of rye at I.5O to 10 ubes
H. cents to 81 cents which Is higher tan anywne M
hope that rhis price will fall hess provinces , arc
away from the more fortunate SaHa Sad seod 6arYe
but. as the railroad which is to connect siberia WIN
Russia only on paper i Is acsdc % line.
The local zemstoo-the government Of the rural dis,
trIcs-hns calculated the amount q money ina, w ba
most afflicted parts of the Ehaternbnrg di: 81. ana
ss the tGn% ns fields For re fSpa SPRING
ton 100000 rubcs Do not think t ,h;t
s,atem"St will probably prove to be altogether too low.
as only twenty eight communes Scommunitles , ~erc
yod ms IL growing widespread through the din-
sion OF starving people into less hungersrcken towns
The required sum OF money Is expected TO come from
the general Treasury of Russia from CAPITALS Oh r1r,s
districts and through private assistance. But one
thing that has to te taken into consideration Is the act
that many provinces In Russia are snerhg irT a
Imperial Treasury will not be able. even by smplned
fornaes TO alot the REQUIRED funds al sne VIII
be used first they by and easy TO get az BUY
all that will not he enough There remains oniy oms
hope for our starving countrymen-prvate heip aus
Christian charity. .x,,.
il must be ACKNOWLEDGED that benefcent people arg
and other boards and societies OF the same Eind arc
working with all their power to give bread 70 those
nS st sv to sS m ts % SR' Sr
dinner. including soup, meat. fish, grael ana DrvaG -
daily delivered to about 200 people a aa i' have been
opened for women and children, and night as sas
for All these are n as are d,so op Ie come to
town every day In search Of bread. and soon these
asums and the amount OF f99a WIZ t pc nSn meaea,
society, Dr. SmorOdntsef read report on me ioa
eaten by the peasants in the % mi! Ss.ct
he fonnd out what the LOO peasants OF diierene
conditions were eating The poores, part 81 Uni pp
stomachs but not enough TO satisfy them Tire fooa
eat S9nans On Sh hs Sa the res
have been weakness and predispos;on to iInsss
Dr. smorodinsef presented with his report sarcpes OF
the bread eaten by the peasants ana worhnsnen:
II was made OF pigweed straw. mill dust ana cmyt
II a. not difficult 10 imagine what influence this
bread, has upon the health Of the unhappy peasants
The condition Of the little children Is particularly ball.
as they have no milk. The cows were either eaten
or starved long ago. and he lt,e e one are COM %
district has already become famous for the excesdnsly
lint n Is stii on the Increase. The famine now has
Increased more especially at Tsclelibinsk. whole
Villages are going to confession IN preparation for
death THE mortality OF little children Is increasing
and typhns fever superinduced by hunger, is preva
lent in this and other provinces.
IL is most necessary that there should be generous
ryivoto Gifts for the poor Victims Of the rnned harvest
II there are people in your great country who wish 10
helm Drsy let them do so before 1t Is too late.
It would have been very easy TO have made an
awful picture OF the desperate condition OF the poor
peoplc of this country, but l believe that naked
stotements of TACT under the circumstances, speak
better tran the most glowing rhetoric.
Money received at The Tribune Office for the starv
inc people In Russia Will be forwarded at TO the
proper authorities by whom it will be sent g 800