Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-23
FORTY THOUSAND COOLIES CON-
GREGATED AT JHYTUM.
IN FAMINE STRICKEN INDIA.
TWELVE THOUSAND ARE INFIRM
AGED OR BLIND.
The Preponderancc of Women Among
Workers on the Canal Is Notice.
abie-Prices of Provisions
Enormously HiEh-Mis-
siOn's Visit.

Jhytum, Punjab, Jan. PA special cor
respondent of the Associated Press who is
visiting the famine stricken districts of In
dia, accompanying the official mission en-
gagged in the same work, has arrived here.
An exhaustive inspection was made of the
vast relief work known as the Jhytum
canal, about which no less than 10000 cool
les are congregated. OF this number 1900
persons, either infirm, aged or blind, are
classed as non-workers. AS the correspond
ent arrived here the coolies were just quit
ting work and the scene recalled the spec
tacle of the great Oriental mela. The pre-
ponderance OF women and children was
noticeable. After visiting the tents, the
officials of the mission traversed the ba-
Ear market along double line of mat huts
thatched with grass.
The market was filled with grain dealers
and heaps of wheat, barley, maize and mil
let were in front of the huts. Prices, it
was remarked had fallen slightly since the
recent rains, which have caused slight
change for the better in the stricken dis
tricts, but in spite of this the prices asked
for grain were terribly high. the cheapest
kind being double the normal price. The
regular traders are furnished with huts
free of charge, and from one hut tea,
stewed goats flesh and other such luXuries
were dispensed to the customers, such as
minor officials of the government, etc, who
We're rich enough to indulge in them.
Hospital tents have been erected for the
care of the sick, but up to the present
there has been no necessity to use them.
The officials of the mission next made an
inspection of the coolie quarters, consist
ing of long rows of mat huts, thirty feet
apart. They are ranged on both sides or
broad, sandy street, and are scrupulous-
ly clean. Each hut is built to accommo-
date fifty persons, who are constantly un-
der the supervision of different officials,
The canal works were then visited and a
marvellous scene was witnessed. About
200 men and women were buStly at work.
Some were digging and others We're car
rying away the eXcavated earth in baskets
upon their heads. The workers were a
healthy, vigorous. cheerful lot of people,
many of them singing as they progressed
with the tasks allotted to them, and now
and then glancing at the children who
were playing about them in the Nlclnlty,
apparently quite as healthy and strong as
their parents.
At the registering department the visit
ing officers had another interesting expe-
rience Four clerks, seated on high
bamboo platform, were giving the new ar
rivals in search of relief work the slips
of paper qualifying them for employment
on the works. On these Slips were inscribed
the names, caste, description and amount
of wages to be paid to the workers, who
were in turn sent off to the different sec.
tions of the canal. The greatest order and
discipline prevailed on all sides and there
was a cheerfulness and regularity about
the whole proceedings which reflected
credit upon all concerned.
Finally the mission officials visited the
huts set apart for the helpless non-work-
ers. There again was evidence of good
work upon the part of the government
officials The same extreme cleanliness
prevailed in and about the huts and every
medical care possible was bestowed upon
those needing attention.
Many babies have been born at the canal
works and the mothers of these infants
are maintained free of charge, receiving
extra pay while they are incapacitated
from doing hard work, and are given an
additional sum of money for the mainten-
ance of their babies. Deserted babies, or
babies whose mothers are unable to suckle
them. are fed on condensed milk by the
medical staff.