Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-23
TO RELIEVE THE STARVING
Measures Taken to Assist the Destitute
People of India,
GREAT CANAL is BEING CONSTRUCTED
Forty Thopsnnd Coolies CongrcEntcd
I'm that Locnlity-Thcir Condi-
tion is Good ana They Arc
Reported Happy.

Copyright 1897, by the Associated Presu)
JHYLUM, Punjaub, Jan PA special
correspondent of the Associated press who
is visiting the famine-stricken districts Of
India, 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 Jhyum canal,
about which no less than 10000 coolies are
congregated. OF this number $4,000 per-
sons, either infirm, aged or blind are classed
as nonworkers AS the correspondent ar
rived here the coolies were just quitting
work, and the scene recalled the spectacle
of the great oriental mela. The preponder-
ance of women and children was noticeable.
After visiting the tents, the officials of the
mission traversed the bazaar market along
double line of mat huts thatched with
grass The market was filled with grain
Dealers and heaps OF wheat, barley, maize
and mllet were in front OF the huts. Prices,
1t was remarked, had fallen slightly since
the recent rains, which have caused slight
change for the better in the stricken dis
trlct, 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
were rich enough to indulge in them. Hos
pltal tents have been erected for the care
OF the sick, but up to the present time 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 of
broad, sandy street and are kept scrupu-
lously clean. Each hut is built to accom-
modate fifty persons. who are constantly
under the supervision OF different officials
The canal works were then visited and
marvellous scene was witnessed. About
$4,000 men and women were buslly at work
Some were digging, and others were carry
ing 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 glanclng at the children who
were playing about them in the vicinity,
apparently quite as healthy and strong as
their parents.
AT the registering department visiting
officers had another interesting experience.
Four clerks seated on high bamboo plat
form were giving the new arrivals 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 men who were in turn sent off
TO the different sections of the canal. The
greatest order and discipline prevailed ON
all sides, and there was a cheerfulneEs
and regularity about the whole proceedings
which reflected credit upon all concerned.
Finally the mission officials visited the
huts set apart for the helpless nonworkers
There again was evidence of good work
upon the part of the government officials
The same extreme cleanliness prevailed in
and about the hnts and every medical care
possible WIGS 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 maintenance of their
babies. Deserted babies, or babies whose
mothers are unable to suckle them, are fed
on condensed milk, by the medical stan.