The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-27
FLOOD VICTIMS FED.
HOW THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDES
FOR THE SUFFERERS.

FOR THE SUFFERERS.
One Days Rations Cost Ten Cents-rhey
Are Distributed Through the Commits
sary General OF Subsistence Boats Are
Chartered and the Hungry Sought Out.
Six million square meals will be pro-
vided for the Mississippi food sufferers
out OF the 5000, 600 appropriation lately
made by congress Salt pork, bacon,
cornmeal, white -four and inolasses con-
stitute the rations which are being dis
tributed among these unfortunate people
by the war department.. The issue Is
being made on the basis of 8 ounces Of
the salt meat, 1917 ounces of -four, l5
ounces of cornmeal and a corresponding
proportion of molasses per man per day.
These provisions constitute what is
known as the plantation ration, which
has been found to about equal the daily
diet Of the average laborer employed in
the submerged area. A great majority
OF the destitute people, according to Of
fetal reports received at the agricultural
department, arc plantation negroes, the
whites being for the most part planta-
tion superintendents and their employ
ees.
Each plantation ration, calculated to
maintain one man for "a hours, costs
the government about g cents, which
would be very cheap living if the indi-
viduals could purchase the same foods at
the same Price retail. Add to this
cents additional per ration to pay foi
expense Of transportation and distribu-
tion, and you have 10 cents per man per
day. According to this estimate, the
congI Iessional appropriation will buy
1000, 600 day rations, which will equal
100000 square meals, as suggested,
rs each we'll fed citizen is supposed to
bo entitled to three meals day. In
other words, the government pays 1-3
cents meal for the food which it is
distributing along the overfiowed banks
of the father of rivers.
According to official advices. there
arc about $50, 900 residents of the food
ed areas, more than the entire popula
tion OF New Hampshire. Were all these
mouths to be fed the entire appropria-
tion would go down the red lane in
about five days. The officials in charge
OF the distribution believe, however
that their supplies will last for two
and perhaps three months if necessary,
since a comparatively small per cent of
the residents have been made absolute
ly destitute and in need of federal aims.
The congressional appropriation is be-
ing expended through the war depart
ment for the reason that that depart
ment is the only one which actually
buys and distributes foods on large
scale. The agricultural department il
merely advisory, as far as its relations
with the public food supply are concern
ed. Hundreds Of pounds Of meats and
groceries are being daily shipped to all
sections of the country, where our
many army posts are located. The war
department employs in various trading
centers an excellently managed corps Of
professional marketers, who purchase
all Of the food eaten by our soldiers.
They are just the men to perform such
relief work as is now being carried on.
They do their selecting, buying, ship
ping and distributing according to a
regular system, which works like clock
work, and they are able to put food in
the mouths of starving people in any
part Of the country within the veriest
minimum Of time.
The whole of this food relief work is
in the hands of the commissary general
of subsistence, who has detailed officers
under his command to cooperate with
the local relief committees Of the sub
merged localities. His assistants in the
war department are busy sending and
receiving kilograms concerning the
work.
Army commissaries are established in
all of the great markets of the country,
where salt pork, bacon and the other
constituents of the plantation ration may
be bought at the best advantage. After
being purchased at the cheapest price,
consideration being taken of the relative
costs of transpor tation over different dis
tances, these provisions arc handed over
to officers Of tho Qualtermaster generals
department, who see that they are i'm
mediately shipped to the localities most
convenient As centers Of distribution.
The food is carried in freight cars oven
the commercial railroad lines, and on
arriving at it's destination IS handed
over again to officers Of the commissary
department. who, upon consultation
with the relief committees, send them
out i'll boats owned or hired by the gov.
ernment. The war department has at
its fingers ends number Of steamers,
some of 200 tons. tugs and messenger
boats employed by tho engineer depart
ment in the work of improving the Mis-
sissippi. These are convenient for this
distribution, small barges being sent out
into the shallow waters. Washington
Star.
Big Game Preserve.
A correspondent of Shooting and Fish.
ing in Red Lodge, Mon, is authority
for the announcement that John w.