The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-05-26
FAMINE AND phsrILENcE IN CUBA.
Thousands. Americans, Among Them. Dying
FromWant and the Ravages Of. Disease.


Thousands. Americans, Among Them. Dyini
From'Want and the Ravages of.Disease.
Havana Special to Baltimore,Ssna
1 have made a personal &investl
CATION of the existing condition
in Cuba, and can stateathat:no re
port of the suffefing~ffom hunger
disease and privation which ha
been sent from this unfortyunat
island has been exaggerated.
Starvation is rapidfys accom-
plishing what General Weyler ha
failed to bring about. Tie. sys
tenn of concentrating the wretchet
country folks in the towns of tn,
Observation-Disclosures to- exterminatt
the Cubans if present condition.
are'aifbwed to continue
A careful estimate, based on in
formation which reaches me from
the interior, is that between 175,
600 and 225,OOO persons on the is
land are actually suffering from
the lack of the necessaries of life
and that the deaths daily, trace.
able to hunger alone, are between
sixty and seventy. Among the
sufferers are scores of Americans
There is no hope that things
will be better. There is every in.
dication, on the contrary, that
they will be worse, for food be-
comes scarcer daily and the heat
is increasing. The rainy season is
at hand.
The poor folks who have been
driven into the towns and hud-
died together like sheep, while the
country has been laid waste, can
do nothing to help themselves.
They are absolutely at the mercy
of civil and military authorities,
who are careless of their fate,
Indeed, it is facility understood
that widespread misery result
ing from the awful system of con-
centration is part of the captain
generals plan of campaign, and
that just what hasd happened was
duly expected.
For this reason there is scarcity
a pretense at attempting to feed
and house the poor wretches, who,
IN some instances, have nearly
doubled the population of the
small towns into which they have
been herded. There is an alleged
distribution of rations, but it is
wholly inadequate for many rea-
sons, chief among which is that
the country no longer produces
food enough for the towns, even if
their population were normal.
The result is an increase in dis
ease among all classes, the percen-
tage being about ten concentra-
dos to- ONE resident. Short ra-
lions and exposure, and the eat
ing of vile food in an effort to- sus--
tain life have developed a pecu-
liar form of disease, which has
been marked by great mortality.
No one doubts that famine and
disease will decimate these crow
ded towns, until before the rainy
season is a nhenth old, the island
will ford'a'spetsae9es, which will
arouse wide-sp1ead'in&i in
the United States and !evefyother
civilized country.
Some Americans here in order
to aid their fellow-countrymen
and, as far as possible, the Gu
bans, are considering the advisa-
olllty of appealing to the chart
'ably Inclined in the United
States with the idea of startino q
movement to send a special load |
IT provisions to Havana.
Whether or not Spain would
permit such plan to be carried
'ut is a. question. If the plan
'ver takes definite form it will he
because General Weyler's method
If warfare has produced condi-
ions so shocking that humane
PERSONS outside of Cuba will insist
lpon interfering. The mere men
ION of possible appeal to the
United States for food causes
much hostile comment.
An old resident of Guiana bacoa.
ust across the bay from Havana.
old me while I was making nv
Investigation that in one house
7here three families, numbering
n all twenty-six persons, had
cen living together, twenty haaE
led within: thss lastlfew Weeks. +
IT these deaths, he said, at least
fteen were caused by lack of
bod and the conditions resulting
fota 'ovefecfowding. There, as in
many other towns, small pox and
Their diseases are lamentablv !
revalent.
l wrote several dayiss ago to a
Ugh official in the city of Matan-
as asking for information as to
ne condition of the concentra-