The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-10

Just at this time. when the Cuban
situation Is rapidly drawing to crisis,
public Interest In news from the scat OF
war Is on the Increase The telegraphic
reports from Havana, Madrid aud
Washington are eagerly read by the
public and each days developments are
commented on in every home and busl-
ness place. Aside from the diplomatic
developments which may at any time
reach n phase in which mere diplomacy
Will be abandoned for sternery action.
the stories OF the real situation among
the people OF the stricken island, and es-
pecially the condition Of the suffering,
starving rcconcentrados, is attracting
daily Interest.
Recently there went from Washing
ton to Cuba well-known woman jour-
nalist, Fannie B. Ward, to personally
investigate and report in her profess
sional capacity the situation Just as she
finds 1t. truthfully and frankly, for
syndicate of American newspapers.
The Intell!gencer has arranged with
3 Miss Ward for q special weekly letter
during her absence. and readers OF this
3 paper will be favored with her descrip-
ton Of the conditions now prevailing
among the Cubans Of all classes as Q
result of the brutal Spanish policy that
has been pursued up to q recent date.S
- Yesterday private letter, written in
\ Havana, on February 4. was received at
the 1ntelligencer office from Miss Ward
Etu ting fbat ebA had arrival fhora huf
a day or two previous. and that she was
about to start for the interior Of the
country, and would soon begin her
7 work This plucky American newspa-
per woman Is armed with letters guar
anteeing her safety, and In addition will
have the protection of the American
flag and Consul General Lee. In the
private letter referred to the correspond
ent mentions one or two experiences she
has already had, and the following eX-
tract from 1t may prove interesting to
the 1ntelligencer readeie, as not only
confirming the Associated Press reports
of the suffering among the reconceatra-
z dos. but as showing what a wide-awake
woman. with the true newspaper In
stinct, the IEtelligencer's correspondent
is. Under date of February 4, Miss
Ward says:
= v Ill 4~aitpi VA tht ihAtitibShNSA-
"MYDEAR S1R:-I arrived in Havana
day beforeSyesterday, but have not yet
written anything for publication.
z want to look around little bit. So
much imaginary stuff about Cuba Is cir
culating in the United States, and COM
ing down by rail through Florida I met
no end OF our valiant war correspond
ents disseminating news from the safer
s fields of Tampa and Key West.
II went with u Cuban lady this morn
Ing to see some of the reconcentrados
who are corrailed lie cattle in an aban-
doned warehouse. thought ! had seen
poverty and suffering before, in many
lands, but never anything like this.
There are more than $4,000 homeless or
phans in this one province, TO say moth
Ing of the sick and helpless adults: and
there is no provision whatever for feed
ing them.
''All that the United States has con-
etributed would not provide them with
one meal day for 4 single week: and
what then? The dreadful sights
I among the comparatively few In the one
corral we visited almost unnerved me.
In the woman's quarter three had just
died and their faces had not yet been
covered. Several others were dying,
and one child. whose bones seemed TO
be pr!cking through the flesh. died in
commissions. ciutching my hand with
fingers like bird-claws.
Nothing in the shape OF food had
been fed to them since the day before.
1t was then 1880 a. m, and yesterday
they had only one portion Of soup made
Of sailed pork and bread. which the sick
could not eat. Condensed milk Is pre-
pared with hot water for the babies and
small! children. when condensed milk
can be had; but 1t Is very dear here. and
often for days together not can Of It
is in store and no money to buy. Nearly
every child is covered with sores, and
many have their legs and feet frightfull!'
swollen-scurvy and dropsy, l suppose,
from fever, starvation and improper
food, when they have any at all.
"Of course l sent out for milk. I
didn't have much money with ME, but
every cent of 1t went, and as We had
dismissed our carriage at the door, ac-
cording to local custom, intending to
take another for the return, We had to
! walk to the hotel-being penniless-
about two and one-half miles over their
4 stony streets. The consequence is feel
rs II I had been bastinadoed or like n
penitent who has made a pilgrimage
with peas In his shoes. l flEd
our Consul General Lee nourishing,
though not very popular with the Span
! iards. Should you have occasion to
write me, please address In his care, as
T t..tl H.. IL.