The San Francisco call., 1898-12-19

IA live stock of all descriptions.
 N without means of obtaining pro- l \ visions for their families and
 with no hope of better times un- til another year shall have passed. the people of Southern Monterey and Northern San Luis Obispo counties are now face to face with starvation. For weeks they have struggled on. hoping almost against hope that rains would come and bring a change for the bet ter, but now the situation has become so grave that there is no longer a pos sibility of self help, and, in dire want. an appeal has been made to the State executive for assistance
 That this appeal is timely and that the aid is necessary there can be no doubt. For almost two years no crops have been raised on the farms, and the hills and valleys have lain bleak and bare entirely destitute of vegetation. From Salinas to Paso RobIes the whole country is destitute. In the office of Sheriff John L. Matthews at Salinas are dozens of letters from despairing farmers. pleading for aid in divers ways. In all the general merchandise stores in the entire district are pitiful pleas for extension of credit while every one who comes in from the back districts brings the same tale of desti- tuition and want.
 One by one the cattle of the poorer farmers have dropped and died from exhaustion and starvation. Then the horses followed, until now the entire fssrrnfng community IS bereft of all kinds of livestock and famine has laid its gaunt fir $ on the wives and children, who are fast succumbing to tn terrible situation.
 Hollow-eyed women and children peer out of the doorways at the passer as if in the vain hope of obtaining some thing to drive away the pangs of hun ge- that are eating out their lives. Around Jolon and Lockwood the con dition is of the utmost gravity The wealthy people have reached the point where they are doling out their food to their families as if to a shipwrecked crew. What then must be the condi- ton of those who have been living from hand to mouth for months? Their live stock gone ant their means of support entirely withdrawn, they have seen their food suppl diminish day by day until at last they have been compelled to use the coarsest food that is given to cattle and in many families cakes made of water and shorts have been the entire sustenance for weeks.
 Three carloads of provisions have been sent into the famine-stricken dis trict by kind-hearted people who have learned of the misery that exists. but three carloads is but as drop in a bucket when the extreme destitution is considered. Here in Kings City only the echoes reach, but back in the foot hills the stories are of such nature as to appeal to the hardest heart On the big Milpitas rancho owned by Johnson & Browne, and on the ranch of A. NJ NewhaI, the cattle have reached such a condition that they are dropping dead all over the hills. Gangs of men have been cutting down the big live oak trees, and the leaves serve to stay the bangs of hunger for a while. but within a week from now not a head of cattle and only a few of the best horses will be found in a country 100 miles square. It is impossible to gather what little stock is left on the ranges and drive it into the home ranches. and should it be driven there is not enough food to carry one further through the winter.
 While all classes are suffering. the greatest destitution exists among the renting farmers. These people have al most given up the struggle and unless aid soon reaches them they. like the cattle, will lie down and die.