The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-03-19
Letter From Lieut.. Hutchins of
the u Ship Montgomery.

! Many people throughout the United
States, and other countries as well, have
all alon. thought that the reports OF
suffering and death from starvation in
, Cuba were very much exaggerated, but
as the truth comes home to US from
time to time, from those who are there
and who have no reason for enlaruine
! upon the true conditions, the feeling
grows stronger within us that we cannot
even conceive of The horrors existing.
/ The following Interesting account of
the state OF affairs as found by the Mont
gomery when upon a recent tour of in
spection, came to us through the kind
ness Of Mrs. \. W. Nichols, who is an
aunt of Lieutenant Hamilton Hutchins,
one OF the officers of the ship, which
since the letter was written, has been
| ordered to Havana harbor, and now
occupies the place Of the recently de-
stroyed Maine.
SANTIAGO, Feb. 9-9S. The day l last
wrote We had just arrived at Matanzas.
/ hat Is the next city in importance to
Havana on these islands. \ walk around
the hills gave us beautiful view AS
In these Cuban ports, on account of the
war going on, We have to 60 ashore i'll
uniform, of course we at once attract at
tention. The conditions of the poor
starving creatures lis worse than one at
home can imagine. The poorer classes,
called reconc.ntrados, had all been
driven into the city 10y Wevier, and
their homes In the country burned,
and as they could get no money or :ood
the number that have starved to death
Is Simply tremendous. During the
month OF December ], 100 people died
IN MatanZaS OF Starvation, and sixty in
the week previous to our visit. Those
that are sill left are IN this starving
cor litlon, only getting little food that
Is now being sent by people i'll the
United States. Three times a week
these ratlonS are served ont to them
and the way they scramble for this
food Is ample evidence of their condi-
ton. We saw one man lying on the
pavement nearly dead from starvation
and for whom nothing could be done,
and few weeks before our arrival dead
bodies IN the streets were numerous.
The people we ourselves saw on the
streets were of the better classes and
looked in fair health. though their
scanty rags gave ample evidence that
they could not hold out much longer,
and many OF them, we could see rom
their faces, were suffering from iusu.li-
Client food. In many eases we could
see that the parents were starving il,
order that their children might have
their lives prolonged. We were fol-
lowed all during our walk by at least
hundred children Cheering us and beg
and yelling So that the whole street
would turn ont in advance Of us to see
what was the occasion for 50 much
noise. It was novel experience. The
Spanish lines were close around the city.
ana even from the ship we could see
most OF the sentry boxes. The insur-
gents were close to the town and every
lew DAYS the Spaniards 20 out and have
sklrmlSh with them. When Converse
Captain OF the MONTGOMERY called on
the general commanding the troops in
Malanzas, he seemed t. be rather gruH
and unCIvli, but the cause was apparent
when he apologiZed and said that the
day before he had been out to fight the
insurgents and had been beaten, and
had been all night in the saddle. SO
the next day when he came on board TO
return the call he was very polite. His
name is Gen. Moline. During our two
days STAY there the ship was visited by
a great number OfinhabItants and it was
veiy evident that all Cubans are en-
tluSla-tlC over the course of the United
state. On the day of Gen. MOliho' 5 visit
among The visitors who came on board
at the same time was the wife of one of
the insurgent generals.
We left Matanzas Saturday, came
around the east end of Cuba and arrived
here yesterday. This is one OF the most
picturesque harburs | have ever seen,
but it is very unhealthful place and in
summer yellow fever RACES Even now
none of the men are allowed to go
ashore, and the officers only between
sunrise and sunset. We sail Tomorrow
for Port Antonio, Jamaica.