The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-10
Awful starvation ut Ell Caney.

James r. ]. Archibald. In Leslie's Weekly.
FL Caney was little town or about 3tD
people. and IL is impossible to imagine over
2o00 being hudded together in its mar
row streets ana crowded houses. and yet
this WAS the case when the refugees were
allowed 10 leave Santiago before the bonn
bardment.
Old men and women who did not seem TO
have enough strength 10 walk staggered
along under great bundles OF personal ef-
fects, putting them down every few yards
to rest. Some of the families were Of the
upper class of society. and their rich
dresses were in strange contrast TO the
great majority OF the refugees. We had
not seen a weIi-dreSSed woman for SO long
that they were almost curiosities as they
trndged along the road under lace sun
shades and in light, fluffy dresses that We
might expect 10 see IL summer resort
Some OF the great throng We're happy.
laughing and gay while others were walk
ing ard bemoaning their fate at having
to leave their homes; some suilen Spanish
sympath!zers. but for the most part they
displayed a surprising amount of Amer
lean patriotism. which was. OF course. all
put on with the idea OF protecting their
holdings from the horrible Yankee, that
they had been taught 10 so utterly despise
and fear. one little girl OF about sixteen
was carrying a Spanish uniform hat. /
asked her TO let me look at H. and she
handed Il TO xne rather reluctantly, evil
IDENTIFY thinking I would keep il. There
was a tell-tate hole in the crown and the
SHAW was saturated with blood. and great
tears welted into her beautiful black eyes
as / examined IL.
I had lust drawn three days rations and
my haversack was full when / went over
% caney TO see these people from San
tiago TO erdeavor Ia learn the true sltua-
ton I'm the city. AS rode up TO the crowd
n wen-dressed woman stepped up and said
she was very hungry and wanted some
thing 70 eat. | did not realize tina. there
were thousands OF others III similar plight.
but thought it was but an exceptional case
Of one being temporarily away from the
supplies. | had no more than reached my
hand hack To unhuckle the flap or my hay
erSack, when l was surrounded by wall
ing crowd crying for food and motsoning
10 their mouths. showing their munger. In
my my supply was exhausted, ana ii
was like pouring cup OF spring water to
reiieva the ocean of It's brackish flavor.
Cant Stewart Brice. OF Gen. Skaters
staff appeared On the second day with two
wagon loads OF army raitons, het these
were hardly = morsei Tor such a crowd
He took possession oe a building on the
ptaga and commenced the distribution or
the supplies. consisting principally OF hard
bread and then followed such scene as
might be expected OF pack OF hungry
wolves but not Of human beings. There
was an attempt af order In The distribu-
tlon. but one might as well have ordered
the tide TO cease moving. ihey Iosshi'
scratched and bit each osher like dogs.
addressed women fought with paupeTs,
women struck each other, ana co3iGFeu
were tranlpled IN the fight for food and as
4 Il
hahv y, her arms came up and addressed
,,s. IN Yaerfact English, although she was
undoubtedly Spanish.
'sWsii yea net give me some mug ior nv
ts,s7'i she begged. with tears streaming
acvu her face "He IS Only a few weeks
IA and yet has had nothing today. and
,.niaSs hts can have some milk In couple
az hours he viii die" She sonfled The tiny
child In her arms ard ne anguish PIC
tlYs~l on her face was really terrific
s.There ia no milk here, answered.
"sss,t some may turn zap soon And vet
T knew ortv teo well that there Was none
,se,s- ,ba. Sss,oney over ten miles away,
ana Win no ysoasihie way Of getting t.
..eus nv baby VII die the poor mother
wallet II do not care for raysea | am
Starving. hat don't care Il Is Ter my
hahy.'' ,t.., -
a h.,~s ~ she half-4ementcd mother
see NEXT morning. carrying The lttle hfe..
5sSs nssfv about crying and moaning and
vaft.zsre 20 ngt Ii down, Il bad starved in
49, t-e-$s arms while she WAS helpless
~ mis- Kiss crlv one case q many