New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-13
SUFFERING IN ST. VINCENT.
RESULTS OF THE DEVASTATION WRoC"Hl
nv THE RECENT CYCLONE.

1-,,rs,o, Jamaica Nov $50 far from being
exaggerated. the first .epoIts or the oes"uo'i'
wrought by the cyclone at st vincent were ra'"e'
short Of the actual acts. The Island was inter-
elk, sv,ent absolutely bare Of vegetation. the ex-
,erence of 1855 Icing repeated. The full extent
OF the devastation was not at hrst reaNzeo' o"'iie
10 the difficulty Of communication through oie uo
struction of the roads and he coastal shipping'
The Governor of the Windward Islands has no"
sent out an appeal to the neghborins ISLANDS
etotirg the facts and asking that roots, slips and
goods Of potatoes cassava, yams. peas and otner
nlants be forwarded soon as possible TO ehdoie
cultivation to be restored. The Governor uecla'e
that the whole aspect of the landscape mas oeeh
hanged Instead Of the pervading green common
TO all tropical prospects. 1t is now uniform dirty
hrorn color. only relieved by long white poles
tbe decapitated columns Of palm and cocoanut
trees Nothing in the way Oh vegetation eScaPeu
tho sweep Of thu wind and the subsequent sCouI-
ing deluge Of water, and the island IS pfaC-icai''
desert Perhaps the raost Impressive Re lture' 10
odds IL the absolute stiffness that prevails not
only through the absence Of the familiar rustic
~ vegetation as the radewnd sweeps over 1t
hut also because Of the absence Il animal ana eV'l
tsect life Birds. lizards, beetles, snakes ahn' III
fqtt every firm of animal life seems to have oseh
blown away or drowned out.
The immediate result OF this on the population Is
r,o., d,sastrous Already several hundred deaths
have occurred from exposure and privation' ana
diseases common to low vitality are rapidly deVe'-
opng among the people. principally IN the form
Of ulcers At present about five thousand men are
ennloved on the reconstruction Of roads and other
nuhlc works but these represent only an eishth OF
the population and the others have 70 De pro
vided for by the distribution of daily doles OF lood
a. his comes IN. But the quantltY IL DaIey sun
Cont 10 keen them alive consisting or rev DIS
ciufs a handful Of rice and a small piece OF sal
meat or fish Owing TO the complete destruction OF
ctarion there is not even fuel 10 be found'
and many have to eat their allowance raw which
tends 10 augment the sickness. . .
tourist who visited the island writes 10 say
that amid this fearful state of affairs one feature
narticularlv struck him. That was the ueVotlo'
81 the distressed people to their families ana Leia-
lions AS an illustration he cites the case OIL an
old man whom he met limpng along win pand
aged feet He taking TWO biscuits ana h.tie
Aonr and rice to his sisters SICK children IN me
Maintains This had been all the allowance ms
he had eaten on the way he stopped occasionally
70 gather small chips of wood and dry grass. WIN
which TO cook the -four and rice for which ne way
very thankful but expressed much Anxiety as ~
whether he would procure any matches Wnele~ vi
20 make q fire on the correspondent hahulhs MN
q hoy of matches his gratitude was uHpOulut,u.
T-bo corresnondent adds that he was through the
recent indian famine. and spent year IT, 'onnec-
lion with the relief work ana ne hau seen near
rennins scenes there. but nothing TO approach me
distrnss wrought by the hurricane In St Vincent.
realize the magnitude OF the disaster, otherwise
their contributions to the relief fund would not
have been so Inadequate. Fifty thousand pounds
would not 20 far in relieving st. Vincent alone
md vet the subscript ons for the three Islands
nronise 10 fall short Of that amount.