The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-24
MATANzAS FULL OF MISERY.
FOURTEEN THOUSAND PEOPLE
WITHOUT FOOD on CLOTHING.

WITHOUT FOOD on CLOTHING.
Eleven Thousand OF the UnfOrtu-
mates Live I'm the streets of the
City Absolutely without Homes or
SheIter-MOst of Them LabOFers
Who Have Been Driven Into the
City by the War-Dying in the
Streets for Want of NOurishment.
Eleven Thousand Deaths in the
City During the Past Year.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.
Santiago de Cuba, Feb. 23,-While the
United States cruiser Montgomery was at
AIatanzas recently a board Of officers was
appointed to inquire into the condition Of
the people of that province. Although the
exact terms of the report are not known,
it may be said that In substance it sets
forth that there are 14.OO0 people ALSO
lutely without food and clothing within
the city limits. About 5000 of these live
in small huts of palm branches These
huls form three separate villages heyohd
the built-up portions of the city. The 9TH
er 1900 unfortunates live in the streets
of the city and are absolutely without
homes or shelter.
These 14.0OO people are Of the laboring
class who have been driven into the cities
from their country homes, which have been
destroyed in the war operations. Most of
them are women and children, and hey
are all emaciated sick and almost beyond
relief unless they can have the benefit Of
regular treatment in the hospitals. AS it
is. they are dying in the streets for want
of food
According to statistics gathered from the
best sources, the number of deaths in the
province of Matanzas from starvation is
5000, and the number of starving people
at present in the province is estimated at
9S. coo. out of total population of 1856 in
December, 1897, and the humber Of starv-
ing people is rapidly increasing.
In the city OF Matanzas alone there have
been about Il 900 deaths during the past
year and the number is increasing daily.
The death rate at present averages 4G per
day as shown by the reports from the
cemetery. The increase in the death rate
is due to the fact that the distress is no
longer confined to the laboring class most
of whom have already persisted. 1t has
now extended 10 those people who before
the war were in moderately comfortable
circumstances. Those who are now beg
ging in the streets were. in the large part,
well-to-do people. In addition the ciu-
gems of the city of Natanzas themselves
are beginning to suffer for the actual ne
cessaries of life, having drained their re-
sources in order 10 supply the needs of the
laboring class who have been thrust upon
them.
The citizens of Mantanzas have an or
ganized system of relief for the starving
people, but it is entirely inadequate and
is daily becoming more glaringiy So for
the resources of those who were well-to-
do are rapidly diminishing, while the de-
mand for food is constantly increasing. At
one of the relief stations the board of
Officers found 100 starving people, this be-
ing. the actual number of persons for
whom the citizens had been able to pro-
vide ratons there. In a room across the
court yard of the building were 100 pans
and as many spoons. The pans We're filled
with a cooked mess of rice and fish and
were arranged in rows ready for distr5u-
ton among the furnishing people, who
were IN waiting in another part of the
house.
But as already said, the three relief
places in the city of Matanzas do not
begin to adequately supply food to the
1900 people who are starving in the
streets, for the citizens are only able to
issue food three times a day at each place,
and then to only about 800 at a time. Con-
seQuenty about 900 of the destitute re-
ceive food once "a day.
1t should be added that large number
OF the citizens of MatanZas have fed the
starving in the streets in front of their
homes, but the citizens themselves are
feeling the pinch and the prNation and
unless assistance soon comes TO them they
Will be compelled TO protect themselves to
Geese the work of charity in which they
they are engaged, and are seemingly the
only salvation for the starving thousands.
The only government relief at Natanzas
is that given to the poor sick children I'M
der the management of the emergency hos
pital, which is under the direction of
the volunteer fire department at Matan-
zas. There about eighty children are
treated daily, and they are furnished with
nourishment under the direction of the
city physicians
These statements are the conclusions
facts and figures arrived at by United
States naval officers. When the United
States naval officers landed they were
constantly followed by clamoring crowds
importuned them in the most heart-rend-
ing manner for a little food, for the want
of which they we're slowly dying.
The United States consul at Matanzas
has done everything possible under the
circumstances, but when the Montgomery
left there in the first days of February
the consul had only enough ratons re-
naming to last about two weeks, after
which the fund appropriated by Congress
would have been exhausted. and when the
sufferers of Matanzas would include the
American citizens a that place, who have
hitherto received relief through the United
States consulate. At that time the consul
had received a petition signed by the
American citizens of Matanzas, setting
forth in detail the need in which they stood
of immediate relief from the dangers of
starvation
So far as the board of officers of the
Montgomery could ascertain, Matanzas at
that time needed a supply of food for 1900
people for at least one month in addition
to supplies of condensed milk for invaids
and poor people of all kinds