The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-02-24
No Food, No Clothes, No Shelter
For the Thousands of Concen-
tradOs at MatanZas.
Thousands Have Died From Star
walton and the Situation
Grows Worse.
Those Who Had Any ~ ioof
Given Until They Are Them
. selves in Danger.

was az mdtduZdS, IcCcut1ys Oodfu VI
officers was appointed to inquire into
the condition of the people of that prov
ince. Although the exact terms OF the
report are not known, it may be said
that in substance, it sets forth that
there are $4,000 people absolutely with
out food and clothing, within the city
limits. About 5000 of these live in
small huts of palm branches. These
huts form tree separate villages be-
yond the built up portions of the city.
The other ii, 900 unfortunates live in
the streets of the city, and are abso-
lutely without homes or shelter. These
Ia, 900 people are of the laboring classes
who have been driven into the city
from their country homes, which have
been destroyed in the war operations.
Most of them are women and children,
and they are all emaciated, sick and
almost beyond relief unless they can
have the benefit of the regular treat
ment in the hospitals; as it is they are
dying in the streets for want Of food.
Number OF Starving Increases.
According to statistics gathered from
the best official sources. the number of
deaths in the province OF Matanzas
from starvation is $4,000, and the mum.
Der Of starving people at present in the
province is estimated at SO, 200, out of a
total population of 3,6l6 in Deem
Der, 1897, and the number OF starving
people is rapidly increasing.
In the city of Matanzas alone there
have been about 1000 deaths during
the past year, and the number is in
creasing daily.
The death rate at present averages
As per day, as shown by the reports
from the cemetery. The increase in the
death rate ls due to the fact that the
! distress issnc 1onger- confined to the
iaboring classes, most OF whom nave
already persisted. Those who are now
begging In the streets were IN large
part we'll to do people, or the children
of the we'll to do people. And In addi-
ton, the citizens Of the city OF Matan-
zas themselves are beginning to suffer
for the actual necessities of life, having
drained their resources in order to sup
ply the needs of the laboring class,
who have been quartered upon them.
The citizens OF Matanzas have organ
lied a system of relief for the starving
people, but it is certainly inadequate,
and is daily becoming more glarln ely
so, for the resources of those who were
we'll to do are rapidly diminishing,
while the demand for food is con-
stantly increasing.
Relief Wholly Inadequate.
Regular relief stations had been es-
tablisned, but only about 900 rations
could be issued daily, to $4,000 people
who were starving in the streets.
1t should be added that a large num-
Der of the citizens of Matanzas have
fed the starving in the streets in front
of their own homes, but the citizens
themselves are feeling the pinch of
privation, and unless assistance soon
comes to them, they will be compelled,
in self.prorection, to cease the work of
charity, in which they are now en-
gagged, and which is seemingly the only
salvation for the starving thousands.
These statements are the conclusions,
facts and figures arrived at by board
of United States naval officers.
The United States consul at Matanzas
has done rything possible under the
circumstances but when the Montgom-
cry left, in the first days Of February,
the consul had only enough rations re-
manning to last about two weeks, after
which the fund appropriated by con-
gress would have been exhausted, and
then the sufferers Of Matanzas would
include the American citizens at that
place, who have hitherto received re-
lief through the United States con.
sulate.