The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-24
AWFUL SCENES IN
MATANZAS CITY.
FiAy-Nine thousand Starve to Death
in the Province.
$4,000 MORE ARE BARELY ALIVE.
once Well-to-Do Citizens Rapidly En-
hausting Their Recommendations
of the Montgomery Were Fol-
lowed by Clamoring Crowd.

Ban ltAOO LIE NODAs NS'. ~
rcgpondencc of the Associated Press
While the United States cruiser Mont
.omery was at Matanzas recently board
Il officers was appointed to inquire into
me condition OF the people Of that pro-
vince.
Although the exact terms OF the report
are not known. 1t may be said. that in
substance. It sets forth that there are
1900 people absolutely. without food and
clothing within the city Limits. Abou,
8o00 OF these 1.-Two IN small huts OF palm
branches. These hutS form three square
villages by the built up portions OF the
city. The other n .0oO i've in the streets
Of the city. and arc absolutely without
homes or shelter. These 1900 people are
Of the laboring GLASSES VINO 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
emacfated. sick and almost beyond relief,
unless they can have the benefit of regu-
lar troa tment in the hospitals.
DYING BY THOUSANDS.
As u Is. they are dying in the streets
fol. want 81 food. According 10 statistics
gathered from the best official sources.
tho number Of deaths In the province of
ATatauzas from starvation is 80 900 and
the number OF starving people at present
In the province is estimated at 5000 out
~ total population Of 25S.6l6 in Deem
Der. 1897 and the number OF starving peo-
pie is rapidly increasing.
In the city Of MatanZas alone there
have been about 1900 deaths during the
past year. and the number is increasing
daily The death rate at present aver
ages forty-six per day. as shown by the
reports from the cemetery.
The increase in the death rate is due
10 the fact that the distress is no longer
confined to the laborng class, most of
whom have already persisted. IL has now
extended TO those people who before the
war were in moderately comfortable cir
cumstances. Those who are now begging
in the streets, were in a large part. we'll TO
do people. or the children OF the wel-to-
DO. and i'm addition the citizens OF the city
OF Matanzas themselves are beginning TO
suffer for the actual necessaries Of life,
having drained their resources in order
10 supply the needs of the laboring class
who have been quartered upon them.
The citizens of Matanzas have an or
ganized system of relief for the starving
people. but II is entirely inadequate, and
is daily becoming more glaringly so, for
the resources of those who were well 10
do are rapidly diminishing, while the de-
mand for food is constantly increasing
in spite Of the enormous and constantly
increasing death rate.
ISSUING RATIONS.
At the city of Matanzas the citizens
nave three places from which they issue
rations. one of these places was visit
ed by the officers of the Montgomery
and while they were there the streets in
front of the house was packed with "a
clamoring mass Of ragged. emanciated
men. women and children and the board
"a officers with difficulty managed to
reach the door through which they were
admitted 10 the relief station. There
they found one hundred starving people
this being the actual number of persons
for whom the citizens had been able to
provide rations there
In a. room across the courtyard of the
building were 100 tin pans and as many
spoons. These pans were filed with a
cooked mess of rice and nsh, and were
arranged in rows ready tor distribution
among the furnishing people who were in
waiting I'm another part of the house.
But. as already said. the three relief
places In the city Of Matanzas do not
begin 10 adequately supply food to the
1900 people who are there starving In the
streets for the citizens are only able TO
issue food three times a day al each
place and then to only about 100 at a
time.
1t should be added that large number
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 10 them they
will be compelled in protection 10
cease the work Of charity In which they
are now engaged and which is seemingly
he only salvation for the starving thous-
lnSs
The only other public relief at Matan-
zas IS that given 10 the poor sick chill
dren by the management OF the emer-
gency hospital. which is under the direc-
ton OF the volunteer fire department of
Matanzas There are about eighty treated
daily and furnished with nourish-
ment under The direction Of the city ply
sicions.
OFFICIAL FIGURES.
These statements are the conclusions.
facts and figures arrived at by board
~ United States naval officers. There
tore a. will he readily seen that there
IS urgent necessity for the immediate
relief OF the starving thousands OF Ma
tanzas 10 saw nothing Of those who are
similarly suffering in other states.
When the United States naval officers
landed they were constantly followed by
clamOring crowds OF starving men. wo-
men and children. who importuned them
IN the most heartrenoinG manner for
food.
The United States Consul at Matanzas
has dors everythinc possible under the
circurn stances, but when tire MONTGOMERY
left there in the first days OF February.
the consul had only enough ratons re-
naming 10 last about two weeks. after
which the fund appropriated by Congress
would nave been exhausted. and then tho
sufferers Of Matanzas would include the
American citizens al that place. who have
hrherto received relief through the
United states consulate
At that time the Consul had received
a petition signed by the American ciu-
gems OF Matan2as setting forth in detail
the need IA which they stood Of imme-
date relief from the dangers OF starva-
ton.
So far as the board OF officers OF the
Montgomery could ascertain Matanzas al
that time needed a supply Of food for
"a 40 people for al least one month. In az
diticn 10 supplies OF condensed milk for
lnval'ds and medicines Of aN KINDS
The people OF Matanzas are also In
IL. !. Of IN