The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-08
THOUSANDS STARVING.
Desperate Condition of the Multitude
of Refugees.

Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press.)
~ Canev. near Santiago de Cuba,
July Cover l5,C00 innocent victims
of the war have fled here in wild panic
to escape the terrOrs of the threatened
bombsrdm ent of Santiago and they
ere now confronted by the horrors of
starvation. In their hapless confusion,
they are appealing TO General Shafter
for succor. Most of them are foreign
ers. principally French, or with mix
ture of foreign blood, and their inter-
ests are being looked after by their
consUls.
When informed yesterday that Cen
eral ToraI refused to consider the
question of surrendering they sWarmed
out of the north gate of the city all
day ana urudged over The road, which
in place was ankle deep in mud. Totter-
ing old men and women supported by
children. and mothers with babes at
their breasts struggled on toward I'll
Caney, san Luis and other towns.
Most of them came here last night
and over 5000 slept in the village,
which under ordinary circumstances
hardly accommodates 800 people. They
were crowded together in the houses.
upon the VerandaS and in the streets.
At daylight those who had been over
taken 10y darkness on the wayside be
gan TO pour in and at this hour. they
are still coming. They were not al
lowed 20 bring food with them and
those who have money are as destitute
as those who are without.
Rich and poor, cultured and ignorant.
white and black are huddled together,
choking the passageways between the
houses, all with g2Gnt desire written
on their countenances. The ignorant
desire only 10 be fed and the cultured
want to get away, any where, any how,
away from the war that has driven
them from their homes. Pathetic
sights are witnessed on all sides.
There are women Of good birth and
education, supported by frail girls who
hide their faces from the vulgar gaze
of the others who surge about them.
In the eyes Of both mothers and
daughters is the haunted look which
wild animals have when driven TO bay.
FED BY SKATER.
General ShafteT explained to the con-
Juls yesterday the impossibility of car
ng for these poor people out of the
army supplies. but be did spare some
rations, which were given cut with
spariag hands to the women and feeble
old men.
Today Miss Clara Barton and Mr..
George KEENAN, Of the Red Cross So
,iety offered to provide 5000 rations il
General Shafter would transport them.
consul. General Shafter agreed to do
go The first pack train arrived at
o'clock in the afternoon and was IN
oaded in the village square. amid the
ciamosing cries Of the refugees. The
better class held back, while the igncr-
ant. especially the negresses, pressed
forward, franticaily appealing for
bread
Captain Findlay, who commands the
garrison in town, saw to it that enough
food was reserved to supply those
waose delicacy and good breeding Ne
strained them from begging.
It is probable that ell except some of
the younger men who fed with the
We men and children viii Be given some
thing to eat before night, but how long
this relief can be extended is problem
atical Many, Of course, viii be driven
to the woods. and be forced to subsist
on mangroyes and other fruits.
Quite number Of Spanish volunteers |
who came out with the refugees. and
who at first were allowed their liberty, |
are being gathered UP and placed I'M |
der surveillance. Ii has been learned !