Evening star., 1898-10-19
FOOD FOR THE CUH.iNS.
The Cargo of the sCOmnI Distributed
at Natanyas.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
MATANZAS, Cuba, October IA, 1898.

Special Core spondence of Tie Evening Star
| MATANZAS. Cuba, October "A, 1895
The Comal finished the distribution of her
| cargo of food for the suffering Cubans to-
| day and leaves for New York tonight to
| go out of commission. it filled the needs of
| this whole town, sent quantity of ratiens
| to Havana and several thousand more to
people in the country near here.
| The people are intensely grateful and do
| everything in their power to show their
gratitude and friendly feeling when any of
| the Americans on the Comal appear on the
streets. The mayor came out to the Comal
yesterday and delivered quite a speech, set
! ting forth the feeling of the various citi-
ZenS and their appreciation of the kindness
of Uncle Sam.
We have received the most hearty CO.
operation from the townspeople here. AS
soon as We arrived and our object became
known they held a mass meeting, which
was attended by their best citizens and our
officers, and a plan of campaign was laid
out. A central committee was appointed.
who provided stub tickets divided the town
| into fourteen districts and appointed sub
committees, who made thorough canvass
of the families in their districts, issued
them tickets stating the number in family
and returned the stubs to the central COM
mttee.
They sent them to us when district was
canvassed completely, we made the calcu-
lations and issued the rationS in bulk to the
district. where ii was divided and issued t.
ticket holders under our supervision. This
greatly simplifed, as well as aided, thor
cugh and careful investigation to the
really needy, as the best people in the town
aided us.
FOur-Fffths of the People I'm Need.
The amount of need here is almost in
credible; actually four-fifths of the inhabit-
ants of the town are in real need OF food
even our committeeman Were delighted
when We offered them a little bacon. Our
whole cargo was required right here and
is but a drop compared to what is needed
through the island. The day after we ar
rived there were twenty-three deaths from
starvation. On the two Sundays spent
here We put in twelve hours work each
cay. The poor have been taken from the
streets and gathered into the hospitals,
which had no way of caring for them be-
fore our food came, and everything in Ma
tanZas is brighter. Every day we are ques-
toned about the arrival of the United
States troops, the people all being very
anxious to get rid of the Spanish soldiers
and enjoy the peace which they
ours will bring.
This town has been a very rich one in
time past. Very many of the wealthy fam
lilies have sent their children to Amerit to
be educated, and We find many who can
speak good EngliSh-fye times as many as
at Havana, from where most of the chill
dren went to Spain for schooling. Being
able to talk more freely to them, We always
ask about the annexation feeling. and find
1t almost universal. Some few there are
who say that they have fought so long for
their independence that now they want to
try it, at least, but such people are very
few.
Provisions Sent to Havana.
We sent our provisions to Havana by
rail, that being the only way the authori-
ties would allow them to enter. They still
preserve that custom house and Spanish
jurisdiction game, and are doubtless COB
bling heavy dues from every vessel that
enters.
The Red Cross steamer San Antonio ar
rived here two days ago with quantity
of medical supplies. She also was given
the privilege of landing her cargo here and
nowhere else. but can then ship it by rail
where 1t is wanted. And the two railroads
have cut their freight rates in two for both
cargoes.
The Comal will have been out on this
mission for an even two months when we
arrive at New York, at an expense of 5000
a day for boat hire alone The govern
ment could have saved at least $4,000 of
this sum had the officials who sent the
boat made the slightest preparation in
Cuba for her coming and the disposition of
her supplies, and without doubt hundreds
in Havana and Matanzas have died of
starvation while the post-mortem prelim-
inarieS were being arranged.
An Amusing Incident.
By some chance we brought down a 10.
of hard bread with Remember the Maine"
baked in it in big letters. This bread was
made by st. Louis bakery at the begin
ming Of the war, and was promptly rejected
by the government, but some of 1t has been
sent out already to the various camps, and |
part of this turned up in our stock here.
We issued 1t, of course. calling no attention |
to 1t, but the whols town got onto it, and |
we have had numbers of persons at our |
warehouse, petitioning for cracker or two, |
and the English words have become |
mighty familiar to the people here in a |
very short time. We feared that If the |
Spanish officials heard of it they might Jail |
US for uttering warlike documents, but |
nothing has been heard from them.
A. c. TOWNSEND. !