The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-24
HORRIBLE SCENES
OF DESTITUTION
American Naval Officers Investigation
at Matanzas.
THOUSANDS LITERALLY STARVING
The Population Being slowly Deci-
mated--No Adequate Relief Tor the
Destitute Concentrados-.Su Suburban
Colonies of Emaciated, Dying
People OF the Working Ciass--Death
stalks the streets.

New York, Feb. ga special cor
respondent of the AssO- lted Press,
writing from Santiago de cuba under
date of Feb s, says: While the United
States cruiser Montgomery was at
Matanzas recently a board OF officers
was appointed to inquire into the con-
dition 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
1900 people absolutely without food
and clothing within the city limits.
About 5000 of these live in small huts
Of palm branches. These huts form
three separate villages beyond the
built-up portions of the city. The other
ll,OO0 unfortunates live in the streets
Of the city and are absolutely without
homes or shelter
These $4,000 people are the laboring
classes, who have been driven into the
cities from their country homes, which
have heen destroyed by the operations
of the war Most of them are women
and children, and they are all enact
ated, sick and almost beyond relief un-
less they can have the benefit of regu-
lar treatment in the hospitals. As it
want of food
According to statistics gathered from
the best official sources. the number Of
deaths in the province of Matanzas
from starvation is $1,000, and the num-
her of starving people at present in
the province is estimated at 9S, 600, out
Of total population of 253,6l6 in De-
cemher, 1897. and the number of starv-
N iS Sif
THE DEATH RATE.
In the city of Matanzas alone there
have been about IL 900 deaths during
the past year, and the number is in
Creasing daily. The death rate at pres
ent averages fOrty-siX per day. as
shown by the reports from the Ceme-
terry. The increase in the death rate is
due to the fact that the distress is no
longer confined to the laboring people,
most of whom have already perishcd.
1t has now extended to the class Of
people who, before the war, were in
moderately comfortable circumstances.
Those who are now begging in the
streets We're. in a large part, well-tO-
do people, or the children of people who
We're well-to-do. And, in addition, the
citizens of the city of Matanzas them
selves are beginning to suffer for the
actual necessaries of life, having
drained their resources in order to sup
ply the urgent needs of the laboring
class who have been quartered upon
them.
The citizens of Matanzas have an or
ganiZed system of relief for the starv-
ing people, but it is entirely made
quate, and is daily becoming more glar-
ingly so, for the resources of those who
were well-tO-do are rapidly diminish
ing, while the demand for food is con-
stantly increasing, in spite of the enor-
nous and constantly increasing death
rate. The three relief places in the
city of Matanzas do not begin to ade-
quately supply food to the 14,000 peo-
pie who are there starving in the
streets, for the citizens are only able
70 issue food three times a day at each
place and then to only about 100 at a
time. Consequently, only about 900 of
the destitute people receive food once
a day. Many citizens of MatanZas
have fed the starving in the streets,
from the front of their own homes
but, they themselves are feeling the
Pinch Of privation and unless assist
ance soon comes to them they will be
compelled in self protection to cease
the work of charity in which they are
now engaged, and which is seemingly
the only link connecting the starving
thousands with life
AMERICANS IN WANT.
These statements are not exaggera-
tions. They are the conclusions, facts
and figures arrived at by a board of
United States naval officers. There
fore it will be readily seen that there
is urgent necessity for the immediate
relief of the starving thousands of
Matanzas, to say nothing of those of
other and similarly suffering cities.
When ever the United States officers
landed they We're constantly followed
by clamoring crowds Of starving men,
women and children, who importuned
them in the most heartrending man
ner for little food, for the want OF
which they We're slowly dying.
The United States consul at Matan-
zas has done everything possible un-
DER the circumstances, but when the
Montgomery left there in the first days
of February, the consul had only en-
ough rations remaining to last about
two weeks. after which the fund ap-
propriated by congress would have
been exhausted, and then the sufferers
of Matanzas would include the Amer
lean citizens at that place. who have
hitherto received relief through the
United States consulate.