The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-03-02
GRIM STARV ALTON.
WHAT THE OFFICERS OF FTHS MONT
GOMERY SAW.

Which would shcer. he Heart of a Saw
age-spsln Absolutely Helpless TO Ro-
port.
While the United States cruiser
Montgomery vas at Mantanzas recent
ly q board of officers was appointed 10
inquire into the con 5ition OF the peo-
pie of that province. Although the
exact terms OF the report sre 10:
known It msy be ssid that in substance
It sets forth that there are Il 600 peo.
pie absolutely without food and cloth.
ing within the city limits. About
:, 900 of these live in small huts OF pslm
branches These huts form three
villages beyond the built up
o rtions OF the city. The other II, 900
untortunates live in the streets of the
city ard are absolutely without homes
or shelter.
These $4,000 people are OF toe lab.
oring class who have been driven 10
to the cities from their country homes
which have been destroyed in the war
operations. Most Of then sre women
and children and they are all emaclst-
ed, sick ap4 almost beyond relief un'
less they eau have the benefit OF regu
lar treatmsat IN the hospitals As It
is they are dying in the streets Tor
want of food.
According to statistics gathered
from the best sources, the number OF
deaths in the province OF hantanzas
from starvation is SO, coo and the num-
Der OF starving people at present IN
!he province is estimated at IS GOO,
cut of a total population OF 255 GIG ID
December, 1897. and the numoer OF
people is rapidly increasing.
In the city of Nantarzas alone there
have Deen about 1900 deaths during
the past year and the number IS IN
cressirg daily. The death rate at
present averages IS per day, as shown
by th9 reports from the cemetery.
The increase in the death rate IS due
to the fact that the distress is no long
er confined to the lsboring class,
nest of whom have already rerlshed.
It has row extended to those people
who before the war were IN mocer
ately comfortable circumstances.
Those who are now begging in the
streets were in the large part, well to-
10 people. In addition the citizens
of the city Of Msntanzas themselves
srs beginning to suffer for Inc actual
Decessity OF life, having drained their
resources in order to supply the needs
Of the laboring class who baVe been
thrust upon them.
The citizens Of Mantanzas have an
organiz ID system of relief for the
people, but it is entirely IN
ADEQUATE and is daily becoming more
so, for the resources OF
hose who were well-to do are rapidly
diminishing, while the demand for
ODD is constantly increasing
At one of the relief sations the
BOARD of officers found 100 starving
people, this baing the actual nUmoer
If persons for whom the citizens hsd
oeen able to provide ratlons there. In
! room across the court yard OF the
building were 100 tin pans and as
many spoons. These pans were filed
with a cooked mess of rice and hsh
and were arranged in rows ready for
distribution among the famishing peo
ole who were in waiting in another
part OF the house, but, as already said,
he three relief places in the city OF
DO not begin to adequately
supply food to the $4,000 people who
are starving in the streets, for the
citizens are only able to issue food
shree times a day at each place ana
hen to only about 800 at a time. Con,
seQueatly only about 900 OF the destl-
TUE receive food once day.
It should be added tha! large mum,
Der OF the citizans of Mantanzss have
led the starving in the streets IN front
oi their homes, but the citizens them
selves are feeling the pinch OF pri7a
ion, and unless assistance soon comes
to them they will be compelled IN
self protection to cease the work OF
charity in which they are engaged
and which are seemingly the only
for the starving.
The only other relief issued at Ms
tanzss is that given to the poor sick
children by the management Of the
emergency hospital, which IS under
the direction OF the volunteer ire de
partment at Matanznas There are
about so children treated daily and
are furnished With nourishment IN
der the direction Of the city physlcl-
ans.
These statements are the conclu-
sions, facts and figures arrived at by
Uniied States naval officers. When
The Uaited States naval officers land
ed they were constantly folio wed by
crowds Of starving men,
women and children, who Emporium
ed them in the most heart rending
manner for q little food, for the want
of whicn thev were slowly dying.
TIE United States consul at Ma
tanzas has oone everything possible
under the circumstances, tut whsn
the Montgomery left there, IN the
drst days OF February, the consul had
only enough rations remaining to last
a5out two weeks, after which the
fuld appropriated By congress would
have bzen exhausted. and when the
sufferers Of Mantanzas would include
the American citizens at that place.
who have hither:o received relief
through the United States consulate
At that time the consul had received
a p1litioD, signed oy the American
cil!z IS of MaotauZas, setting forth III
detail the need in which they stood OF
immediate relief from the dangers OF
Starvation.
So far as tie board o: officers OF the
Montgomery could ascertain, Matan
zas at that time needed a supply o!
tood for Il, O00 people for at least one
month in addition 10 supplies OF con
densed milk for invalids and medl
cines OF al kinds. Ene paop.e OF Ma
tanzas are also ii urgent need @
cIo,nir1, most Of them oelng IN hlthJ