Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-09-21
TaE DISTRESS IN PORTO RICO.
ties Encountered in the Work
Of Distributing Relief.

Ponce, Porto Rico. Sept. 1S.-There
are, generally speaking, TWO classes OF
people in Porto Rico. About five pei
cent. are educated, thinking folks.
who own land and are the employers
of the great laboring class which con-
stitutes the 95 per cent. of the native
population. This latter class, the
poems, have always been in a state
bordering on absolute poverty. The
poems live in small huts along the riv-
ers and on the hillsides or wherever
there is bit of waste land, and they
live on the little money they earn, sub
sisting upon the fruit which grows
abundantly everywhere.
Affected Differently by the Storm.
The great storm affected the two
classes very differently. The first class
had its buildings wrecked, its ma
chinery ruined and its ripening crops
destroyed; but the great loss of life
occurred among the second class, and
it is there that starvation threatens.
The planters are unable to furnish
work to the poems, and the fruit upon
which they had so much depended for
food is destroyed. Relief supplies are
at best only temporary and difficulties
of transportation have prevented the
distribution of relief except at the
most central points.
Only One Thing to Do.
Under these conditions there is only
one thing for the poems to do. AS fast
as they exhaust the supply of green
fruit saved from the storm and use
up all the edible roots and tubers that
grow in the mountains, they pack up
their belongings and come into the
city. Here they overcrowd the houses
of the poor, sleep by hundreds in the
city hall and other public buildings
and on doorsteps, in the parks and
wherever they can find room.
People Are Starving to Death.
AS a matter of fact people are starv-
ing to death almost every day in the
city of Ponce, and while this sad state
of affairs exist there is Il failure to al
ford the commercial RELIEF which is the
only true and lasting relief. Unless Il
permanent government is established;
unless the status Of the island is de-
termined; unless the policy to be fol-
lowed here in the future is soon out
lined, existing conditions will be ag
gravated and it will soon be necessary
to feed the whole population through
relief agents.
Development, Not Charity, Wanted.
What Porto Rico wants is not chart
ty, but rather the development of her
commercial and agricultural interests;
and while the present distribution of
relief is necessary, that necessity
would soon disappear if these inter
ests were properly cared for.
Distribution of Relief.
The distribution Of relief is in the
hands of the quartermaSter's depart
ment of the army. In each city the
alcade appoints committee which is
sues printed slips TO be filled in with
the names of destitute persons. Cam
vasserS-in some cases committees of
ladies-visit the wards and issue
these slips, which in turn are ex-
changed for rations at the depots of
supply.
Great difficulties are encountered in
transporting the supplies to the in
land towns, largely due to the disap-
pearance of the bridges.
Relief Supplies Wasted.
More than this, when the Panther
arrived in the harbor of Ponce, the sea
was rough and there was a very heavy
rain, yet, for some reason, the work of
putting off the supplies was not post
poned; and, it is reliably stated, much
of the cargo dropped into the bay, in
stead of reaching the lighters. Then
again, what reached the lighters was
tossed upon the wharves in the rain
for 20 hours. The tarpauins only pro-
tected part of the supplies, and so per
cent. of what was finally landed was
damaged by water. Tons of rice and
oatmeal have since Eeen thrown into
the ocean or given away to be fed to
chickens and pigs.
BY strange irony of fate, the boxes
of fancy straw hats and untrimmed
theater bonnets came through safely.
Fortunate in Avoiding an Epidemic,
The island as a whole has been very
fortunate i'll avoiding an epidemic.
There is more sickness than is usual
among the poems, bun this can be
easily explained. The city hospital has
more patients than it can properly ac-
commodate. Of no cases in the latter
institution, So are reported as having
anemia.