The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-26
Progress Made Toward Relieving
Distress In the Island.
MORE FOOD IS REQUIRED
PEsTILENcE HAS FOLLOWED
FLOOD AND FAMINE.
Number Of People Have Perished In
the Mountains, and 1t Is Feared
the Epidemic Will Spread to the
Coast-Dificulty Experienced In
Transporting Provisions.

Washington, Dec. 25--The war de-
partment made public today a state
ment showing the progress made in re-
lief work in the island of Puerto Rico
between Sept. % and Nov. 80, 1899. The
population of the island is estimated at
1926 The average daily INDECENT
was 221. 0S7 persons; average weekly
sick. 1882. and the average weekly
deaths 662 persons. The annual death
rate was thirty-five per 1000 inhabit-
ants, while the normal rate was TWEEN
ty-six to 1000 inhabitants. The in
creased mortality was confined TO the
mountain districts, where in some To-
calities the death rate increased 800 per
cent The amount of cash received for
the relief of the suffering people of the
island up to Nov. 80 was S15,224. The
amount of money disbursed up to the
date mentioned was SAT-.
Up to Nov. so the total amount OF
food received to relieve the sufferers
was 17,162.7 3S pounds. OF this amount
16.54S,S16 pounds had been issued up to
Nov. 80. The amount of unissued food
on hand at San Juan Nov 80 was
614,272 pounds.
1t was some weeks after the hurri-
cane before the mental and physical
energies of the stricken people began TO
rally from the shock of the Disaster
They were without ready money and
were brought face to face with starva-
ton.
Good Sugar Cane Crop.
While the damage inflicted upon the
people along the coast of the island
was very great, II was in part OFFSET
by the improvement in the sugar cane
crop, which Improvement was the re-
~,,1% =, of fer n
cane land The crop enabled the plant
ers to borrow money with which TO
employ the necessary labor to care for
and harvest the crop. The cities along
the coast were also able to come to the
rescue by the employment of labor to
repair the damage inflicted by the
storm.
In consequence of these facts sup
plies have gradually been suspended in
the lowlands, except in limited quaint
ties to the chronic poor. The coffee
plantations are located in the uplands-
Here the high wind swept everything
in their course. leaving little or moth
ing for the thousands of hungry home
less, clotheless human beings-but
their lives and what could be given
them to prevent starvation
The prompt action of the Americans
and the people of the island was all
that prevented a terrible catastrophe.
The poor were fed and their lives were
preserved Although a large part of
the island is no longer in danger, the
number of INDECENT remains large 1t
is believed that until February next the
demand for assistance is likely TO in
crease in the mountain districts, as the
plantains and bananas will not be ripe
for two months to come.
Appearance of Pestilence.
The greatest distress prevails in a To-
cality where the greatest difficulty is
found in getting food to the. starving
The worst area contains a population
of about 250,000, and not a wagon road
is to be found in any direction over
which food can be transported. All
food is carried on the backs of. horses.
OF this population 100000 people must
be fed or they will starve. If not fed
at home they mill migrate to the cities,
leaving the weak to die. Their work
will be left and their future will be
hopeless
Pestilence. which frequently follows
flood and famine, has appeared among
the unfortunate inhabitants in the
mountain districts, and a number of
people have perished. 1t is feared that
the epidemic will spread to the coasts,
and there will be a movement from the
in that direction. A move
of this kind has already been anticipat-
ed and is being strictly controlled. But
the relief must be continued freely in
the mountain districts for all of De-
cember and during the greater part of
February.
1t is estimated that not less than
2. 900 additional tons of food will be re-
uuired Four seventies should be of
beans, and the remainder of the
amount required should be either
Goldfish or bacon. With the food al
ready issued and now on hand, and
with 1900 tons required in addition TO
that already issued, the total issue Will
be 20, 162, 7SS pounds.
Able-bodied Must Work.
In dealing with the INDECENT, able