The Monticellonian., 1899-09-22
THE DISTRESS IN PORTO RICO.
Effects of the Great storm--Dimcul- ties Encountered in the Work
 of Distributing Relief.

Ponce, Iorto Rico. Sept. 1S.-There are. generally speaKing, TWO classes of people in Porto Rico. About five per cent. are educated, thinking folks, who own land and ere the GIT ployers of the great laboring class which con stitutes the 95 per cenr. of the native population. This latter class, the peons, have always been in a state bordering on absollte poverty. The peons live in small huts along the riv- CTS 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 it's buildings wrecked, it's ma chinery ruined and its ripening crops destroyed; but the great loss of life occurred among the secoId class, and it is there that starvation threatens. The planters are unable to furnish work to the peons, and the fruit upon which they had so much depended for food is destroyed. kslicf 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 peons 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 overerowd 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 matter of fact people are starv- i ing to death almost every day in the city of Ponce, and while this sad state of affairs exist there is failure to af- ford the commercial relici which is the only true and lasting relief. Unless . permanent government is established; unless the status of the island is de- termined; unless the policy to be fol, i lowed here in the future is soon out. 1 lined, existing conditions will be az. gravated and it will soon be necessary to feed the whole population through relief agents.
 I Nh. Charity. fed
 What Porto Rico wants IS not char;, l 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 1 hands of the quartarmaster's depart ment of the army. In each city the l alcade appoints committee which is sues printed slips to be tiled in with the names of destitute persons. Can 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 D. 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 Fighters. Then again, what reached the lighters was tossed upon the wharves in the rain for 26 hours. The tarpautins only pro- teeted part of the supplies, and 50 per cent. of what was finally landed was damaged by water, Ions of rice and oatmeal have since Eeen thrown into the ocean or given away to be fed to chickens and pigs.
 By a strange irony of fate, the boxes of fancy straw hats and untrmmed theater bonnets came through safely. Fortunate in Avoiding m Epidemic,
 The island as a whole has been very fortunate in avoiding an epidemic. There is more sickness than is usual among the peons, but this can be easily explained. The city hospital has more patients than it can properly ac- commodate. Of no cases in the latter institution, 5S are reported as having anemia.