The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-14
TONS OF FOOD NEEDED
Starvation Threatens the People
of Porto Rico.
CROPS ENTIRELY RUINED
Intense Distress and Suffering Through.
out the TslanG-The President Will
Make an Appeal to the
Governors.

governors.
Washington, Aug. 13.-Two dispatches
from Governor General Davis of Porto
Rico, giving original details of the fear
ful havoc wroght by the hurricane of
last week We're received at the Var dc
partment to-day. These weTa imme-
| diately sent to Secretary Root, who al
ready has taken measures for dispa tch-
ing relief to the people of the island.
| The secretary expects the transport
Mcpherson, with a large quantity of
rice and beans, will leave New York
tomorrow and will be followed by YES
| sells as fast as arrangements can he
made for sending supplies. He thinks
it IS the duty of the government TO make
provisions for feelings the people until
the ala voluntarily given by the citi-
zens of the country reaches them and
he will exhaust every means at his
| disposal to this end.
| The secretary contemplates supple
menting the appeal made last week to
| the mayors to assist in raising sub
| scriptions and tomorrow will issue an
| appeal to the governors of the states
with a view to rousing general inter-
| est in the relief work. The dispatches
received from General Davis were sent
| to the president at Lake Champlain to-
! night.
The following are the dispatches re-
| CeiVed by the war department from
| General Davis to-day:
San Juan, Porto Rico. Aug. l3. via
| Haytl-The true state of affairs
! Throughout the island is not yet known
| because Of the total destruction of all
| telegra phic connections and great de-
! structian to all roads. Not nlolc than
| one-fourth of the towns yet heard
| from. about enough is known to war
! rant the statement that one-fifth of
| the dwellings in the islands are totally
| destroyed and their owners are with
! out any shelter whatever or any food
! beyond what has been saved from the
| debris. The coffee crop and most of
the trees are ruined and thus reliance
| for support is gone. Fully ona-thiri Of
| the people subsist wholly on fruit and
in a small degree on tubers. Great
| many thousands of cattle are drowned
and the debris carried down The rivers
| is strewn over the ocean with the
wreck of the stormaand the dead bodies
| OF animals
The deaths from falling walls and
drowning will number mora ihan a
thousand and may be several times
| this number. The state of distress is
very great and when green fruits saw
| suffering will be very great. / am
relieving the suffering eVeryWh are in
reach as much as possible. In Uut %
! the way places are many thousands
| who cannot be reached for some time.
| The supplies ordered sent by The GOV
ernment will help much, but will last
only for few days, While dest1t alton
! must continue for many weeks or spma
| months until the bananas grow up from
the ground, for which i've months at
| least are required. Food Jf all kinds
! is needed. especially rice. beans ami
| Goldfish. which has been the main SUP
port outside of fruit
Cheap cotton clothing is also need
! ed, for thousands rushed naked from
their dwellings at night when the gale
| broke. Medicines are also needed most
pressingly, especially quinine and other
| similar medicines 1t is estimated that
at least 1000 tons of food will be re-
| quired weekly for several weeks |
have constituted boards all over the
islands to regulate assistance and a
general board here to conduct the re-
lief work While | have not yet full
! data. | repeat the estimate that at
least 100000 people are homeless and
| destitute. Relief ratiOns proposed one
pound Of food per day, composed Of
seven ounces Of beans, seven ounces of
| rice and two ounces Of Goldfish.
In addition to the food ordered by
should be shipped next week. Before
this is consumed | will have full data
respecting future needs, but | fear eX-
tensive issues of provisions will be
| necessary for several months. | shall
push work on the roads and give en-
| plOyment to as many as possible. !
| hope the charitable people Of the states
| will contribute food. clothing, medicine
and money. Colenel Hofer, chief sur
geon of the department. IS chairman Of
the relief board. and auxiliary boards
| are organizing in all the towns. Five
military posts not yet heard from.
"DANIS."
General Davis second dispatch:
| san Juan de Porto Rico. via Hayti,
| Aug. 13.-Further but still incomplete.
reports confirm previous cable reports
as conservative. Suggest an appoint
| ment of officer in New York to receive
relief funds and supplies, cabling uuan-
titles and kinds shipped on each boat.
Colonel HOfer. medical department, in
charge of relief work here. should he
! shipped this week not less than 100
| tons of food. Best to be sent beans,
rice and cheap grade Goldfish Cotton
| clothing and coarse cotton goods IN
piece and thread also needed Money
| will be applied in assisting to rebuild
| houses and huts and hire of help |
| recommend that bags for sugar and
coffee, all kinds of rough lumber for
| building and fencing. hooks, staples
! and hoops for sugar packing and gal
vanized iron and nails for roofing pur-
| poses be placed on the first list. | have
authorized employment of labor for re
| building barracks at Cayeyea and Al
bomao. wholly destroyed"