Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-09
PEOPLE IN CUBA.
ARE STARVING
Gov. Ludlow, Of Havana, APP
pealS For Assistance.
The TASK ASSIGNED HIM
Governius the City is Both serious
aud a"b"rious with tho Means
Available -TwenIy thousand s'eo.
pic Who Must 10 Fed or Permitted
tn Siarvc-Suncring women and
Children "A Suggestion.
(By Telegraph to vlrsinlan-pilo

(By Telegraph to virgjnian- Pilot.)
New York. March S.-Brigadier Cen
eral William Ludlow, Governor OF Ha-
vana' has written u lengthy letter to
the Evening Post, describing infinitely
the conditions in the Cuban capital, and
appealing for assistance for Cuban
charities. General Ludlow refers to the
local administration of Havana as a
serious and laborious task" Touch
ing especially upon the matter of keep
ing Havana clean, General Ludlow
writes that cleaning and sanitation are
carried ON under every difficulty of
! century old accumulation OF evils. de-
iiciency of material, inadequate person.
mel and paucity and uncertainty as to
funds, which for the present are derived
from Weekly ana monthly acquisitions
on the variable custom house collec-
tons. thus multiplying the uncertainty
and vcXaicns OF the task"
The destitute. he says, are found In
greater numbers in Havana than the
PROVINCES
I'm this department." writes the Gov
ernor, which includes the city of Ha--
wanna and its suburban region west,
south ana east, between the rivers AL
mendares and Colimar-the destitute
drawing ratons approximate 10000,
VINO must for the present be fed or
permitted To starve. Employment of the
able bodied males on street cleaning,
collection of garbage, repairs to streets
| ana road cleaning. distinction of large
buildings and military structures, and
the like work, have constituted an i'm
mensc assistance in this respect by en-
apiing he 1000 or 5000 employees to feed
themselves. and those Immediately de-
| pendant upon them, but there is still
/ very large reSiuuum for whom, at prfS--
! ent, o2cNpat ton cannot be furnished.
| WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
1t Is one of the distressing features
that a general proportion of the desti-
! tutc are women and children, whose
men have died or been killed in the
waste of war, while 10000 or sc, ZOO more
are sill aggregated as an army, prac-
tioaliy idle and dependent upon the
country FOR their maintenance, instead
oil being at work earning their living
ana supporting their families. 1t is al
most impossible. in the.average case OF
the women, TO find anything for them
10 do, and this helpless class make Spe-
cial appeal to sympathy"
CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS IN
ADEQUATE
The charitable institutions OF Ha-
vana. General Ludlow declares to be
quite inadequate TO meet the emergen-
cY. tie cites as an instance the Casa
de Las Nidas" UIome of the WidowsI
large structure in the capital occu-
ped by the widows OF Spanish officers.
OF this institution General Ludlow
says:
ARREARS IN PENSIONS.
Upon assuming direction of affairs
mere 1t was found that the pensions OF
these women had not been paid for
over a year and that they had been left
be4++++-l i,---ll4--ffii IL Spanish aban
doned the island. absolutely without
the means OF obtaining food There
are at present in the home IL total of
over 200 OF all ases-seventy women.
ninety girls and fifty boys-who are al
most all entirely destitute, and, from a
prolonged course of semi-staryatioa
and the absence of medical or other
supplies, are deplorablr reduced and
have much sickness among them. 1t
can be imagined how this aggregation
OF quiet. gentle. suffering and almost
silent class appeals TO the sympathies.
Many Of them are well born, accom-
plished and educated, totally unable to
do anything for themselves, and with
the ignorance of children as to means
Of support. They profess themselves,
and III IHaUy CASTS dOUbrftsS WITH sim
cerity, willing to do work, even the
tons. they would be practically useless
to an employer. They could teach, per-
haps. but the schools are not open TO
them They are alien to the community
in which they are compelled to live,
with comparatively few friends. and
/ those few unable 10 deal effectively for
their relief"
GENERAL LUDLOW'S SUGGESTION
To NEE. the needs OF these women,
General Ludlow suggests that IAN
association OF women in the United
States might take account of the mat
ter and perfect arrangements by which
the institution should be otherwise
maintained than as u temporary mill
tary exigency. There are numerous
kindly disposed and charitable people
in Hnvaua--many who are busily en-
gagged in charitable work with the sick
and the orphans-but their means are
quite Inadequate. and assistance would
be gladly received from the charitably
disposed IL the United States"
MRS. LUDLOW WILL AID.
The Governor concludes by saving
that Mrs. Ludlow, who has taken a
strong interest in the matter. would
be very glad 10 receive any comrnrni-
cations on the subject or such contri-
buttons Of food, clothing or money as
might be forwarded
Husband of saurdercss Wants Dirorce