Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-28
FOOD MOST NEEDED
Gen. Davis Reports on Conditions in
Porto Rico.
LIFE MUST FIRST Be PRESERVED
Five Boxes Of Clothing From Local
Contributors.
PROGRESS OF RELIEF WORK

Ihe adjutant general has received the
following report from Gen. Davis in regard
to the situation in Porto Rico:
SAN JUAN DE PORTO RICO,
August 26, 1899.
Adjutant General. Washington:
/ hope the relief supplies will be confined
to the foods, medicines and clothing here
tofore specified The most pressing need is
food, and the aggregate cost OF all that
will be required to bridge over the period
until new supply of fruits and vegetables
are grown will be enormous sum. per-
haps reaching one and one-half million dol
lars While thousands of families were left
homeless their houses were generally made
of poles and matched.
The places where the destruction was
greatest are far in the interior, reached
only by pack mules. 1t will be next to i'm
possible to transport lumber to those re-
gions. Such lumber as has been shipped
will have to be used near the sea coast and
the people whose houses were blown away
must replace them with the same material
as that destroyed, which they are doing
and will do If the hungry are fed. If the
charitable people of the United States re-
lieve the hunger of all who would famish
a vast work will have been accomplished
and all that I think we should be expected
to attain. I repeat former request for LOO
tons of food weekly until further notice
While | do not want to discourage erorts
to restore dwelling, l think it should not
be attempted until it is sure that starvation
will be prevented.
Would like to have estimate from central
relief committee of resources at disposal or
in sight. DAVIS.
Received by the Secretary of War.
The Secretary of War has received the
following additional contributions to the
fund for the relief of the suffering Porto
Ricans:
Mayor Phelan of San Francisco, 800;
Captain Edward Davis, United States
army, SIS: w. H. Cannon of San Francisco,
81: ]. A. l.. Minor of Easley, Ala, So
First Trip of the Wright.
The army transport Wright. formerly the
hospital ship Bay State, and later The Aid
is being refitted at Brooklyn, n. Y, for
service on the southern coast of Cuba. she
was given a dock trial Saturday, in order
to shake down her machinery and develop
any possible weakness that may have es-
capped notice. The trial was entirely salts
factory and everything worked smoothly
The Wright Is one Of the smaller trans
ports, and has been assigned to duty under
General Wood, commanding the Depart
ment of Santiago. for the transportation
of supplies. and for use in tours of inspec-
ton of the army posts in tie province of
Santiago.
The Wright will be utilized in making
her first trip to Santiago in carrying sup
plies contributed by the people of Baiti-
more and this city, for. the Porto Rican
sufferers, from Baltimore to San Juan. She
is expected to arrive at Baltimore in a few
days to receive her cargo. After discharS-
ing her cargo at San Juan she will pro-
coed TO Santiago and remain on that sta
ton
Five Boxes Filled with Clothing.
The work of boxing the supplies received
by the Porto Rico relief committee in the
Inter-Ocean building on 9Th street was be-
gun this morning. The clothing alone was
sufficient to fill five large packing boxes
.,f emit oh. r.ft,.r
for the destitute people to whom it is TO
go.
There were also half a dozen barrels of
-four and crackers.
The committee has not yet been able to
hear from the various pastors of churches
in this city, all of whom were requested to
announce the need of the Porto Rcans in
their churches and to send the committee
word of any supplies that could be OBJ
tanned in order that an express wagon
might be sent for them.
The people of Anacostia working
ergetcally in the cause of the suffering
Porto Ricans. and besides contributions Of
clothing that being solicited there they
will give a concert from which they ex-
Tha committee will continue its work
during the present week. and it expects to
lave larger amount of clothing and food
contributed than during last week, as the
work is now well under way.
Recent Contributors.
Contributions not before announced have
heen sent in by the following:
S. P. Minuck G. H. Turner French
Lady" j. B. Sleman, &c Street Lady"
Mrs. Fowler, Mrs. Baird, A. p. Robbins,
Go1denbcrg. Mrs. Maloney. National Bis
cult Company, Mrs. Tatune, Mrs. Membean
]. Mcdaniel, Willett q Ruoff, s. e. Smith,
Mrs. Rirks. Hirsn & Weill. Mayer Bros &,
Co. Lansburgh Bros. r. J. Fisher S. E. &,
j. E. Rosenthal, To-Kalon Wine Co.. Guy,
Curran & Co. w. T. Dunlop, TX. Y. H."
j. w Ross, Mrs. Chaplin w. r. Brown,
VIM. T. Reed, Mrs. Marriott, Fred. Gheen.
Mrs. Coughan. Mrs. T. Z. Buck, Mrs G.
w. c. Ross, Parker Bridget Il Co. Scott
Ballard manager. 1922 10th street north
west: w. j. Morris. Miss Laskay Mrs
Adams. John e. Parker.
There lave been many contributions re-
ceived without name.
Mr. G. G. Duncanson loaned the use of
the 1nter-Ocean building, w. B. Moses F.
w. Evans, {. b Smith and J. b. Kendall
loaned furniture and Brentano e. Co. fur
nlshed stationery. Judd & Detweiler print
ed the committees circulars gratis