The times., 1899-12-26
RELIEF Fur PORTO RICO
The War Departments Statement
of What Is Being Done.
\ Plan Adopted Which CompcIs the
Recipient to Work for the Food
Mountain Districts in the Greatest
Need OF Assistance at This Time.

Need OF Assistance at This Time.
The progress Of the relief work in Porto
Rico is shown in statement just issued
By the War Department, the statistics Gov
ering the period between September %
and November 30, 1899. Out of an esti-
mated population of 91S,926 persons, there
was daily average of 221,0S7 INDECENT,
and a weekly average of 17,572 sick and
632 deaths. The annual death rate, aver
aged frcm this brief observation, was
thirty-fve persons out of every 1000 in
habitants, while the normal death rate is
only two persons per 1000 of population.
The increase in the mortuary record was
confined to the mountain districts, where,
in some localities, the increase was 300
per cent.
The people of the United States contrib
uted in cash up to November So for the
relief Of the people Of the island the sum
of S15 522410; the amount Of cash disbursed
from this fund was $7,41759. The total
amount of food received for the relief of the
sufferers was 17,162. 1888 pounds; and 16.-
54S,5l6 pounds had been distributed up to
November 80 last The amount of food
on hand on this last date was GA, ,272
pounds.
It was some weeks after the hurricane
before the mental and physical ener-
gies of the stricken people began to
rally from the shock of disaster. They
were without ready money and were
brought face to face with starvation.
While the damage inflicted upon the peo-
pie along the coast of the island was very
great it was in part Offset by the improve
ment in the sugar cane crop, which i'm
provement was produced by the overflow
of water on the cane lands. The pros
meet OF a good crop enabled the planters
to borrow money with which to employ
the necessary labor to care for and har-
vest 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 conse-
quence Of these facts supplies have grad
ually been suspended in the lowlands eX-
cept n limited quantities TO the chronic
poor.
The coffeee plantations are located in the
uplands Here the high winds swept every
thing in their course, leaving little Or moth
ing for the thousands OF hungry home
less, clCthesless human beings, but their
z
vent starvation. The prompt action of
the American people and of the people of
the island was all that prevented a terri
bic catastrophe. The poor were fed and
their lives We're preserved. Although a
large part of the island is no longer re-
ceiying relief the number of indigents re-
duiring assistance remains the same.
Il is believed that until February next,
the demand for assistance is likely to in
In h 4as Il fr.tc T.o
plantains and bananas viii not be ripe for
two months to come. The greatest dis
tress prevails in a locality where the great
est difficulty is found in getting food to
the starving. The locality covers space
fifty miles long and twenty miles wide
embracing seventeen municipalities and a
population of about 2J0, 600 and not a Wag-
on 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. 200, 600 people must he fed.
or they will starYe. If not fed at home
they VIII migrate to the cities, leaving the
weak to die. Their work will be left un-
done and their future viii be hopeless.
Pestilence which frequently follows flood
and famine, has appeared among the unfor-
tunate inhabitants in the mountain dis
tricts, and q number Of people have per-
shed II is feared that the epidemic will
{ a
eral movement Of the mountain people in
that direction. a movement of this kind
has already been anticipated and is being
/ successfully controlled. But the relief must
be continued freely in the mountain dis
tricts for all Of December, and during the
greater part Of January.
II is estimated that not less than 1900
additional tons of food VIII be required
/ -Four -seyenths of this amount should be of
! rice; two-sevenths should be OF beans. and
! the remainder OF the amount required
should be either Goldfish or bacon. With
( the food already issued and now on hand
/ and with the 1000 tons required In addi-
/ ton to that already issued, the total issue
viii be %. 1872 78S pounds. 4 generous sup
ply OF medicines sent by the Central Re-
/ lief Committee meets all demands for rem
/ edies. which are freely made and promptly
answered through the United States Army
and the post hospitals.
In dealing with the indigents. able-b bodied
/ men have been required to work for the
1 food they received. and a great deal OF
! public work has been done in the way oi
/ cleaning towns, repairing roads etc A
! plan has been devised between the board
Of charities and the needy planters and
/ their seryants by which the board fur
I uishes food to the planters for the number
of servants in their families.
IN return for this aid the planters sign
an agreement TO furnish a small parcel
| Of land and a hut TO each family. which
| land they are TO see prepared and seeded
/ with food. plants. The planters are also Il
see that the laborers and their famiIie.
| are supplied with the food issued, and tha
the Iaborers perform a fun days work il
| return. The planters further agree TO fur.
nish transportation Of the food
This plan was promulgated September
j. last. Not less than Sab application!
have been made by planters thus far o
this number, 798 have been approved, u
suspended, % declined and The remainde
are being investigated Through this mean
80 344 people are being fed, 869 laborer
are at work 500 plantations are being re
stored. and 5000 plots OF ground are pro
ducing food which viii soon be ready TO
/ consumption. A strict system of account
ability has been devised, and it is beheyet
that with the close Of the relief work
every dollar received by the board can ant
viii be duly accounted for by voucher