Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-05

tents needles. ana threads, and tools %
enable the homeless TO set about getting
roofs over their heads are also urgently
required II Will be slow work and in
an probability the supplies of provisions
win have 20 be kept UP for several
months 70 come. First Of all after the
hunger OF the destitute ones has been
appeased, General Davis recommends
that bags for sugar and cofee ana an
kinds Of rough lumber for buildings ana
fencing. hooks. slaves. ana hoops Tor
sugar packing. and galvanized lfon' ana
nails for roofing purposes DO sent 10 the
islands Imagine a 10000 people camped
iu the ruins of the most important towns
on the island Of Porto Rico, one-hfth
of the entire dwellings destroyed, ana
their owners shelterless: ruin all around
the coffee crop ruined. and this support
Of the islanders gone, the frult crop
ruined and this means OF subsistence OF
the people rotung ON the ground; thou-
sands of cattle drowned; the wreckage
of the dwellings piled high up I'm AN di-
rectl0ns. and mothers with wailing chill
dren around them seeking I'm the deb:is
for any chance remnant OF food that
may be found there: the multitude or
decaylng corpses OF men. women emil
dren. and cattle. filling the air with the
most awful doors and the living sleep
ing over the wreckage. that Is the grave
slight idea Of the colossal task that con-
fronts the American officials. who must
arapDle with this Porto Rican crisis.
The story has not been half told. 1he
general ruin included the telegraph-wires
and poles and news comes I'm by courier
only The reports grow more aWtu' win
each arrival. 1t viii be terrible un-
dertaking 10 reach the Interior WIN sup
plies. for the bridges are down. the me
military roads ch0ked and impassable'
and the way must be cleared De-
fore the supplies can reach the interior
sufferers The coast towns it Will DC
comparatively easy 10 succor.
THE SCENE Is CHANGED.
over the road to Coa.no that IS now an
obliterated highway IL Will De- ren,ehl-
bered the army under General Miies
made it's way into the interior. in places
a. bad long stretches Of Macadam, travel
iers I'm the picturesque dress OF the is
landers passed here; the road promlseu
soon TO become a paradise for the wheel
mon and the trottng horse. the scenery
was simplv magnificent; the NegeiaIo"
dashed with scarlet. crimson, Nei1nllloh
ororo., and white from the myri3ds or
flowers. rich sugar plantations on either
side. here and there little thatched CABINS
and occasionally the handsome mouse 81
the sugar-planter. Everything Nheh
last rode through that country bespoke
prosneritv Now a barren wilderness Is
a land Of promise by comparison. A. Ior
Ponce. that city OF the dead is such
contrast TO the gay town that helped 10
celebrate the equalization Of san Juan
that IL makes one shudder 10 carry the
memory back 10 that eventful day IN
August. when the whole place was
wreathed with flowers and gotten up IKE
a tropical belle at a bridal ceremony
l1eu the natives went half wild with JOY
as tho Americans sang the nauohh
HYMN. now they are half wild wan SUI
fering and the fear OF worse 10 conc
Then. from almost every door ana VIII
dow came the tinkle. tinkle OF GUITAR or
mandolin. the clear tones OF the mute Ut
0aroolet or the music OF the piano. Just
IN. year later. and the heartrending
vail of the women looking for their dead
In tbe debris of a great catastrophe Is
Utmost the only sound heard I'm Ponce.
1,horo have been heard some voices CIV
CO., ,tterance TO evil thought regarding
me new masters having brought inns
H.. visitation upon the Island but the
,,aforitv OF the sufferers realize th"t IL
a. Nh for them that the American peo-
rle with their great hearts are az manu-
"a helm the sufferers IN inns 'eII'Dic
lamitv. rather than thd government '"I'
formerly held them In suDJo0,io' Do
iss7 when a similar visitation 20 Porto
pico sweut 500 people TO death, there
was no such haste to respond TO sne
appeals of the survivors for help as ,hos
with which tho American people are now
acting No boats loaded with provisions
steamed as fast as forced drauspt eou'n
carry them TO the scene OF the
disaster. The sufferers helped thenseiNe9
for the most part and the voice OF sup
plicaton that reached Spain had go far
10 travel that II became a very small cry
by the time 1t arrived at the peninsula;
so small. indeed. that few heard u ana
fewer responded. So that thus carry III