Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-06-15
Bombay Suffers Awful Hor-
rorS.


At the offices of the India Famine
Relief Work, Bible House, under the
auspices of the Christian Herald, the
following cable despatch of yesterday s
date has been received:
Bombay, May 2S, 1900.
Dr. Klopsch has Just completed his
tour of the Famine District in Bombay
Presidency, including the native states
of Gujerat and Baroda. Everywhere
he was confronted with shocking and
revolving scenes. He found the fam
inc camps stampeded by cholera and
smallpox fugitives who had come from
distant points of infection and are
now scattering these diseases in all di-
rections.. Many are dying in the fields
and bitches and along the roadside.
At Godhra, about 300 miles north of
Bombay,in Gujerat district, there were
5000 deaths from cholera in four days.
At Donad some fifty miles east of
Godhra, he found similar frightful
condition of affairs, there having been
$500 deaths from cholera In the hos
pitals the death rate as reported by the
physicians was ninety per cent.
At Baroda, some seventy miles south
of Godhra, he found in the poorhouse
1000 natives who had been rescued
from famine. The place was dreadful
ly filthy and showed a total lack of
system.
At Ahmedabad, about eight miles
west of Godhra, he found the water
supply vitiated and a prolific cause of
sickness. In the poorhouse at Ahme-
dabad the death rate was ten per cent
daily The thermometer at Ahmeda-
bad marked 115 degrees in the shade.
He next visited the smallpox and chol-
era wards of viramgan. All the pa
tients are lying on the ground, there
being no cots for their accommoda-
tion. sl
DR.. Klopsch declares the stories of
human bodies being devoured by vul-
lures, dogs and jackals absolutely true.
1t is evident, DR.. Klopsch adds, that
the India Government is doing its best
to fight back the ravages of famine
and disease. The native officials, how
ever, are heartlessly Indifferent and
the condition of a large part of India
is, as a whole, the worst that has been
known at any time during the century
The distress to be seen on every side
is heatrending, but it is to be feared
chat the worst is yet to come. This
will be reached when the monsoon
breaks and the torrential rains food
the relief camps and large part of
the famine area, spreading disease,
and especially cholera.
DR.. Klopsch has purchased thous-
and hand plows, which will be given
to those native agriculturists who
have lost their oxen. He is now ar
ranging for the purchase of 100000
blankets to be distributed before the
rainy season sets in. He has protest.
ed to the authorities against the en-
ployment of nursing mothers, sick
women and delicate children on the re-
lief works, such employment being in
violation of the famine code. In this
connection he has received an appre-
ciatlye letter. from Lord Northocte,
Governor of Bombay promising an i'm
mediate investigation.
1t is quite clear, however, that all
that has been done will count for little
unless in the crisis more help Is gener-
ously and quickly extended.
Calcutta, Monday.-The Englishman
comments of Mr.. Louis Klopsch's visit
and says: Lord Curzon recently hail
ed the Emperor Williams famine gift
as a sign Of the solidarity CT the An
glo-Saxon and Germanic races. Mr..
Klopsch comes in with his hands full
of grain and his pockets full of money
for the purpose of saving our fellow
subjects from starvation. May We not