The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-17
AID FOR PORTO RICANS
ORPHAN ASYLUM WILL BE ERECTED
SHORTLY AT PONCE.
Money Will Be Given to Smaller Mu-
mess Outlook II Improving.

SAN JUAN. Porto Rico. May 1O-wil-
liam r. Corwin, of the Merchants Asso-
citation of New York, has been in Porto Rico
for several weeks to thoroughly investi-
gate the existing conditions and to use his
judgment in recommending to the central
Porto Rican relief committee how its sur
plus of $4,000 could best be spent. After
few days in this city he visited Mayaguez.
Ponce, Yuco, Arroyo, Guayamo, Coamo,
Cayey, Aibonito. Caguas and intermediate
towns. He travelled on horseback into the
heart of the country devastated by the hur-
ricane of August last. His report to the
committee will recommend that a large part
of the $4,000 be expended for an orphan
asylum at Ponce, the balance to be proper
tionately distributed among the hospitals
of various towns and to go toward helping
the destitute in the way of providing proper
cooking utensils, etc.
Ponce was selected by Mr.. Corwin as the
site for the proposed orphan asylum be-
cause of the havoc wrought by the hurri-
cane in the vicinity of the city and in Ponce
itself. Damage done by the storm on the
southern side Of the island was greater
than elsewhere. The heart of the great
storm swept over the district, and the cof-
fee plantations, which gave employment to
thousands of persons, were destroyed, and
as consequence, many of the people have
died of starvation through want of employ
ment. In Ponce the number that met death
from the hurricane and from the flood
which followed far exceeded that of other
districts, therefore the number of children
associations formed by their homeless ex-
istence In the street these children are
liable to grow up vicious. The establish
ment of an orphan asylum would tend to
hot he So
ton, would avoid sickness and would re-
duce the mortality which would otherwise
follow. The rainy season Is about due, and
hundreds of poor, naked children are ex-
posed to the unwholesome night air.
Mr.. Corwin made proposition to the
municipal authorities of Ponce, and was
assured by the mayor, Jose GuZman Reni-
tez, that the matter would be favorably
voted upon by the City Council The CEN
trail Porto Rican relief committee will erect
and equip the orphan asylum on ground to
be given by the city of Ponce. The NUM-
cipality is to assume the financial RESPONSE
bility of its maintenance and support Mr..
Corwin will recommend that the building
be constructed as cbeaply as possible, so as
to accommodate greater number of chill
dren. The asylum, as planned, will be
capable of caring for from 300 TO 500 chill
dren. and will cost about s6,000 of which
sum 5000 probably will be expended for
Woman's Aid Society and the Porto Rico
Benevolent Society have promised to lend
their aid and influence.
After providing for the asylum about $50 :
600 will remain on hand for distribution
among the hospitals. The islands smaller
towns are badly off financially-dozens have
not peso in their treasures. Small
amounts say $3.50 and $500, here and there
distributed among the smaller towns will
accomplish a great deal toward replenish-
ing the dispensaries. There are many towns
without even physician.
1.-THE district around Yauco,' said Mr..
COrwin nj
ciated Press, seems to have suffered most
from the hurricane, and the people there
exist among most deplorable surroundings.
That town Is In the center of the coffee
the hurricane. the plantations are not
cleaned up. i saw trees which had been
torn up by the roots still lying on the
| ground covering crushed coffee trees. When
/ visited the island few months before the
war / found the coffee industry badly off,
| but now ii is worse, because the plants are
| destroyed. This condition has thrown hun
| dreds of persons out of work. At Yauco
| poor, thin wretches, without strength
| enough TO even rise to look at a passing
| stranger, the women thin-limbed. with
emaciated faces and hollow chests, the men
| too weak to work were work offered them.
A thousand pounds of relief supplies is be-
| ing cooked by the authorities daily, cooked
| because the people are so poor that they
have no means of cooking the food them
| beans served out to these half-starved peo-
| pie is devoured as IL 1t were the most de-
licious product.
ION the whole / find the commercial con-
| dition on much firmer footing since my
| visit of a year ago. The sugar industry is
| on its feet again. and although the crop this
year is short, thousands of tons will be
carried on every north-bound steamer for
| some months to come. Tobacco also seems
very promising. The future for the fruit
| business in Porto Rico is bright