The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-02-04
BIRMINGHAM WOMAN WRITES OF FAMINE Describes Awful Conditions In
 Chinese Interior THOUSANDS ARE STARVING Dead Are Placed In Shallow Holes Where Hungry Dogs Dig Out the
 Earth and Devour the
 Flesh.
THOUSANDS ARE STARVING

The press dispatches have had much to say about the suffering in the Orient, but until now Birmingham has had no direct information. Mrs. A. D. Rico went from this city as a missionary of the Southern Presbyterian church. She was formerly Mss Emma Bissett, and is well known in Birmingham. Hero is an interesting account which she has written home of conditions in China
 The famine-striclten district of this the North Kiang su province, is estimat- ed at 4o,o00 square miles. Mir. Rico has just made a two weeks trip over great portion of this district. The half of the suffering and destitution has not been told. From Tsing Kiangpu (our station) for 1O0- miles to Haichow, rice, four fuel and every necessity of life is more than three times the usual price The Chinese are great dlversners of crops. They raise in this province the poppy from which the opium is made, wheat, barley, oatB, rye, corn, peanuts and great variety of beans, sweet potatoes and cotton, not to speak of melons and vegetables. Wheat s the first crop. The rain began just as the wheat was ripe for the harvest There are no barns. The wheat is beaten out on threshing floors as in the Bible times. The rain continued for ninety days with out ceasing. and in consequence tho lively worthless.
 Crop Prospect Gloomy.
 The prospect of a crop for next year is very gloomy not half the usual acreage being in. The land was net broken at all. Usually the blowing Is done by oxen; this year the men must draw the drills, the cattle having all been sold or killed for food. All this section of the country is being rapidly deserted, the lame blind and helpless being left behind, while the strong are coming to the south for the winter. conservative estimate of the number camped at this point Is 100000, and still they come. These refugees are being systematically fed by the officials. They are getting now 30 cash Qlt cents) day. or the equivalent of one teacup of rice. The of- ficials can not do more to give to this vast multitude; even this small amount is a great undertaking.
 Things grow worse each day. The present problem is the prospect of a rice famine, There is very little rice even at the fabulous price at which it is now selling. and when the canal freezes, as 1t does every January and February, and the rice cannot come from the south. 1t means famine not only for those who have no money, but for those who are able to buy.
 The officials at this point say the mat ter has gotten beyond their being able to furnish food for the people, and so they dread an uprising which would perhaps mean the wiping out of our town. We, of course. hope and pray that 1t may not get to that point, but 1t looks mighty dark just now.
 Our mite seems so small. and our first duty Is to our Christians and those who are dependent on us, and so far the funds received will not be near enough for them. to say nothing of the constant calls that come to us daily
 At,L~d E..atI,. aA Oa4a