Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-11-04
PETR0CRAD IS
mo MANS LAND
Once Gay Capital Of Russia Is
Now a Nightmare Of Hor-
ror and Death.
HOUSES WRECKED FOR FUEL
Death Stalks on Every Side, Waiting
for Winter to Aid In the Grim
Work Of Moving Down
Thousands.

Paris.-A graphic, eyewitness de-
scription Of the fearful conditions ex-
listing In Petrograd is given by the Fin
nish Red Cross in an appeal just Is
sued to the Red Cross Societies of the
World. 1t is accompanied by docu-
ments prepared by Professor Zeider
formerly head of the PetrOgrad Red
Cross, but now refugee in Finland.
The documents tell the story Of the
agony Of dying city, Petrograd's
present population based on the food
cards, now Is from 100000 to 100000.
and the former capital of the cars Is
described as having shrunk to one
fourth its pre.war size. The report
SAYS,
death stalks on every side, waiting
for winter to aid In the grim work of
moving down the silent. hungry sick.
and dying by thousands. With streets
and houses choked with filth that 10
already spreading spotted and inter-
mittent typhus the cold weather will
finish the task with pneumonia and
abdamiR1l typhus.
Wreck Houses fer Fuel.
The fuel situation was nsver SO
bad. Wooden houses have been
torn down for fuel. The matsrial Ia
distributed equally among the pOpua-
ton but during the night the more
active citizens steal the quota Of wood
from others.
attempts to repair the estreets,
which are full Of holes owing to burst
ing water pipes. failed because the
wood blocks used for pavement had
been stoisn during the night for fuel.
Lighting is allowed only two half
hours each day, and then not all
houses IRE supplied on the lines fur
nshed by the authorities. Kerosene
4 costs $50 rubles. There are no cam
dies. Most homes are In darkness.
"There Is no means of transporting
things by waterway, because the
bprgps were long since demolished for
fuel. The railway transportation is
devoted almost exclusively to HE dis
trbutiOn Of -four only 200 persons
are permitted to leave Frtrograd daily
by passenger train,
"WOrkmen receive half u pound VI
bread dnily: sometimes other food is
given. The prices of footlStut1s con
tinue 20 rise to Incredible heights.
Many products have almost complete
ly disappeared from the markets.
"Thp mortality has reached star
Ting rate. owing To the lack OF fool
and the insantnry ccnd!t!ors Gf
horses and streets. Fat has left the
majority Of the population long ago.
At present. the muscular tissue is con-
sumed. The rnces 0f the people have
taken on II waxiike color.
City Of Ghast'y Horror.
ain order to FIJI their S.Omachs with
something. they drink different suhsi-
tutes for tea and coffee. or great guam
titles Of plain water, resulting In puff
ness and dropsy. which change the ex-
preston of the face so that even old
acquaintapces are unrecogniZable.
"1here is no fuel, no hot water or
baths, 40, janitOr, dn0rkeeper or serv-
ants for cleaning yards. streets. build
ings, or for the removal of garbage.
"Petrograd is facing a dreadful
phantom of Fpidemics. Thousands are
already dying every month of spotted,
abdominal. and intermittent typhps.
dysentery. Spanish influenza, small
pox. pulmonary diseases, hunger and
exhaustion.
''The hospitals are oyerfnwNg with
dropsy victims, mostly women, elderly
men and children"