Charlevoix county herald., 1920-11-12
PETROCRAD IS
N0MAN'S 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.

IuTlS. "a STdpllC, EYEWITNESS ue-
scription of the fearful conditions ex-
listing in Petrograd is given by the Fin
nish Red Cross i'm an appeal just is
sued To The Red Cross Societies of the
World. Ii is accompanied by dOcu-
nents 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 Petrogra,i's
present population based on the food
cards, now is from 100000 to 6O0,OOO,
and the former capital of the cars is
described as having shrunk to one
fourth It's 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 Is
already spreading spotted and inter-
mittent typhus the cold weather will
finish the task with pneumonia and
abdominal typhus.
wreck houses for Fuel.
'"The fuel situation was never so
bad. Wooden houses have been
torn down for fuel. The. maNrial is
distributed equally among the popula-
ton but during the night the more
active citizens steal the quota of wood
from others.
attempts TO repair the streets,
which are full Of holes. owing to burst
ing water pipes, failed because the
wood blocks used for pavement had
been stolen during the night for fuel.
Lighting is allowed only two half
hours each day, and then not all
houses are supplied on the lines fur
nished by the authorities. Kerosene
costs $50 rubles. There are no cam
dies. Most homes are in darkness.
There is no means of transporting
things by waterway, because the
barges were long since demolished for
fuel. The railway transportation is
devoted almost exclusively to the dis
tribution of -four. Only 200 persons
are permitted to leave Petrograd daily
by passenger train.
"Workmen receive half a pound of
bread daily; sometimes other food Is
given. The prices of foodstuffs con-
tnue 20 rise to incredible heights.
Many products have almost complete
ly disappeared from the markets.
''The mortality has reached a STAR
Ting rate, owing to the lack of food
and the insanitary conditions of
houses and streets. Fat has left the
majority of the population long ago.
At present the muscular tissue is con-
sumed. The faces Of the people have
taken on waxlike color.
City Of CHASTITY Horror
'In order to fill their stomachs with
something, they drink different substi-
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
acquaintances are unrecognizable.
There Is no fuel, no hot water or
baths, no janitor, doorkeeper or serv.
ants for cleaning yards, streets, build
ings, or for the removal of garbage.
"Petrograd is facing dreadful
phantom Of epidemics. Thousands are
already dying every month of spotted,
abdominal. and intermittent typhus,
dysentery, Spanish influenza, small
pox, pulmonary diseases, hunger and
exhaustion.
"The hospitals are overlooking with
dropsy victims, mostly women, elderly
men and children"