Page:Messages of the President of the United States on the Relations of the United States to Spain (1898).djvu/72

 Rh Sixteen hundred new troops from Spain arrived at this port last night, among them quite a number of young doctors just graduated.

Very respectfully,

United States Consul.

Santiago de Cuba, February 26, 1898.

I have the honor to herewith inclose for your information a copy of a letter sent yesterday by me to the New York Central Cuban Relief Committee, showing the results of four days' work in distributing rations to the starving poor.

Rations are issued in a court attached to the consulate, the people being admitted by the police through a carriage driveway.

As I write the street is blocked by the hungry throng for nearly a square above and below the entrance.

I have requested the police to admit the most delicate and feeble subjects first, as many of them are unable to stand very long in such a crowd.

I shall if possible get a photographic view of the scene and forward it to the President through your honorable Department.

I am, etc.,

United States Consul.

Since writing this dispatch (No. 457) I have been informed that the ladies, relief committee have estimated that in this city alone the number who need help is at least 18,000.

Consul.

Santiago de Cuba, February 25, 1898.

I desire to make a brief report of the first four days' work in distributing the 101 cases of evaporated cream, 65 cases condensed milk, 100 bags of rice, 104 cases of codfish, 6 boxes of bacon, 208 bags flour, 43 barrels of beans, pills, drugs, etc., which I received in due time by steamship Niagara.

As stated in a previous communication, a committee of 30 of the best ladies of this place divided the city into 15 districts, with two ladies to each district. These issue rations tickets according to the number of needy persons in each house.

These tickets are honored under the direction of a committee of gentlemen and myself, and a liberal week's rations are issued to each.

To prevent imposition we are obliged to refuse all who do not come with tickets from the ladies. The first day, rations were issued to 379; second day, 579; third day, 1,083; fourth day, 1,027; total, 3,068.

Each ration being for seven days, which makes a total of 21,482 for one day.

As near as I can judge only about one-half of the people who need help have yet received their first rations, and the codfish and beans will give out before we get around the first time.

Have given moderate quantities to the eleemosynary institutions of the city, and sent some to the mining and other towns near by.

We are trying to make both food and medicine do the most good possible.

It takes six or eight policemen to keep the crowds in order.

I am obliged to spend some money for labor, cartage, transportation, cable incidentals, etc.