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Show SUFFERING CFF THE MAINE COAST. Hundreds of Fishermen cn Outlying Islands on the Verge of Starvation. Hundreds of fishermen are on the vorge of starvatiya and suffering fcr the want of proper clothing within 50 miles of Portland. There ie hundreds of islands in Casco bay ar-d scattered along the coast between Portland and the Kennebec river. These are for the most part inhabited by fishermen who depend entirely upon their nets and seines for food. During the past few weeks these people have not been able to set any nets on account of the frequent and severe storms wbch have swept the coast. The fishermen live out of the line of coasters and are visited only at infrequent intervals by fishing smacks and summer visitors. Malaga island, where most of the suffering suf-fering is found, is situated about a mile ana a nan irom iuo miuuiauu c perhaps three miles in circumference. Upon this island are three huts built oi logs and mud, and these huts are crowded crowd-ed with 35 to 40 people. They were visited vis-ited by the crew of a fishing smack which was obliged to sc-ek shelter from the storm behind the island. The story as told by one of the crew here shows that unless help arrives to these people soon they will starve to death. When the smack was seen nearing the islands, the half starved people rushed down to the beach and set up a howl of joy. They were barefooted for the most part and poorly clothed at the best. Some of the women were almost nude, and Beveral children have died from exposure and want of proper food. The huts are said to be in a filthy condition and afford but scant shelter from the bitter cold. The smack had but little food on board, having made a poor haul of fish. The crew gave the islanders such food as they could spare and almost robbed themselves of clothing to assist the ill clothed beings. The men on the island say that they were not able to obtain enough fish this fall to provide themselves them-selves with supplies for the winter, and when the storms prevented their setting their nets they were left without food. The coast at this point is thinly settled set-tled with fishermen, -wntrfiXe reported to be in almost as bad a condition as the islanders. Yarmouth, Bear and Basket islanders are said to be as badly off aa the Malaga islanders. Portland Cor. Boston Herald. |