Cuban refugees waiting for rations /

"A group of escaped reconcentrados, saved from the fate of starvation imposed by the Butcher, Weyler. They stand in line waiting, each man with his tin dish and cup. One expects to see just such men as these, after the centuries of Spanish oppression and tyranny. As they come forward, their walk, even, is listless and lifeless. The picture affords an exceedingly interesting racial character study. At one side stands a group of officers from the camp near by, accompanying several ladies who are seeing the sights. 50 feet"--Edison films "war extra" catalog.
Depicts a group of "reconcentrados" (rural noncombatant Cubans). During the Spanish-American War reconcentrados were moved by the military authorities into areas surrounding fortified towns, and later into the towns themselves. The "reconcentration" policy was ordered the military governor of Cuba, General Valeriano Weyler, to make it difficult for insurgents to hide among civilians. The idea was to protect the civilians until the Spanish were victorious, but many died due to the terrible living condition in the camps.
31439 U.S. Copyright Office
Copyright: Thomas A. Edison; 20May1898; 31439.
Original main title lacking.
Camera, William Paley.
Duration: 0:25 at 30 fps.
Paper print shelf number (LC 1272) was changed when the paper prints were re-housed.
Additional holdings for this title may be available. Contact reference librarian.
Filmed May 4-13, 1898, in Tampa, Florida.
Sources used: Copyright catalog, motion pictures, 1894-1912; Musser, C. Edison motion pictures 1890-1900, p. 430-431; Niver, K. Early motion pictures, p. 71; Edison films "war extra" catalog, May 10, 1898, p. 4 [MI]; Library of Congress WWW site, The world of 1898: the Spanish-American War exhibit, viewed August 11, 2014.
Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as digital files.
Early motion pictures : the Paper Print Collection in the Library of Congress / by Kemp R. Niver. Library of Congress. 1985.
35 mm dupe neg pic renumbered: FPE 9298 to FZA 2640.