Sunny South. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1856-18??, 1860-11-08
The great Famine in Kan sas.
10000 PEOPLE WANTING FOOD!
The Chicago Press and Tribune says:


The facts cannot longer escape the attention Of
the most tardy and most increduous, that an ex>
traordinary condition OF affairs prevails through
out large share of the new Territory of Kansas
where there Is, at present, "amine in the land"
general, so inclusive reached by such stages and
falling npon community SO situated that it is
doubtful whether it has bad any parallel within
the present century. The thrilling descriptions
that reach US from various and reliable sources
painfully realize the most vivid and painful nara
tives of such visilations, in Scripture, which we
have been too apt to deem well nigh impossible to
our age of civilization, and certainly among our
own citizens, on our own soil Even the great
famine in Ireland historic ia the tales of suffering,
and lists Of generous deeds, whose memory will
live in the plaintive
O. Give me three grains of corn Mother,'
seems to promise to be surpassed in the scattered
homes of territory, unless help speedily reaches
them, for thousands are now suffering for food, to
whom November, now at hand, will usher in fresh
terror.
The matter is not new to many of our readers
but it certainly has never been fully presented In
adequate detail. An agent representing his own
community, Col. Steele highly respectable gen
tleman, is now in our city, and for some weeks
past has been quietly circulating his appeals for
aid. AS winter is now near at hand, the danger
becomes iminent that from the rgors of the season
and the greatly enhanced difficulties and expenses
of reaching them from these States. Rivel nayi-
cation once closed, many will suffer keenlv. ave
starve for the very commences necessaries of
life.
The subject is brought more immediate and npb.
licly to or cit zens by the mission of Rev. Il q
Reynolds, highly esteemed Episcopal clergyman
OF Lawrence, Kansas, who, as announced in a nre,
vlons issue, has come to our city to present the
claims OF the suffering residents of the Territory
Mr. Reynolds will be remembered in this same con,
nectlon from his efforts some months since TO So
cure seed wheat tor the farmers of Kansas. in which
ne iound generous responses, and through his in
s'rumenlailty, many acres are now in seed, await
ing the result of another spring.
Dut llis does not receive the present and appal-
ing wants Oh communities whose crops have utterly
failed through long-connued lack of rain.
pubic meeting was called at Bryan Hall last
evening Tor the purr ose of hearing a statement
from Rev. MIR. Reynolds. on this matter. From
reasons arising from the briefness of the call and
the incemency of the evening, the members pres.
ent were less than would have, under other CIR
cumsiances answered the appeal yet other solid
and substantial citizens were well represented and
the meeting Impressive and interesting. lhougb
entirely Informal, without formal action at the
close
| The speaker gave brief but thrilling sketch OF
the condition OF affairs in Kensas. He said that
out OF population Of 100000, about one four III
had been driven away within the year by the grad,
ually darkenlng aspect of harvest matters The
crops planted IN the spring had dried up. Garden,
became waste. Corn fields gave no yield Far
mers VINO, in previous season, had realized form
one to two thousand bushels Of corn gathered in,
this season, from one 70 two bushels of corn &c
the acre. In the hope that rain would come tC
Their relief, potatoes and other root crops, were r,
planted but only to the reduction OF the stock o
food for an outlay that gave no return
Mr.. Reynolds says that upon his own table il
Lawrence, he has had potatoes but three time.
this summer, and these vegetables are now selling
in that market at 81 to S 25 per bushel. StocI
hogs the farmers had purchased for iattening will
their corn crop, had been kept as long as possible
and when nothing else remained, the animals, ma
ny of them purchased at or Az cents per pound
were sold for penny pound, given away, or els
taken out and shot, to save the food for the fami-
lies.
The settlers are not of class to complain, ant
have resisted to the last the necessity of askin!
Tor a'd, ald the last necessity is upon them noY
both OF good and clothing, SINCE many o. them II
narrow circumstances have lciL the repair of the
wardrobes to this very crop that has Jailed.
For miles and miles in extent, the fields hav
not shown blade olgrass or token of vegetation
Everything is barren and bare and the settlers Sc
winter approaching their families without food
The appeal of these settlers will not fall upo
leaden in Illinois and her sister States blesse,
as we are with an abundant harvest The mate
rial aid should and will be forthcoming at once
and flow generously forth from our older commu
mites, until want and suffering Kansas are allev
ated