Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-03-14
Correspondence of the Cleyelsnd Herald.
From Kansas.
WYANporrE, Kansas, March

From Kansas.
.sWYANDorrE, Kansas, March 2.
Nh. ED1roB.-I notice an inquiry in the
last Cleveland Herald, in regard to the
truth Of the Nsufferings here in Kansas,
brought out BY the statement of men who
live at Leavenworth. There must be some
reason for making that statement; but 1
have failed to discover the motive, unless
it isthatthere is rivalry going on between
Leavenworth and Atchinson on the one
side, and Wyandotte on the other. These
are the only towns on the Missouri river in
Kansas, that have any pretensions for be-
ing main depots for distributing the aid
goods. Lesvenworth is not geogradhical-
" situated as well for that purpose as Wy
andotte, and is not therefore made de-
pot, and hence this may be the cause Of
some feeling.
But to the facts in regard to the suffer
ing. l have Just been down among the
men who are now camped on our levee,
waiting for the return of one boat we have
sent 70 Atchison, seventy miles north of
us, for load of goods, There are now
thirty teens here waiting for the boat and
more on the road from the countries south
of Kansas. The counties of johnson, Ly-
kiDs, Lynn and Bourbon are now represen-
ted here in these teams. get from the
men these facts: Esq. Towlen, County
Commissioner of Linn Co., says that he
has been to proud to accept any aid until
the lastload was sent TO his township, nam
ed Liberty, from Atchison. But be was
compelled to set aside his pride and accept
of charity. His is only one specimen of
the feelings of the better classes through
out Kansas. He says there are not five
families in his township who have provis-
ions to last over five days; that he has
seen no cases of actual starvation, but
heard woman died in Allen county, with
her two children, being too proud to let
her condition be known till too late; that
the amount of flour given to each person,
out of the last load, was the pounds offlour
and seven pounds of meal, to last until he
gets back with the load he has now come
for. He lives sixty miles from here. A
man from Bourbon Co. tells US the same
story; says they divide with each other as
long as there is anything to divide, and so
far have got enough through Atchison so
that none has starved, although most of
them live on very short allowances, and are
glad to get even meal to eat. He went to
Atchison three weeks ago, and took down
load, and when he returned 27 men were
waiting at his house for his load. 1t was
midnig ght, and none of them had had any
supper, nor their families at home. The
roads were bad and his load was small, so
that when the committee had made dis
tribution, it was found that only four
pounds of flour could be given to each per.
son, two children being counted as one
man. Several had come four or five miles
and returned that night before their fami-
lies had any supper.
These statements were first made to me
in the presence of all men from those
counties now here, and our Mayor and 9th
ers. We have not the slightest doubt Of
their truth. Men will not except charity
until starvation stares them in the face
The accounts of all the men agree. They
say it is now time to sow spring wheat,
but can be sowed till April-that they
have no seed, and unless it is sent from the
States, very few are able to buy it. The
abundant rains have put the ground in fine
order for heavy crops. One man from
Bourbon Co., says an old miser there has
boarded up several hundred bushels OF
corn, and that as they have no money to
to buy with, they secretly resolved to ap-
propriate his corn, provided they fail to get
enough through the Aid Committee to sup!
ply them. l make these statements for
the sake of humanity, and because l have
many acquaintainces in Northern Ohio,
who will know whether to credit what
say or not. Those who are not acquain-
ted with me, refer to Hon. D. R. Tilden,
den, Hemen Ely, Elyria, and Hon. A. G.
Voris, Akron, and o. P. Brown, Ravenna
Our organization isperfect, so that allgoods
and money sent have to be accounted fol
by committee of which Gen. Pomeroy
is chairman. Some are afraid that Gener.
al Pomeroy is making speculation out Of
the matter; but I know him well, and his
heart is too large to profit out of provis'
ions and money devoted TO starving hui
manity. He works day and night. Coun-
ty Committees receive the goods from the
State Committee, and give them to town
ship committee, who give them to the suf
fering.
Now, if yon deem this worthy of publ
cation, use it as you see fit. McHenry &
Downs give the use of their warehouse
here, free, to store relief goods. Teams
come here free over the Kansas bridge, so
that this is better place for a depot than
Kansas City, Mo. This country suffers less
than any other, as our timbered land stood
the draught better. Yours truly,
DANIEL B. HADLEY.