The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-02-12


communicated to the n. Y. Tribune for pub
LEGATION:
ArcHlsos, Jan. %, 1861.
Mr.. j. E. WILLIAMS. Treasurer-Hfy Dear
Sir | cannot send the inslosed statement
without assuring you that our work has but
just commenced forty days ago We had, as
we believed, 10000 to supply, more or less,
with food or clothing that number has now
increased to 10000; hundreds Of families
that thought they had a supply, have been
dividing on, with their poor neighbors until
they, too, are destitute; and this winter is
unparalleled; if all the snow that has fallen
in Kansas for the elk years l-have been here
could be piled together, it would not equal
the snow now upon the ground.
For ten DAYS past the suffering has been
immense; teamsters have been twelve DAYS
in reaching here, and at last reached nv Of
fee exhausted, worn out. man and beast
unable TO return for DAYS. One part Of nv
hotel have been obliged to open ~ hos
pisal, and pr. Grant one of my clerks gives
almost constant needed attendance; from six
to ten frozen feet to bind up and attend 10
in night. These men have tried to brenst
these severe storms, 10 get bread for their
furnishing families; even when they them.
selves have had to come here almost naked
and quite hungry, We; they are uncompiain.
ing. The full loads that am now able to
give them, with the warm clothing for them
selves and the dea- Ones left behind, seem
| to them foil compensation for their trials
and snfIerngs. don't remember to have
heard complaining word in ten DAYS.
One woman last week left FIVE children a.
home, with two days. provision and sick
husband, and walkel here, thirty miles, in
| one day, from uoliin, Jackson county, and
| said che must have food; she Was strong
German woman, and. by the aid Of an inter.
prefer, learned the Gepth OF her sorrow.-
. how longed to reach the ear OF some oil
the rich, generous, at true Germans of New
York; know they would sustain US Will,
We feed their couDtrymen. These person,
are among our best citizens, and have nobl,
identified themselves with Us here in all tn,
struggles Of the past. They are Americans
too-not from necessity, but, what il fa
better, from choice; not because their faith
ers and mothers arraaged to have them borr
here, but because they desire a free hom
upon the free prairies Of the West; and now
here with themselves and their itt.c ones
they joyfully WELD to the moid,ng inauenc
OF American civiizstion. They, too. mus
be sustained Like the sturdy and benutifu
shade-trees Of my native New England home
they must be held and supported, or th
winds Of winter and breath Of adversity vii
prostrats them before they become rooted
, But need not sly more to you. Go
4 knows that there are thousands IL gratefu
hearts here who bless you as they do tn
"Great Father 81 Sririts," in their mornin
ard evening PRAYERS 0n- w.y so.rc.:r, {
seems dark, but Dnnipotence reigns; II
: makes no mistakes, and il not disappointed
II ! have read Alright, the early settlers o
: Plymouth found one half their number dea
the first winter. They soon had drouth
too, that wi,hered many Of their hopes; stil
: were they rrospered, and became people
aye, power 10 this land, and they and thei
principles and descendants have gone every
where 70 bless mankind. May We not dia
I, honor them.
lam, earnestly and cordially, yours,
SC. POMEROY