Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-02-20
nestifnfinn in Kansas

III NLANAcAEANNs h1hSN NAAN NNA~A~A
Committee of Trumbull County, desire to
call your earnest attention to the condition
of the inhabitants of Kansas, and to re-
quest you to contribute to relieve their suf
ferings.
The condition of affairs in that unhappy
State is indeed terrible. Thousands are
now actually starving and freezing and un-
less aid is given promptly. the number Of
deaths by starvation and cold. will, ere
spring, reach tens of thousands. Their
crops the past season were almost . total
failure, and hence there is no grain in the
country. In Lykins County not a single
bushel of corn was harvested that was fit
for use. Out of forty acres Of wheat and
grain sowed not a handful o fgrain was har.
vested.
The public lands having been forced into
market during the year, the settlers were
compelled to raise large SUMS of money tC
buy land Warrants to locate, and in order
to do so, had to sell the stock OfprovisiOn;
saved from the previous year. and besides
to borrow money at exhorbitant rates of in.
terest, and mortgage their lands to securt
the payment, depending upon the crop O.
1860 to reimburse them, Sd when thai
failed they had nothing left to expend il
provisions or clothing. Added to this tho
SHOWS have been deeper and the cold NOR,
intense the present winter than any previOu!
one since the settlement of the country
The whole State is now covered with snow
of an average depth of over two feet.
Much has been and is now being don't
by the citizens of New York, Illinois ant
other States, through the State Relief Com
mittee at Atchison, of which Gen. S. C
Pomeroy is the Chairman. Over two hun
dred Relief Committees drought the Stati
Of Kansas, send teams there for breadstufi
every week. One man from Bourbon
County who applied to the Committee a
Atchison for help left a family of nine a
home with nothing to eat except what they
could borrow. With his own hands b,
cultivated ninety acres of corn. and did no
harvest a bushel. lie and his boys had
been eight days on the way, about ont
hundred miles. travelling in bare feet, and
with almose no clothing.
A recent letter from a gentlemen of stand
ing in Atchison County, Kansas, to a broth.
or in Cleveland, states that thereare twenty.
three families in his immediate neighbOr.
nod, containing one hundred and seven
persons, who have not altogether five
bushels of corn meal or any other kind Of
breadstuffs, and no money with which t.
procure any. Yet they are fortunate ii
comparison with those living out in the
interior, for the great depth of snow and
the intense cold make it almost impossible
te haul provisions through. Those in the
vicinity Of Big Blue river, especially, are
in a most distressing condition. One en-.
tire family had already died of starvation.
The father getting out of provisions, and
failing in his efforts TO procure any of his
neighbors, gave up all hopes, and returned
home to lie down and die with his wife and
children. A traveller, passing a few days
afterwards, stopped and beheld the father
and mother, and three little ons,e lying in
a corner, dead and frozen, Not a morsel
of food of any kind was to be found in the
house. Many other equally horrible in
stances are reported.
Fellow CitiZens:-0ur lands have pro-
duced abundant harvcsts, and we are sure
you will not allow such appeals for help
to pass unheedcd. 1t is not a matter of
politics, but one merely of humanity and
mercy. What now is most needed is Cloth
ing. Boots and Shoes. Wheat for seed,
and Money for freights. They need IOO,-
900 bushels Of wheat 10 give them promise
Of harvest next season. If this is not fur
nished there will be another year of fear
full suffering. May We not expect prompt
and generous donations from the several
townships of our County? and that such
measures will be adopted to organize and
thoroughly canvass each township as the
citizens may think best to accomplish the
most good in the shortest time, and that
this appeal will meet with a cheerful re-
Spouse from every individual.
Any articles of clothing or grain and all
donations other than money may be forward
to Mr.. Samuel Quinby. at the Rail Road
Depot, at Warren, and money may be
handed to Mr.. George Tayler, Treasurer of
the Central Committee, at the Western
Reserve Bank.