The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-03-21
La Sale County Soldiers Aid
z Society.
Quarterly Report.

In reviewing what our Society has been
aud done for the last three months, II Is
unnecessary TO remind you OF what Is sui
ficisDtly evident, namely, It's condition OF
great prosperity. Every department gives
evidence Of high activity; charitable ard
patriotic ladies throng our rooms; gar
ments and other needfui stores are rapidly
prepared and forwarded, and efficient com
mittces seem magically to effect what Is
necessary in keeping the machinery Of
the Society in motion. As an illustration
Of the impetus which our Society has re
ceyed and the stimulus under which II
moves il needs but to state that we have,
as is shown by the report oil your Ireasur-
er. collected and expended in the last
three months, nearly double as much
money as we collected and expended
during the previous year.
In examining the causes of this crafty
ing prosperity, it has been deemed suit
able, while doing justice to the efficiency
OF our organization, aud TO the apparent
" increasing patriotism OF our Ladies, you
should yet be reminded tina; much Is due
te1 the psrseyeranee and energy OF our
preceding President. who taking charge
OF the Society when IL was In feeble con
Gitinn, by hei unceasinr personal exertioHs
prepared the way for the prosperity which
we now enjoy. And those of us who
have accompanied the Society from It's
commencement, fully apprecia,ing the
truth of shis statement, take pleasure IN
making this public acknowledgment OF
the society to its preceding President.
The Hartsvile disaster, in which our
own l04th bore its brave sad part, seemed
to wake W, some Of the ladies Of our city
as never before, TO the stern and pressing
-...A q - ~ u H.
was no more need of appeals through
press and pulpit. Our rooms were filed
to overlooking. and perhaps then and
there was realized by s)me for the first
time, the need and the efficiency of an
organization like ours. For we al! felt, on
that eventiul Saturday, when the heart
of our city was moved like the heart Of
one man and perhaps a hundred ladies
hocked here to help tit out the committee
Of gentlemen deputed by our citizens to
stan that night for Huntsville, that unless
an Organization had been found ready
formed-ofIicers TO superii.tend-commit-
tees to purchase materials and prepare
garments for making-a treasury and
funds to draw on-not to speak OF rooms,
warm. commodious and comfortable -
without all these, ready and in operation,
even a hundred ladies could not have ac-
complshed great deal in one short win
ter afternoon. As it was, We had the sa
tisfaction oe providing the committee with
all the garments and many of the stores
REQUIRED by their mission, and Of hearing
afterwards that what we sent was precise
" what was most needed by Our wounded
suffering ctizen-so!ders, and was received
by them with tears of thankfulness. And
ever since that time, our Society attend
ance has been Of the fullest and the
ampiest
Early in December, we made our first
effort to unite the Patriotism of our coun-
ty in a common effort for the soldiers.
we invited every Aid Society and town
in the county to prepare as we designed
70 do, a Christmas Box for the army, and
offered to forward the boxes of those who
might find it more convenient to transmit
through our agency. The roads were in
such a condition, and indeed, have been
M winter, that IT wns almost impossible
for those who responded to our invitation,
to get around the country for contributions
to the enterprise, yet we had the pleasure
of forwarding on that occasion ten boxes,
two kegs and one barrel, and of hearing
that various other boxes were sent, in re-
spouse to our appeal The towns which
sent their offerings to be forwarded with
ours. were as follows. viz: Serena, Allen,
Bruce, Rutland and Manlius. Worthwhile,
Farm Ridge, Dayton and Fall River.
This enterprise, together with some CO.
gent appeals from the Sanitary Commits
sion. Of which two representatives, VIZ,
Mrs Lenimore and Major Moreau, paid
the Society a most interesting visit in
January, suggested to us the great desira-
hleness of permanent combination of our
County Aid Societies. After good deal
of hesitation, lest the step might wear an
annearance of assumption, We at last de-
cided to propose such combination, of
wb;cb our Society. from its being at the
on,,ntv .eat. should be the centre, trusting
that loyal hearts would not nisinterprst
our motives. We prepared and issued a
Circular on the subject. which we distri-
hnted as generally as possible throughout
the county. To this circular there has
not been in most instances as yet time to
r.rlv. but several towns have already sig |!
nified their intention to join with US in
the manner proposed.
Wa have also issued circular to the |
teachers of La Sale county, asking them |
- interest themselves and their schools |
IN the preparation of picked cabbage,
onions, sta, for the army. We hope much
s.om this appeaa. for the the teachers of
~ North are filed with patriotism. Two |
.chools have already furnished in reply |
hoth pickles and donatiop1in cash but, |
ovips TO unavoidable delay, the circulars !