The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-06-01
WEDNESDAY, JUNE l, 1854.
Citizens Of Clayton County.


Citizens Of Clayton County.
The Northern Iowa Sanitary Fair having
been postponed until the 2lst Of June, We
have nearly month more time to work to
raise the contribution Of our county to q
respectable amount.
We mast no,s go to ,rork in earnest, or
the department allotted to Us at the Fair,
will be lanentably vacant, and disgrace
to the county. A contribution Of S. on
the average, from each man in the county,
with what the Ladies "Aid Societies" will
contribute, will place Clayton county where
she ought to be First at the Fair. Local
pride, Of itself, should be sufficient mo-
tive for every man to give that amount,
and when we reflect how much we owe the
brave men who are fighting and suffering,
that we may stay at home and make mo-
ney, and enjoy the blessings and society,
of family and friends, that sum sinks into
utter insignificance. Those men are stand
ing like wall of adamant between our pro-
perty, our homes, and devastation and re-
pine. But for them, our families might be
homeless, and begging bread of rebel ar
mics to keep them from starving. And
God have mercy upon the poor stingy
wretch whose sense Of justice and duty
will not impcl him to contribute of his
means so small sum as IS to alleviate the
sufferings Of the patriotic men who are
fighting and dying for him and his! The
terrible battles now being fought, are filling
to overfowing, our hospitals with wounded
men, and unless there is an abundant sup.
ply of Sanitary Stores, thousands will die,
who otherwise might be saved to the coun.
try and the army.
There are probably at this time 100000
men in hospitals and camps, unfit for duty
two thirds of whom, if supplied with
necessary articles of diet and other Sani-
tary Stores, will soon recover, and perhaps
save US from draft to raise 100000 more
men. Come forward then and contribute
the means to prevent draft.
Heretofore it has been supposed by many
persons, that what was contributed to the
Sanitary Societies was wasted, or used by
the officers and surgeons. This erroneous
idea probably originated in the fact that
much Of the fruit, preserves, and other
delicacies which were sent to individuals
and companies, failed to reach them, and
the men blamed the Sanitary Commission
for the loss, when that Commission never
had anything to do with such contributions.
The Sanitary commission never would touch
an article that was not given to be distrl-
buted when and where most needed
Packages sent to individuals and compa-
nies, usually went to Cairo or some other
point on the river, where, owing to the
stringent restrictions, upon trade. they
were stopped ; and as there was no one in
charge Of them to procure permit for
them to 60 below, they remained until sold
for charges. Suffers, and perhaps some
times officers, bought them at public sale,
and the boys often bought Of them the very
articles their friends had put up for them.
AS they thought it the business of the SAM.
tary Commission to get those articles to
them, it is not surprising that they should
blame its agents.
So perfect are now the arrangements of
the Commission for carrying forward its
supplies, that only one, out of more than
$4,000 packages shipped from its depots to
the front, was lost. We often hear return.
ed soldiers who have lived for months,
mostly upon the bounties of the Commits
sion say they never received any benefits
from it. The reason is simply this: They
misapprehend the work Of the Commission
and suppose the Government supplies the
hospitals with all their stores. But look
at these figures, showing the quantities of
few out of some 200 different kinds of
articles sent forward by the Western de-
partment of the U. S. Sanitary Commits
sion, up to Sept. 1st, 1868. 25,577 bed
ticks, 0,l59 comforts and quilts, 113, 1929
pairs drawers, $4,000 pillows, 161, 900
pillow cases, $4,000 sheets, POI ,603 shirts,
9O,52s pairs socks, 297,960 towels and
handkerchiefs, lls,OOO feet of lumber,
100000 lbs. of crackers, 1O3,S3 cans
preserved fruit, 497,365 lbs. dried fruit,
22s,94s lbs. lint and congresses, &C., &C.
Do you believe the officers ate, or in any
way used all these articles! The fact is,
no officer, even of the highest grade, can
draw an ounce of Sanitary Stores. They
are furnished only upon the requisition OF
the head surgeons Of the hospitals, except
when distributed upon the battlefield. And
there is no offence for which an officer or
surgeon will be sooner discharged, than ap.
propriating or improperly using Sanitary
supplies. Our old excuses for not contri.
buting to the Sanitary cause, being ground.
less, let US now come up to the work man
fully. Heretofore, the women, God bless
them-there is no discount on their patri-
otism-have done all that has been done
for the cause in the county. But now we
men, have got to make . record for our.
selves.
At the close of the Fair, pamphlet will
be published, giving the amount of contri
button of each county, township, and in.
dividual. Those pamphlets will circulate
in the army; and how eagerly will the boys
examine them to see how their own county
and township stands on the record. Names
Of friends and acquaintances too, will be