The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-08-20

measures for the Relief of Su6ercrs h,
.dii1e the Fire.
ORGANIZATION AND WORK OF THT
saI EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
0f OF LADIES.
LII PORTLAND, July IA, 1866.
MISS HAwEs:-In accordance with Won,
wish for statement in regard to the oroa1;za
ton and working of the Ladies' Executivs
Committee for the sufferers by the fire of Ink
4th, of which you say the citizens of Buffalo
by whom you are delegated to visit Portland
and who have taken an active interest in on,
mlsfortunes, as well as many other places. have
no knowledge whereby they can act intelligent
~, and most to the advantage of those whom
| they wish to serve, am authorized to prepare
1or you the following report, prefacing by way
OF apology for our silence in regard to our or.
ganization, that as we are part of the CITY
Executive organization, and entirely subordi.
nate to them, we left all matters of reports and
efforts for supplies properly and entirely &c
tnem, directing our energies to most speedily
and faithfully performing the duties which we
had consented to assume.
The fire commenced Wednesday afternoon
between four and five o'clock, rendering house-
less in twelve hours between twelve and fifteen
thousand persons 1t had been SO devastating
as to leave the largest proportion of these nao,
pie with only the clothes they had on. with M
place but the street to stay in entirely denr;vad
OF every household utensll every personal co,-
yenience.. On Friday, the City Government
In connection with other citizens, formed them,
selves into an association for the immediate
and prospective relief of the suffering citizens
Several committees were formed to take CHARGE
OF the several departments of Food Health
Bedding, Furniture, Stoves Crockery Ware
&c. 1t was then considered best to place the
department. Of clothing the people under the
der to insure the least possible DELAY. the Ex-
ecutlve Committee of Ladies was restricted to
three, empowered to organize their mode Of
distribution, and obtaih assistance for sub-com.
nittees. 9 tf i.1f'ai3i l6 loJ .8tTls = gI9rT-,
Saturday morning, Mrs. Harriet H Eaton
Mrs. James E. Fernald and Mrs Ellen u. Ba.
con were requested to act as Executive Com.
mittee, with the wish that they should com
plete their organization, and report ready for
work as soon as possible. Mr.. Woodbury. s.
lana "a ,..,:n ana MI Francis E Pray, consented to
Chairman. AT u O'clock Saturday noon the
organization was completed, an appeal was
published in the Evening Star, and the ward
room assigned for the reception of clothing
was opened Sunday morning &StstEF
The city was divided into IS districts and la
dies were appointed to visit every house. every
barn, every shed, and to diligently seek all suf-
ferers by the fire. They were supplied with
cards, prepared for the purpose, on which to
write all pressing wants, in order that each per-
son, Irrespective OF former condition, should as
far as possible be relieved of immediate suffer-
ing. ',N y =, 10
Ibis committee consisted of Mrs. j. j. Gil
bert Mrs. Beale, Mrs. Enoch o. Morrill,, Mrs. Ed
win q Clement, Mrs: Edwin c. Bolles,, Mrs o.
dali, Miss Bancroft, Miss A. Richardson, Mrs.
.. B. Coyle, Miss Fitch, Mrs. Geo. E. B. Jack
son, Miss Maria Hersey, Mrs. Marcian Seavey,
Miss Webster. Mrs. j. 8. Palmer, Mrs. Sylves-
Ter, Mrs. Alfred Dyer and Mrs. Colin Cross, to
visiT report and minister particularly to the
a nf I4Is 4.
cessary to employ assistance to aid them in
their labOrs.
Other ladies were invited as Distributing
Comm,ttee IN the ward-room. This committee
Mrs. Frederick Davis, Miss Harriet L. Fox
Mrs. Phinehas Barnes, Miss Sara T. Chad,
dock, Miss Helen M. Sherwood. Miss Mary E.
JeWett, Mrs. DR.. Davies, Mrs. Leonard e.
Shepley, Mrs Andrew Spring, Mrs Nellie
Brown, Mrs Ann Hamblin, Miss Peters. Mrs,
Frederick Illsley, Miss M. b. Dupee and Mrs.
y: Marrett, together with the visiting COM
mittee, who in all special cases of which thew
became oognizant acted as their own distrib-
utors.
AT the close of the first week five thousand
people had been supplied with more than a
change OF clothing, for which we are mostly
indebted to the prompt and continued SYM
pathy and aid from Boston, from Newbury-
port, Lynn and various towns of Mass, Con-
cord y. d, Bangor, Calais, Augusta, Lewis
State. And we gratefully record our indebt-
edness to the Young Ladies r. f. Society!
who volunteered at once to make garments; to
Mrs. A. L. Davis, and the ladies associated with
her; to other societies and individuals in our
city who gave us invaluable assistance; alsovto
Hollis -
The labors and thoughts of the ladies associa-
TED in this work have not been confined to
tine ,.. mass OF la6oring people," nor have they
off 6rI. I.
clhc class of sufferers, but have impartiaily adj
'mlnlstered m to all who might need, giving all in
their power to those who pressed forward with
their claims, and careful not to neglect but to
seek out such es from greater delicacy and SEN
sltlveness from their former condition in life,
naturally shrunk from openly asking aid and
charity from their fellow citizens; and thus per
sons OF all situations and professions in life
nave been reached, and as delicately, kindly
and hberadly relieved as has been in the power
OF the committee of ladies, to accomplish
Many are the touching incidents of ward room
and home experience Of those engaged in this
work. topf y7atli 1853 G7.sr ~ .. =
An old sea captain had supported himself
and a.. his aged wife by giving lessons in naviga-
tion. By years of economy he had succeeded
a week before in paying off the mortgage on
his house, and they thought they had secured
their home for life. It and its contents are
burned, and the insurance is worthless. The
savings OF years are gone, and they have neith-
er clothes to wear, house to live in, money to
procure new ones with, nor vigor to earn it.
Ihere is white headed citizen whose name
has been known throughout the city for wears.
as the very synonym of honor and christian
excellence. He has lost store and house, and
the moderate competence on which he expect-
ed to retire after long and useful life of in
dustry. Now he resumes his work, and the
very coat he has on is the gift of a kind friend,
These were among the first instances relieved
rom the ward room, and many others as touch
ing in their sorrow have been and are daily fur
nished in some manner, mostly unknown to all
but two Or three. 8, ,ese ess-S sfGE
The ladies OF these committees come from
every religious society, and are bound in sym
pathy to the people, either by birth or long res7
ldence They are well known in the different
circles of society. They have labofed with
harmony and faithfulness in the accomplish
ment of their work, not being limited to the re-
lief of immediate wants, but they are looking
forward to the trials of the coming winter with
the growing consciousness of the sad condition
to which SO many of our people are reduced!
During the first five weeks we could only hope
to render relief to pressing necessities. We
turn now to the future. How will these people
be supplied with warm clothing and comforts
for the coming winter? Our hearts sink with
IN us us, we 40 not like to ask for aid, and yet
without aid they will fearfully suffer.
To the citizens of Buffalo, who have mani
tested SO earnest a sympathy in our Affections
we can only return the gratitude of warm and
and appreciative hearts. The kindness which
has been lavished upon Portland from all parts
OF the country will serve to cement us as one
people with common interests, whilst the mem
ory OF particular benefactions will be tenderly
and gratefully cherished forever. w !
Per order of the Executive Committee oi
Ladies for the relief of sufferers by the fire o.
July 4th 1866. MRS ELLEN U. BACON.
Eets L---------- - -
MORTALITY OF PoRTLAND.-The whole num-
Der of deaths in this city during the month o.