The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1868-11-26
Appeal to the Swiss and to the Friends
OF Switzerland in the United States.

A calamity has befallen the Cantons of
| Tessin, Valais, Grisons, St. Gall, and Uri,
which, in its immensely, stands unequalled
in the annals Of Switzerland. On the 9th
of September rain commenced to fall in
torrents along the northern and southern
slopes of the Alps, and continued to de-
scend with but little intermission, for eight
days. During all this time powerful south
wind ragged furiously amidst the masses Of
snow and ice which had lam uDdisturbed for
centuries in their inaccessible Alpine strong
holds.
Every mountain rivulet was swelled into a
rushing stream, every stream into torrent,
carrying appalling destruction in its course.
The rivers of Tessin, the Rhone, the Reuss,
the Rhine, and the Inn, in their relentless
power, obliterated many Of the choicest
beauties of nature. impoverished thousands
OF families, and hurried hundreds to a
watery grave.
Heart-rending and vain was the struggle
| of human hands against the ovcrpowering
force Of the wattry element. On it came, in
the dead of night, terrible in its might, |
scattering destruction far and wide, and
piling up in the meadows the mountain |
de bris of ages. Rocks weighing hundreds !
of tons were torn from their resting-placcs,
and in their course joined the revelry Of de-
struction. Whole forests, vineyards, and
meadows stacked with grain, have disap-
peared, and. in many places, not a vestige Of
roads, bridges, and fences is LETT; houses,
mills, and factories are torn from their fCun-
dations, and even cemeteries ard charnal-
houses have been invaded, and their con-
tents scattered along the course of the de-
vastation. Thousands of cattle lie choked
in the mud, and thousands of our fellow
beings reduced to AFFECT poverty.
Along the Rhine, village upon village lies
half buried in mud and debris, and every
article Of bedding and wearing-apparel has
either been swept away or rendered useless
reigned while their verdant meadows, pro-
ductive orchards, and beautiful gardens, are
one mass of grayish mud.
Sixty millions of francs will fall far short
of the loss sustained. On such extraordl-
nary occasions it is meet that unusual
measures be adopted to alleviate, at least in
part, the sufterings Of our brethren. The
Federal Government Of Switzerland, prompt ,
ed by feeling which it knew would meet
with hearty response from its people, at
once DESPATCHED its President to the suffer-
ing localities, and ordered to the scene OF
devastation the various corps of sappers and !.
miners to render all possible assistance.
Ere this, one million Of francs will have
been appropriated by the Federal Govern 1
nent, ard like sum will, no doubt, have =.
been contributed by the several Cantcns. Al
-eady convention Of delegates from all
Cantons have assembled in Berne. and re-
lief associations have sprung up IN every
ection of the land, whose offerings will be
distributed by the Central Relief AsSocia- -
ion, organized under the auspices Of the Z
federal Government. Many individual have
accent countries are also busy, heart and
Iand, in the noble work Of relieving want.
Among others, the King and Queen of Wur-
emberg made at once 4 remittance, and or (
anized Relief Society, over which they
'il preside.
And we, fellow-countrymen and brethren, s.,
hall we stand aloof: Shall we leave I'M III
eeded the cry of distress, the pleading eye
asst over from beloved Switzerland : No,
o, must be the ready response of every -.
cart. The painful tiding from our soEely
isi,ed b,e,heIn will find an echo here in cal
ountful lv- blessed America. A mite itom
very feeling heart, gift from every Sener-
US hand, and this visitation Of Almighty I
cd will afford another proof of truthful ~
ess of our country's motto, " One for all
nd all for one
The unusual exigcncies of this national G
,lamity make an appeal to the philanthropy
his coun.rymen and his c0uEtrys friends, G
4 the part Of the undersigned, virtually Co.
yatory. -
Fellow-countrymen in the United States,
}, then, and be doing in the noble work Of
iit'i's WI su4-O'-AlS u St4ieih otN"iI&S. l
Id let US labor promptly, unitedly, and l
rnestly. ref
Donations can be sent, BY mail or express, 6
the undersigned, or entrusted to the Swiss =
lnsulate at New York, Philadelphia, VIII
New Orleans, Galveston, Gin Gus
matt. Chicago, ST. Louis, or San Francis
3, by whom they will be transmitted to the H.
ldersigned, for remittance to the Central
elief Association in Switzerland. God e
ess the giver JouN HITZ, at I
Political Agent and Consul General of
Vitzerland, Washington, DC. ~
Subscriptions received by F. Berton, Swiss "i'N
nsul 527 Clay street, San Franci-co. y