The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-07-20
ANOTHER BENEFACToR GONE.
From the jackson (Mich. ) Citizen.

sion during our late war for the Union,
and the names of all persons engaged in
that noble enterprise, whether in raising
the necessary funds to carry out the good
work, or by services rendered the dis
abled upon the field of conflict, or in the
hospital by the sick and wounded, or the
dying, will be inscribed in letters of gold
upon the pages of the history of our
country. Also our noble soldiers, who
lie helpless upon the field of battle, or
sick in the hospital, and received from
the kind hands of the agents CT the
Commission timely care and attention
together with many things necessary to
sustain and support their lives, which
were not found enumerated in the regu-
lar list of army hospital stores, and
which would not have been supplied from
any other source, will cherish the memo
nv of the Commission and all connected
with it.
All of us who survive those near and
dear friends who went forth to battle
with the enemies of our country, ard re
turned not to US, but gave their lives,
that we and this great nation and Union
Of ours might live, ever remindful that
they died upon the field of strife or In
the hospital far, far away, from home,
unattended in their last moments by their
beloved companions and friends, will
find some consultations in our sorrow, and
rejoice when we remember they were as
tenderly cared for, by the agents OF the
Commission as the circumstances would
permit
No great undertaking can be carried
to a success without money; even the
Sanitary Commission without it, would
have accomplished but little good, there
fore all those who in any way contributed
to it's funds l7iust be considered as public
benefactors.
It is the object of the writer in this
article to tell how Reuel Colt Gridley,
with the aid of his patriotism, supported
by christian and humane principles, al.
though not man OF wealth, contributed
the sum Of 100000 to the funds of the
Sanitary Commission, and also give a
short sketch of his life:
Reuel Colt Gridley, the hero of this
sketch, who made the Austin Sanitary
Sack of Flour celebrated during the
late war, and gained national reputa
tion for himself, of which any citizen of
q great nation might we'll feel proud,
was, in April, 1854, a member Of the firm
of "Gridley, Hobart 6 Jacobs" of Austin,
Nevada Territory. He and DR.. Herrick,
an officer of the county in which they re-
sided, laid a wager on the result of a To-
cal election. The conditions were that
the Doctor, was he the lOsor, should
carry a twenty pound sack of flour
through Main street, from the first ward
Clifton, to the fourth ward, Upper Aus
tin, distance of about one mile and a
quarter, marching to the air of Dixie,
and that Gridley, in the event of losing,
should carry the flour from upper Austin
to Clifton, having the advantage of the
down hill grade, marching to the tune of
Old John Brown, Mr. Gridley lost, and
on the goth of April paid his debt
An immense concourse of people assem-
bled about his store to witness the novel
performance. Laughter and good feel
ing prevailed on all sides He appeared
with the sack of -four on his shoulders,
trimmed with ribbons and flags.
A grand procession was formed in the
following order: Thirty-six men on
horseback headed by the city officials
elect; then an excellent band of music;
then the Doctor carrying Mr.. Gridley's
hat and cane; then Gridley with the sack
of flour, accompanied by his son Amos, a
lad of Ii, carrying flag then the Dem
ocratic Central Committee, two of them
with flags, one Of them carrying huge
sponge aloft upon a pole, and another
new broom then citizens, followed by
boys. AS the procession passed along,
the spectators cheered, the mill whistles
screeched, the band played and the hills
echoed back the strains of John Browns
march. Gridley stood up to his task
like man. go it, Grldley" "Stick
to 1t, Gridley !" "Never say die, Grid.
leyW were the encouraging words that
cheered him on all sides Never before,
nor since had there been such lively
crowd in Austin. This gay, brilliant
cortege reached Clifton, where the cere
monies of confessing defeat were per-
formed. The flour was delivered to the
winner of the wager, the flag was sur
rendered, the broom was given up, in
recognition of the fact that political
party in Austin had been swept away as
with bosom. The sentiment of the
people was sound when it came to the
great question of maintaining the Union,
1t was suggested by some one that the
flour should be baked into cakes and dis
tributed to the mass of people but Grid
ley said mo, this mass of people, have
had their fun ut my expense. now pro-
pose that they do something for our sick
and wounded soldiers; we will put this
sack OF flour up at auction, and sell it,
with the understanding that whoever
the purchaser may be, must pay the
money bid, and then give back the -four
Gopifc ~ &..l u,I..