The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1874-11-20
AFFHAL
IN BEHALF OF THE
Grasshopper Sufferers Of No.
4 = bIes County. =

A meeting of the citizens of Mobiles
County, Minnesota was held at Worth
ington, October 18th, 1874, at which the
undersigned we're appointed a Commit
tee to draft an appeal to the charitable
Of our own State and to the friends in
our old home States, in behalf of the
needy and the destitute in our midst
Our people have suffered calamity as
real and overwhelming as if everything
had been swept away by fire or food
We refer to the raids of the grasshop-
pers during the last two years. Ours is
a new county. Most of our settlers came
here in the Spring of 1872 and since
that time. The first year of settlement
is necessarily spent in breaking the
prairie in order to prepare for a crop
the second season. In June, 1873. clouds
of grasshoppers came upon us from the
dry plains of the Southwest. They did
great damage. but light harvest was
reaped. In the Spring Of 1874, a large
acreage was sown, but young grasshop-
pers, Matched from eggs deposited in
the ground during the previous Sum-
mer commenced their ravages us soon
us the first tender blades of grain ap-
peared. Whole fields were stripped ell
tirely bare. This is especially true Of
the Northern end Western portions of
our county. In the Southeastern por-
ton however a partial crop was obtain
ed. In addition to the grasshoppers
that were Matched out here, swarlns of
them came upon us three times from
the northeast, July ?, July Is and Aug
ust 3, sweeping away What the young
grasshoppers had left. We have seen
whole fields of growing grain destroyed
in an hour. Thus it will be seen that
many of our people have raised no
crop III the three seasons Of their resi-
dcnce on these new lands. Their need
is urgent and immediate.
The question may he asked, what
things are needed? We answer, first,
food. Many families have lived for
weeks Oh such vegetables rs escaped
destruction, and tie supply is almost
exhausted. They have neither bread
nor meat. Second. They need cloth
ing. They have raised nothing to sell
and the clothing they have brought
with them is worn to rags. We would
suggest that yarn for stockings, thread
and material for cllildren's clothing be
sent. This will give help and employ
ment 1T the same timc-the best hui
man charity. Third. THEY need bed
ding. There are those who are now
sleeping under covering Of prairie
hay, and winter isapproac|ling. Fourth.
They will need seed grain next Spring,
or another year will not relieve the des-
titution.
Some may ask why we do not aban-
don a country when is liable to such
a plague. We answer. We have seen
enough in some favored portions of
this and adjoining counties to demon.
strate the matchless fertility Of ou1
soil. In Jackson County, immediately
east of us, more than forty bushels of
wheat and o:.e hundred and ten bush
els of oats per acre have been reaped in
former years. Our climate is as agree.
able us any in the world. We have a
temperate, intelligent, Industrious, NOR
al class of people. Their misfortunes
cannot be laid to any improvidcnce on
their part. We came here to nuke
homes for ourselves and our children
and most of us have invested OUR ALL
here in improvements on our home.
steads and have no means to get away,
even temporarily. And besides where
else can we go. Is there any land on
earth that is entirely exempt from ca
lamities of some kind?
We feel that our restitution is only
temporary. The grasshoppers did not
deposit their eggs here the past season.
They may not be seen here again in a
generation. We have faith that next
year we shall reap abundant harvcsts.
But in the mean time, many of our PEG.
pie must have help or they will perish
Careful estimates warrant the state
ment that not less than half of the sew
ell hundred families in the county arc
partially or wholly destitute. We cal
therefore upon our more fortunate
brethren to help us in our distress. II
this appeal should meet with 4 response
let the contributions he sent to l. P
Durfee, Chairman of the Board of Coun
ty Commissioners, Wortlington, No
bles County, Minnesota. lie has the
entire confidence of all our people. and
will make proper distribution of all that
is sent. The receipt Of all contribu
tions will be promptly and thankful,
acknowledged.
J. A. TOWN,
Z. e. BELL,
W. NJ. BEAR,
WARREN G3fI1rTr