The New York herald., 1874-12-08
SUFFERING IN NEBRASKA.
An Appeal to the People for
Food and Clothing.
THE CHRISTOPHER PLAGUE.
What General Erisbin Saw During a
Tour Of Inspection.
NAKED AND HUNGRY.

NAKED AND HUNGRY.
Alta committee meeting OF the Produce Ex-
change held yesterday afternoon General Brisbiu,
OF Omaha. appeared before the Board on behalf OF
the suffering poor Of Nebraska. The members
after listening to the pathetic story OF General
BrisbiD, decided to send on to General Ord at
Omaha sum OF $1,000 remaining over In the
charity fund OF the Board at once, and requested
the General to visit them at the meeting
OF the full Board to be held to-day.
and explain the objects OF his generous
mission. According to the most reliable authori-
tes 10000 people in the State Of Nebraska are at
the present moment In q state OF almost absolute
destitution. They are the population OF q long
belt OF country on the western frontier OF the
State over which the grasshoppers passed last
summer. When the plague had apparently ended
and the suffering condition OF the population OF
that district was discovered, every effort in their
power was made to assist the distressed by
the authorities and citizens OF the State. The de-
struction Of the crops mad been complete and
the resources lett the settlers slight that
the demands for help were far in advance OF the
supplies that could be gathered by those who had
taken the work OF mercy in hand They struggled
bravely with 1t for time, but were SO entirely
them that they were obliged TO acknowledge
an appeal TO charity outside the State
necessary. The first step taken In the way OF
assisting those who had lost all they possessed
was the establishment OF relief society. 1t was
called the Omaha Aid Society On finding out the
inability OF this association to meet the urgency
the Governor OF the state called convention and
a new organization was established under the
title OF the Nebraska State Aid and Relief Society.
General E. 0. c. Ord, commanding the Department.
OF the Platte, was requested to lend his assistance
to the work, and he generously ana promptly
took the matter in hand General Ord at once
sent oaicers Of the army to inspect
THE SUFFERING REGION
and report the result Committees. composed OF
five citizens In each Of the counties embraced In
the belt, were appointed and through them the
supplies obtained were distributed. The army
agencies along the route OF the Uuon Pacific Rail-
way were made the depots for the issuing OF the
supplies and The headquarters for stores was
established at Omaha. No expense or any kind was
incurred-or las been up to the present time
and oil that could be got was sent
to the people as speedily as possible. TO make
everything reliable and ascertain that no inatten.
ton OF avoritism should creep In, two inspectors
were appointed TO look after the details OF the
committees lsbors One OF these inspectors was
commissioned to the country north Of the Platte
River. the other to the district south OF IT, Their
salaries were paid by the Union Pacific and the
Burlington and Missouri railroads. While there was
the remotest possibility Of being able 10 carry the
poor over the winter and until they could grow
suficent food for themselves, General Ord and
the Society confined their solicitations for help to
the iimi.s Of the State. The moment came at last
when they felt compelled to appeal to the benevo-
lcnce OF the country, and they did not hesitate.
<Vo uttu
to make known the actual condition Of
affairs. General Brisbin, Of Omaha. who had
visited the plague stricken country, and had fur
nlshed General Ord with an elaborate report, was
commissioned to travel through the Eastern States
and acquaint rhe people with the distress a the
settlers. General Brisbin has arrived in New York.
and was visited yesterday at MS hotel BY re-
porter OF the HERALD. In describing the people
and their situation he said:-
THESE PEOPLE
settlers on the Western boundarv Of the g state.
Tney have none OF them been there more than two
years. Many have been but one. The first year or
two they can only grow poor description Of corn
and potatoes. Is not until the third year, when
tho sods rot, that they can get wheat. Or
the wheat comes Beside, IN some cases they
have pig or get little game and 50 they strug-
srassnoppers arrived. ate up ali the corn and po-
tatoes, leaving the people without anything.
There was no chance for them TO move or get
section Country and the Vsa ss
was not like manAn town or village, with his
wife and children starving who can ask assistance
Tney had no neigLb0rs, no pawnsnops aud very
lew rags. Occasionally met . man with horse
for the they were too valuable to destroy, and food
was wanting for them ~ well as the children.
THE FIRST CABIN
l entered when / commenced my inspection
found gray y-haired woman and her daughter,
poor Creatures had was watermelon cut in two
and some little pieces OF black bread. There was
only one pint Of nOur in the house. and not
anything ,,. else. AZ, Az Arrspanpoe. p. as yu,n went
| vey, and talked with young girl
whose mother had heard was very badly on: She
Father has been dead ten years. MY mother lives
on a homestead OF 100 acres near Arrapahoe. We
hoppers eat It all up. We had few potatoes-a
| busnel or two, perhaps. we 1--we In dug-out.
gets seventy.ave cents a Week Tor washing.
| She Is slckiy. she needs shoes She has now no
work We are very poor" Then the poor girl
| and could get nothing more out OF her. she
was modest, gentle and sensitive, and seemed TO
family was placed. Mr.. Harvey informed Mr..
Schnider tnat the mother OF this young girl was IN
delicate health, ana that there was literally moth
ing IN the house. Mr.. Alber said ne thought TINS
woman had no bed or furniture, and he doubted
ir they had iood. While at Arrapahoe the keeper
OF a little store told me story or want He said
1.-The other day, as was eaung my dinner Ia the
room behnd the store, where my wlie and i've, q
little girl into the store, and my vile invited
her to come In and be seated until had done.
wnen I would wait on her. noticed the child
looked wistIuy at the table, and. as passed out,
saw the tears we're rolling down her cheeks I
asked her wnat was The matter, but she would not
tell me. / told my wife TO find out
WHAT ALLIED THE CHILD
and went out, closing the door behind me. The
little girl then confessed TO my wife she was
hungry and said sne had not tasted food for forty.
eight hours, and that her mother and little sister
were at home IN the same condition. We gave