, 1874-11-18

Official Report by Col. Dudley, u. $. A.
uApQuAnIEns FonT McpliEnsos,l

Et1ntier. fuflaa, toaper. ana t1MlRh CouhLes.
III tho Valley of tho Republican, And the Do
vastated sections adj jacent, made in compliance
With tue wtAlleB of the department commander,
rs conveyed to me in toleeraphic dispatch dated
tho 27th nlt.:
loft Fort 1-cpho1son on tho 2oth Of October,
Lieut.. Dambridgo ,noynolda, Third Cavnlry: with
MO, and proceeded across tho country to the
Medicine. whore cnoampcd for tho night; dls.
tancc travelled. so miles.
RED WILLOW COUNTY.
Early on tito molninE OF tho 3Oth, ! moved
down tho Medicine across the divide to Coon
Crock aud campcd; distance marched. q miips.
October 81 proceeded to lndlanoIa, tho county
scat (so claiflcd) Of Nod Willow County, Waiting
on the WY nearly every cabin or house That had
tho Appearance Of Ill absence Of stock aud sup
plies, getting, from personal knowledge and
conversation with heads Of families. thor actual
condition, Many of tho houses found nbaudon-
Cd. On tho morning march Uncovered two
familieB only, however, without ut loast ten or
I'll toen days provisions.
I mot Dr, shaw aud Mai. n. 8. Creawoll.
Those tvo gentlemen, and Mr. John Egau, Ind
been appointed d Committed for lilo distribution
Of supplies sont for tho relief of nod Willow
County. Tho two former stated That they bad
canvasaod the several preclucts OF tho county.
uni had nRcertaiaed that 644 persons, including
children, out Of the totai 800 lphabitnntB OF tho
county, would require aid before tho wintor
months vera balf out; TINT ful! 800 would need
assistance within twontY daya; md that moro
thnn l00 woro at tho present tine other entirely
without food Of would bo In less than 6vo days.
Some Of tho families havo one or two COVE,
others yoke OF oxen or horse. Many Of
thom had worn down their animals in attempting
to hunt bafIaloee, and they had no CON to ro-
cuposato them with. The fcw hogs and ptgB
saw we're moro skeletons, having had no grain,
and subsisting almost entirely Oh tile wild roots
they founA IN the bettonB.
All the AID this county has received up to this
dato Was ninety sacks OF ilour and ono barrel of
beans. which was nearly exhausted. There Vas
not 200 bushels OF corn raised tho Inst year In
tho whole county, and not over 100 bushels of
potatoes, and these latter only half grown. Lit
lie or no wheat vas planted Ia tho county, as tho
settlers aa rule wore too poor to buy tho aoed.
There Ia no employment to be had, and no mon
ey or commodity to pay for it il 1t existed.
During tho fall they have had a fair supply Of
buffalo n,oat. At present buffalo have aban-
doned tho country md gone to tho forks aud
sources Of the Republican, out Of tho reach Of
tho poor people
TliH county Is recently sott1cd. and Its inhabi-
tants, no doubt, oatssdo tho question Of food,
arc poorer than those either in Harlan or Furnaa
Counties. Tho statements OF MoHBrs. Shaw mud
CreBwetl wore fully tndoracd by romo dozon or
moro OF respectable appearing citizens whose
careworn and anxious countonancos indicated
the truthful: aesa Of their words. In addition
visited the cabins Of q ecoro or more Of tue
people Of this section, and beaamo convinced Of
The correctness OF those reports by Q personal
641G1luAtlQu o. tQ4 6tQEGb kuGY uau On QAnu4
on THE MEDlc1hE.
From Indauola rode to the mouth OF tho
Medicluo and campcd OH it's banks near tile reBi-
dcnce of Mr. Doylngs. He seemed to bo we'll oil
1l1nsell, and exhibited little interest in now1-
edge Of tie condition Of his ncighboB. During
tho afternoon ride visited all tie cabins could
conveniently reach, and found great many OF
them Oh the laat 10 or Is pounds OF Hour ro-
ceiyod IRON tho AID Society.
AnApAuoE-
Lrra ft,n% ~ r4u 10,
tho vicinity nf Ararohoo, living On tho small
streams running back into tho tablo lauds, 6, 10,
or Is miles, who are at tho preseat time suffer-
ing 1or food, many Of whom havo no moaus Of
especially ynoes. In case Of severe wiutor aud
deep snows their suffering would bo e1trome.
and would, no doubt result in starvation in
many instunceB.
FuRHAs COUNTY.
Not being ab1o to visit the settlements on tho
Sappa aud Boayor, sent couriera to those eec-
tions and invited some Of tho prominent citi-
zcna to moot mo at Arapanoo on my re-
turn turn: They they responded RESPOND nv very o.1} promptly,
wero presont At tho meeting. Statements md
reports we're made from nearly evory precinct in
tho county. Mr. Albco stated that Lo Ind just
| received beycnty bushels Of potatoes; that he
| lad distributed forty sacka Of flour, one half
barrel Of beef. and soma few other nrticles that
up to the present timo the aid given to the poo
| pie of Furnas County had boen divided among
tho residents Of the county, irrespective OF the
condition Of the party, whom they asked for thoir
| Bhuro
The supply furnished is all expended, except
the potatoen just received.
| There are about 9.300 people In Furnas Couu-
ty. 1t way positively stated that fully one-tifth
Of this number wili require fu!l aid within thirty
until spring. each month, until full th1ee-
fourths Of tho entire population will have 10 10
| supported.
MELnosE.
! rode to h1elrosc. Harlan County, calling on
| tnauy homcstcadcrs on tho route. meeting OF
| quite a number from ADJACENT precincts mas
called in building used a8 q courtroom, mud
tho several parties Inado statements az to tho
condition Of tho settlers in their vicinity, most OF
| t,lem Offering to tako mo TO tho homes OF THUR
| friends 80 thatI could personally observe the
! truth of their nsHeItons. 4 Ind not over II
| yeara OF age stated tint his fathor, mother,
grandmother, aud eight brothofs and 1lstora
| Comprised their family; hla father wah nlos
| they wero without food, and had bcon 90 during
saw at this mcoting and during my stay at
| Melroee full twonty hoada OF families who And
not an e1ceba Of 10 pounds Of flour or any other
kind Of broststutr, and who wero wholly Without
meats. ] hayo thoir names. but have not
thought It best to report them, as found o dcl-
icacy On tho paEt Of some to givo full history
Of ,lcIr coud!ttan for fear thelr namos might ho
nublisnod, AB near as could approximate to
tle couditlon Of the people Of Harlan County. I
should bay that In hIelrosc gsccnct. which laes
niuoty-eisht yosara. thtrty-lyo families would
require aid within thirty days.
1t u proposed to render MD TO tho frontier
counties Through the army. J. would recon-
mend that an oil.cer be sent with the stores to
DO distributed, and that l,o mako the fssuo dirout
to tho parties 10 hc helped th(A can be accous-
seats aud tho pliilulpal cst,tral points Of tho
various .prooluosa; reliable IaFties, who know
tho condition Of their uaighbors. not aahtug ald
for themselves. oan furnish, cortlflcatos of ncol
to thoae actually destitute and requiring partial