The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-07-02
TO THE PUBLIC


in your columns: recently; making GER
tain statements. concerning the relief
fund, which has called forth more Or
less remark. AS u member, of the Re-
lief Committee, deem it due to the
public and to myself that a brief history
of my connection with this matter be
published. 81 .1f"',' ii -a53
From the advent Of the Colony in
1872, found that a number OF persons
had come with barely sufficient means
to bring them here. TO many OF these
[ furnished employment, paying out
therefor sums to the amount: Of several
thousand dollars, and to 0thers.I loaned
money without interest and with. very
remote prospect Of payment, amount
ing in the aggregate to- many hundreds
Of:,dollars. During the first winter,
and before any relief committee was
organized, anticipating the danger Of a
snow blockade of the railroad, and
knowing that many of our people were
unproVided with fuel fol: tie winter,
ordered several hundred tons Of coal.
This coal was distributed over q; radius
of twenty miles FROM Worthlngton, a
large portion being donated and, the
greater portion of:the remainder is still
unpaid for. Ehose'w spent. the first
winter: here are familiar with, these
facts. :! -, D.: =. ..iis ~ .,~i;. clio -.
The grasshopper visitation: of, 1873
left many families destitute, and in the
early winter a. Relief, Committee was
organized Of; which I. WAS made the
treasurer, the. duties of which office I
belieYe We're. discharged to the entire
satisfaction Of the committees. 3, ~ .
A second Visitation 81 .JgertassllOppers
in 1874 added greatly 10th redistribution;
and the fact became apparent: TINT such
| aid as we would he likely to obtain from
| the State, would lie wholly inadequate
to meet the demands Of the destitute.
At this juncture, several gentlemen,
with myself, concluded that our. only
safety lay in providing fund to meet
the emergency which would be likely to
arise in midwinter, when. great quaint
ties of fuel. and, clothing, as well as
food, would be required: To this: end
Mr.. j. G. Clarke was selected to, visit
our friends in eastern cities and solicit
| aid, and assurances were given him by
us that, whether successful or not, his
expenses would be paid. Mr.. Clarke
succeeded in raising about :$1;8O0 lin
! eastern cities, and about $500 subse:
| 1uently, IN St. Louis. The first remit.
tances, amounting to $1,000, were sent
to me to be held :until: the anticipated
winter emergency should: arise. The
balance lie retained in ibis own hand,
for the same purpose: A demand for
the distrib alton Of this. fund was made
| before the, winter arriYed, and ;, the
Chairman, of the Relief Committee
called upon me for small sums as they
We're needed. ! proposed to him to
hand over tie entire balance that re.
manned in my hands, which was then
something less than a thousand dollars.
This he''Was unwilling to receive, stat:
ing that if it were known: that he had
that fund I'M lispossession, he would be
greatly harassed and annoyed by per-
sons from all partsof:theco unty, and in
many instances by those who were unde.
serving::F It was then suggestedtha the
great demand would be for -four aud
family supplies, and that ,as I had a
credit Of this kind, it was proposed that
/ draw on this from time: to time ais
needed, 7 accordingly made such ar.
arrangements while the cash or trade
was equally at my option. "A few or:
ders were given and paid iii this man:
ner.. At length, while there was still a
Ilarge balance due me, my order
was rejected Since then have
Repeatedly tried TO obtain a set
tlenlent' with this party, but thus fail
have failed, I'thave several times.
Through friends of both parties, tried
to have the matter amicably adjusted
by good, sound, disinterested arbitra
tors, to which proposition he at; first
consented, then deferred it,. and final.
Fly absolutely, declined arbitration
While I haye been waiting for an, ami
cable adjustment of this matter, have
in. many instances met the demand fol
relief from my own private funds, fol
which no charge has been made. And
| I am happy to. state that when my
orders were most unjustly rejected
that part : Of this fund which
was; in the hands of Mr.: JIG
Clarke was ready for'this emergency
and no worthy person. tfshould' have
been turned=aWAy 5unprOyidedrfO r, while
aportionof this fund still remains inhis
hands ready for distribution. And now
asI have oElonger any hope of obtain.
ing further supplies from the above
source, will Immediately make Other
provision for the payment Of the small
balance remaining in my hands. Ny
account with the Relief Committee is
at all times ready for Inspection, and
the proper vouchers will be, furnished
W. >i - 20 =sss5R1s Il. F. HuM1srolx.
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Mankato3 Reviews Among the grass