Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-01-27

.NINH N|NNNHN NNLNNN
AN APPEAL ron RELIER.--The fol-
lowing statement is - sesount of the ossduos
and suffering Of tho people In Rock county. Min
nssots, which We commend to the earnest con-
sidsrstion Of every ono Of our readers. These
people Sfebsyoud = question, u terribly dssii
tais state. and shcsld 30 assisted 4 AK z
The great destitution prevailing In this county
on account Of the destruction Of crops by grass-
hoppsrs, compss Us to appeal to those who are
more fortunAs. fqr help for the suncring among
us. This county, situated In the South-wsstern
corner Of tho State Is on the frontier. Prior 10
1871 II was chiefly q wilderness. It's settlers
now numbering more than 700 families, are most
" homesteadcrs. Their all was expanded 10
rspehing their new homes. providing soms Kind
apd making start They have no resourccs ex-
cept 10 the produce Of their farms. When their
crops n II A Is gone, nothing Is left but starva-
tion " help from abroad cannot DO obtained.
large portion Of the crop Of 1873 was destroyed
BY grisshoppers but enough was left to enable
the settlers, by mortgaging their teams and the
expected crop, to reach the harvest OF 1879. But
just ~ the hrst ripe grain wss beginning 20 fall
by the reaper, their 6elds were again visited by
the post, against which no foresight could pro-
vide and no industry repair. Tho grasshoppcrs
came In clouds, and the result Of years hard
toll, the sole dependence for living for hundreds
Of families. were consumed ~ BY IRE. The dcs-
truction Of corn, oats and vegetables VAS com
plsts aud less than one-third Of the crop OF
whsat was saved, and this must be sold at the
low price Of 80 cts. per bushsl to satisfy the
mortgages given to carry them over last year M-
though 1t represents the loaf Of broad and the
last bushel Of seed Of many family And now
We fnd ourselves in q condition that is appal-
ling. More than one-hAlf Of the families In the
county need assistance. Tho wants Of many are
urgent and immediate. The cold winter Ia upon
them. Their clothing and bedding are scant and
worn out they have no fuel but the wild hay Of
tho prairie; they are in want Of food they arc
in want Of all those things that in older commu-
mites are called the necessaries Of life they are
remote from railway communication ! hence but
a msager portion Of the generous contributions
that have already been made has reached them,
. portion wholly inadequate to their wants they
cannot borrow Of their ncighbofs for they are
hundreds Of miles from the region Of abundant
harvests; they cannot 70 eiserhere for they hsys
else to 20 for this is their home. Although they
are In distress they are not discouraged. They
believe that this scourge Is only temporary an
ether invasion by the grasshoppcrs Is not antci-
patod. III the settlers can 1.-Two through the win
Ter and In the spring obtain seed grain and feed
for their teams, they will SOW wider breadth
than ever before, and, having O. soil OF wonderful
fertility, they expect to reap harvest that will
lift them out Of their present unfortunate eondi-
ton. In behalf Of these families who have been
reduced 70 want and suffering, no fault Of their
own, we appeal to the generous Of our own State
and Of other localities to contribute something
to preserve their lives aud relieve their sufcrings
Contributions Of food, clothing, boots and shoes.
fuel, corn, oats, 4o, should bs directed to p. J.
Kniss, Chairman Of Rock County Relief Com
mittee, Lu Verne, Minnesota, via. Worthington.
Contributions Of money should bc sent direct to
him by draft, p. o. Money Order or Registered
Letter aud they will be thankfully received,
promptly acknowledged, and faithfully distribu-
ted.
Rock County Relief Committcae,
p. J. Kniss, W. o. Crawford,
7. p. Grout.
rar4 II County Commissioner, tfFfH
G. A. Reynolds, J. II. fergeson.
X. I. sheldon.
Chuirmcn Of the town boards Of Superb sors,
james Marshall, w. y. Brown,
y. Loveland, Nele jacobson,
@. A. Reynolds, A. X. Ladd, .Ifrtfa
James Mitchell, Seth Mitchell,
Herman Obs,