The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-10-11
Collector Smith On the Necessity of Fair
ther Government Aid-50O 600 Ra-
tIOns Required to Relieve the Desti-

GDEkeCEDE 5shREW WM GMS WeGessAHY Ws EsaF~
ther Government Aid-50O, ,00b Ra-
tiOns Required to Relieve the Eesti-
ttste Until Business Revlves.
The following letter was received today:
CUSTOM HOUSE,
New Orleans. October 7, 1878. !
Hon. John Sherman. Secretary Of the Treas
ury. Washington. ID. O.:
Sir-In reply to your telegram of Yesterdays
date requesting report Of suff 3ring and want
and Its sufficiency. etc. have the honor to say
that the suffering and want directly, resulting
matter matt re of your dispatch was very thoroughly
eas here on Monday Inst hv renresenta-
tives Of the thirty relief and charitable asgoeia;
desttution resulting directly from yellow fever,
opinion fully coincide
The majority of the relief associations re-
remainder reported means on hand adequate
Young Mems Christian Association. the one
best provided, estimated it's means equal to the
demands OF. eight or nine dnys, l. have no
knowledge of what means of relief the Howards
have on hand. The meeting above alluded to
was without dissent OF the opinion that the
means Of the Howards had been over estimated
and in this also agree with them. =.
gave notice that their funds. were ample for
their needs the funds would, perhaps, have
been ample. but the fever has. again increased
In mortality and violence. It is not now be-
lieved that the funds OF the Howards are ample
even for the requirements OF their special
Mhe35 y IS evde @ that ePRhep the 90 E de m
not intend to divert their funds from the care
and medication Of the sick. and e. that mt the people
The weather gives no promise Of early frost
and consequent close of the epidemic. The
ravages Of the. disease, it is nearly certain, will
the epidemic still weeks must eIapse before the
business and industries Of the city can be COM
pe,te.y re4rganizead d. The famne Whch p % n2t
due to want Of employment consequent upon
the suspension of traffic and manufactories.
and is seriously aggravated by the M, ayStem OF
vented from doing the little business she might
otherwise do
The meeting to which have alluded herein
was composed Of those whose experience Of the
present epidemic and distress has been great
careful judgment They reached the conclusion
which have--that In addition to the resources
that are available o half million Of rations
would be necessary to carry the people Of New
Orleans through the epidemic, and until such
time as the. industries and trade of the city can
be reOrganized.
beg to add that among the necessaries re-
quired is supply Of blankets. The most es-
sential feature Of yellow fever. treatment is the
Warmh e. Great numbers Of here DO
without blankets. winter and summer: q neces-
sity usually forced upon them by poverty; many
even Of the charitable institutions have not q
sufficient supply. Cooler weather ought to be
expected shortly, wherein the life Of yellow
fever patients will depend upon warm and suf-
ficient covering.
/ ought to add that the New Orleans Relief
Committee have acquired experience in the
branch of relief work now under consideration.
Their machinery is organized and efficient.
They have economically distributed means Of
relief heretofore committed to them, and can
doubtless serve the government rs the almoner
of its future contributions as we'll, II not better,
than any other new organization.
I have the honor to be- respectfully, your
obedient servant, GEO. L. SMITH.
Collector.