New-York tribune., 1880-02-21

THE SILESIAN FAMINE.

RELIEF EFFORTS IN THIS CITY-$9,000 COLLECTED
BY KNoBIAUCH & IICHTENsTgIY-A CONCERT TO
BE GIVEN All sTEINwAY HALL-DEPLoRABLE
CONDITION OF THE sILEsIAN PEASANTS.
The general sympathy felt in this country
for the starving poor of Ireland and the many move
ments foot for their relief has diverted attention
from the fact that Upper Sea. of the Provinces
of Prussia amolnt of distress from famine prevails
almost If not quite, equal that existing in the Emer
aid Isle.
The peasants of sesia, like the agricultural laborers
and small farmers in Ireland, subsist largely upon poa
Last year the crop was almost total failure ana
to add to the misery arising from this series OF
destructive floods damaged many of the valleys ana de-
sroyed what little provision the people had made
for their Winters support An unusually cold season
followed and found thousands OF families with neither
food RelIef efforts set foot in Germany
by the Government and the people, but they have not
been adequate relieve fully the great amount OF des
tituton and thousands of persons have pershed from
actual starvation from the disease known as hunger
typbus caused by scanty nourshment Some money mas
been this country collected for the most part
among the Germans but there has been no such general
movement the circumstances demand. In this CITY,
the task of raising fund begun about month ago
by the German bankers Messrs Kuoblauch & Lichien-
stein From these gentlemen the following letter has
been received:
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: We are indebted to you for the kind mention in
desire 70 call your TO the fact that as We learn
from official sources, the sueriDgs there are quite s
understood a share of the gifts generously gwen by
the American people for the latter might be secured
for cOuntrymcn. VIII you VINO nave aiWdys
been the champion OF Germany and her people piead
II is not necessary for us to remind you OF the close
ties existing between nations nor Of the liberal
gifts, so frequently received from Germany when
needed here instance at the time e the Chicago ie
and more recently when yellow fever ravagng the
south We know that with your help great deal may
- ,1tglta "A VnV mol
Of esteem and deeply grateful for all you
may be pleased to do, we are yours very Tes1ecSs&
No. 90 Wiliamst, Nec York, Feb. l6, 1ss1.
TRIBUNE reporter called upon the firm recently, and
was shown by Mr. KnObauch subscription paper show
ing the payment of a little $4,000, collected in sums
Of $50 800 each. chiefly from leading downtown
business houses. Mr.. Knoblauch said:
owe have forwarded 900 to Counsellor Delbrick.
the chairman Of the Berlin Relief Committee, which has
exhausted our means except few dollars that we have
still on hand We learn from the Berlin Committee and
from the German papers that the number OF destitute
nersons is nearly 100 600 Thus IL that this famine
Is fully as severe in its effects that in Ireland which
has deservedy awakened such generous sympathy ana
aid IN this country" ,
cities ~ oo,,u ... ,.o,,, ,ro,,
Cbinago and believe some money has there
From Baltimore we learn that q committee Is at "ork
st. Louis. but are as yet without replies"
" What s being done in Germany ~
the fund OF 100000 marks ab1ut Ss0000 presented to
him on the occasion OF mis- golden Wedding lhe Gov
eTnment has sent supplies OF food ana l9e pI9lhc',
authorities have begun the construction Oi roads TO az
ford empoynent This latter mode Oi releI mas Olch
failed OF It's purpose from the fact that the famine
stricken people weak aud too destitute OF cloth
ing TO work out of doors. Relief committees have been
of the German cities. whch receive CON
trlhuons OF food and clothing as well as OF money
Mr. Knoblauch spoke OF II concert which Will be given
in this February % for the bcncht OF the rehei
fund The Mcssrs Stenway have rendered the free use
of their hall and Leopold DamrOsch has volunteered Ills
services as conductor. large number Of weltknown
artists Will participate The general committee for the
concert Il composed o.
Oswald ottendosfer Gov Ed Solomon. Chss Hauset
L. j. stiastny Alfred licntensteiu, William stenMay
Jnlius III allp arten, Willy Walach Eugene \ Balln.
Chas II schultz Iletn BatzeT. Chas. knOblauch
Paul LohteDstein, A Buchner
The concert IL is expected Will afford substantial
addition TO The fund, but meanwhile II Il hoped that
private contributions VIII multiply and that orghnza-
tons pushing this urgent wOTk OF chaiIty VIII DC
fof Ined III other cities
Berlin and Dresden newspapers represents the district
affected BY famine having pOpulaio OF 100000
souls. whom fully 20 per cent are In need OF assist
ance while per cent are absolutely destitute
and dependent CHARITY for food from day to day Dr.
Heer of Rat,bore, reports that In the TWO villages OI
Oppatnales he found 700 persons III complete destu
ton, while many more that had food were
eubsistng two meals day or DtcK-
wheat -four ground ia handmills and DO led IN water
without any other seasoning tnan salt some were lN-
ing upDn the the refuse bees rejected from the sugar
factories. The effect OF this miserable noursLment Is
bring arrh OF the stomach ana lay he Iouhua-
lions for the terrible hungeryphus In the lareer towns
the suffering is not so great as In the small villages De
cause soup kitchens have been opened DN an association
OF benevolent women called the IdterIoScheH ft"u-
ems Ve5efn. 70 sustain the charitable committees IN
their in the to reach the country districts
with systematic relief organization ana 20 niaihtnil
the hospitals Tor the fever patients VIII require great
deal more money been raised and the cxpcndl
tGre mus; cOntne until crops can be produced or WOfk
obtained for the destitute