Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-11-10
MICHIGAN FIRE RELIEF.
Extent of the Aid Still Required-What
Has Been Spsnt and How 1t Was Ap-
plied-Some Intarestine Corresnondanca

Extent of the Aid Still Required-What.
Has Been Spsnt and How 1t Was Ap-
plied-Some Interesting Correspondence.
PORT HURON, Mich, Nov. 9-The follow
ing correspondence will appear in the Port
Huron Daily Times of tomorrow, in answer
to dispatch from Jas. s. Mcdonald, secre-
tary of the Michigan relief committee, No.
299 Broadway, New York, containing the fol-
lowing questions:
l. What is the present condition of the fire
sufferers with regard to health, shelter, stock,
implements and general facilities for continu-
ing their former occupations?
2. How does the amount held by both the
committees compare with the amount
necessary to enable the people to follow their
avocations and to carry them over the winter
and until they can become self-sustaining?
3. What amount of cash has been attributed
by each committee to each family in it's dis
trict?
4. Is your committee or the district CON-
mittee purchasing merchandise from the mer-
chants of its city with the money contributed,
instead OF distributing the money among the
sufferers?
To these questions E. c. Carleton, mayor
and chairman of the Port Huron Relief com
mittee, replies as follows:
1. There is much sickness occa stoned by
defective shelter and exposure. Much of the
stock has been, and is being sold for want of
food and shelter. The people are generally
well supplied with farming Implements of i'm
mediate necessity. If the present mode of
dealing out relief was stopped, and definite
amount in cash given to each sufferer, the
people would resume their former occupations
at once.
2. According to our revised sworn state
ments there will be 1890 families in the coun-
ties OF st. Clair, Sanilac and Huron. Each
family should have at least $100 to take them
over the winter, making a total of 1920, 900
required. The means of the Port Huron COM
mittee are about exhausted. The cash re-
ceipts of the Detroit committee, as reported
to date, amount to $330,000. How much of
this is on hand we cannot say, inasmuch as
they have never published an exhibit
of their affairs; but from recent dispatch by
the chairman we estimate that not more than
| S130,00O represents the cash on hand This
would require an additional 100000 to tide
| over the above committees. The sa ginaw and
Tuscola districts are not included in the above,
| which is mainly supplied by the Bay City
committee.
3. The Port Huron committee hsye distrib-
uted SIS in cash to each family in its district,
| aggregating $4,000. The Detroit committee
have distributed no cash to sufferers.
4. The Port Huron committee ceased pur-
chasing supplies on the Sd of October, ex-
cept in carrying out outstading contracts for
seed wheat, hay, grain, feed and lumber,
| amounting to 5000. Our committee pur-
chased only s27, 900 worth of general supplies
the sufferers. The Detroit committee
are still purchasing such supplies from their
merchants, and must have expended $500, 900
for that purpose. The Detroit committee,
with our permission, copied our sworn state
ments, and are now collating the same. We
understand they will continue the purchase of
supplies until the work is completed, and will
not distribute cash until about December 1,
when they propose to deal it out in small
monthly installments during the winter.
Mr.. Carleton continues: The Port Huron
committee, from the first, worked as rapidly
as possible toward cash distribution, and
would have reached it some weeks
earlier had it not been for the
Interference of the governor, the Detroit CON-
mittee and the Detroit newspapers. They re-
garded the lndiscriminate purchase and distri-
button of supplies, after the first needs were
covered, as wasteful and demoralizing 10 the
recipients, and retarding the building up of
| the country. The fears of the committee are
being realized, as acts of lawlessness are in
creasing in the burned district, and general
decentralization is imminent. The Port Huron
committee now earnestly but emphaticalIy,
on behalf of their stricken neighbors, de-
mand of the district committee the immedi-
ate distribution of the balance
of the money in their hands.
We cheerfully gave them the use OF our sta
tistics, and if they are not prepared for cash
distribution at once, we will further offer them
the use of the whole machinery of our office
and also piece our general agent at their dis
posal. But for humanity's sake we ask that
they place the money where it belongs
| E. C. CARLTON, Mayor,
Chairman of Port Huron Committee