The Evening critic., 1881-09-15
APPEALS FOR HELP
WHICH THE PEOPLE OF WASHING.
TON WILL NOT DISREGARD.

-
The Terrible SuMerings I'm Michigan
Their Brethren Here Appeal for
| Autobiography Asked TO Contrib
ute.
| The amount of suffering occasioned by
the extensive fires in Michigan can hardly
be estimated. Whole districts have been
laid waste, and thousands of families arc not
only homeless, but are in imminent danger
Of starvation. The citizens of that State
have generously responded to assist the des-
titute, but more is needed than they can
possibly give. Committees have been APP
pointed to appeal to other States and cities,
and, in fact, two addresses have been issued
to the people of the United States, setting
forth the great distress brought about by
these fires, and the urgent necessity for as
sistance. The last address issued by the
State Relief Committee is as follows:
PoRT Huron, MICH, Sept. IL, 1881.
To the american people.
We have tonight returned from the burnt
district of Huron and Sanilac Counties. We
have seen the burned, disfgured and with
ing bodies of men, women and children ;
rough board collins containing the dead fol-
lowed to the grave by a few blinded, des-
pairing relatives; crowds of half-starved
people ut some of the stations asking bread
for their family and ncighbors. We heard
of more than 200 victims already buried,
and more charred and bloatcd bodies daily
discovered. Already more than 1900 fam
lilies are found to be utterly destitute and
homeless. They huddle in barns, in school
houses in their neighbors' houses, scorched,
blinded, hopeless. Some still wander half
| crazed around the ruins of their habitatiOns,
vainly seeking their dead Some in speech
less agony are wringing their hands and
refuse to be comforted. More than 10000
people who only one week ago occupied
happy, comfortable homes are to-day house.
less, homeless sufferers. They are hungry
and almost naked when found and in such
great numbers and SO widely scattered that
our best efforts and greatest resources fail to
supply their immediate wants. Without
speedy aid many will perish, and many
more will suffer and become exiles. Our
people will do their utmost for their relief,
but all our resources would fail to meet
their necessities. We appeal to the charity
and generosity of the American people.
Send help without delay. [Signed by E. G.
| Carleton, mayor of Port Huron and chair
man of the relief committee; William Hart
sutf, John P. Sanborn, Charles A. Ward,
Omar ID. Conger, Charles b. Peck and Peter
b. Sanborn. lt
In response to the appeals made by the
committee, meetings have been held in
many vi tnC piiuCipui CltlcSy ulu ll1tttSuTtS
have been taken to raise funds and supplies
for the homeless and destitute Michigan
ders, and yesterday afternoon the citizens
| of the Peninsular State irn4
Resident In Washington
met in the Office of the Commissioner of
Patents to devise measures for the relief of
their suffering fellow-citizens. Mr. M. Z.
N. Howell called the meeting to order, and
upon his nomination Hon. f. M. Marble,
Commissioner Of Patents, was elected chair
man. Mrs. p. A. Auer was chosen secretary
Mr.. Frank B. Conger stated the object of
the meeting to be that they, as citizens of
Michigan, should initiate the relief move
ment in the District of Columbia. He sug-
gested that committees be appointed to
solicit subscriptions from every Department
and the citizens ut large. He also suggested
that meeting of the Michigan Club should
be called, as he understood that there was a
balance of something over 800 in the treas
ury, and he was confident tho members
would willingly appropriate that amount to
the relief fund. Mr.. Howell then sub
mittcd motion that 7n
Committee be Appointed s.r
to consist of one from each Government De
partment and three at large to solicit sub
scriptions; and that this committee should
have the power to increase its membership
w. Ke lightly, in secOnding the appointment
of the committee, suggested that they pro-
coed with deliberation, as the necessities of
the sufferers would extend beyond the i'm
mediate present, and while 1t might be de-
sirable to hasten now, as the scmi-mOnthly
payments were at hand, it should also be
understood that those who were not
prepared to give now could sub
scribe for the end of the month"; He
thought that they should mako their ap-
peal, not as citizens of Michigan, but as the
friends of humanity, believing that they
would accomplish more. Some discussion
was participated in by Captain Tyler,
Messrs. Barnard, Baxter and Rev. Jabez
Fox as to the proper steps to be taken in
the matter of subscriptions, and also as to
the calling Of the Michigan Club. at the
conclusion Of which Mr.. H0wells motion
was adopted. Mr.. Il. b. Conger, who had
just returned from Michigan, gave
IN, A Graphic Picture s
of the terrible waste of property and the
loss of life which had been Occasioned and
the imperative necessity for immediate ac-
ton for relief He said that there were
thousands of persons who but short time
ago had comfortable and happy homes now
absolutely destitute-not only without
shelter, but without food, and with no pros
poets in the future at least for year. The
lowest estimate of the cash loss was $780,
900, while it had been placed as high as d
million The chair appointed the follow
ing committee to solicit subscriptions:
Treasury Department, Judge E.,W. Height
ley, Third Auditor; War Department, w.
ID. Mack Navy Department. ID. G. Nor
rison; Interior Department, M. +. N.
Howell; Post-otfice Department, A. w.
Bingham State Department., F. b. Conger
Department of Justice, U. j. Barker at the
Capitol, Harry Sherwood; Bureau of En-
craving and Printing, Col. o. II. Irish
Government Printing Office, G. w. How
land; Agricultural Bureau, Col. Murphy;
at large, r. w. Tyler and J. b. Bliss Capt.
II. w. Tyler was, upon motion of Mr..
Howell, appointed treasurer of the COM
mittee. The chairman read letter
from
General Ellis Spear,
inclosing $40, and saying that he served
side by side with Michigan regiments dur
ing the war, and was made Commissioner
of Patents by that grand old Michigander,
Zach. Chandler, and those circumstances,
together with the fact that Michigan was
settled chiefly from Maine, made him q sort
of second cousin ofthe State. The calamity
certainly appealed to the charitable every