The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-27
INE HERALD FLOOD FUND.
What las Been Done with This Mag
nHicent BenevoIence.
Fifty Thousand Dollars Put Where 1t Would
Do the Most G>od-Incidents of
Suffering,

interview with George L. Williams in Louisville Cour'
ier-Journal.
"How was the fund of which you are ir
charge raised?" WIS the first question asked
1.-THE nucleus was given by Mr.. James Cor
don Bennett, who cabled an order on Feb. q
for So, 900 to be devoted to this purpose, and
directed a subscription to be opened for the
readers of the Herald to contribute any sun
they might see fit for the relief of the West
ern food suffers. Subscriptions began pour
ing in as soon as the announcement was
made, the sums ranging from pennies &c
thousand-dollar checks; from $1,000 to 5000
a day being received at first. When the
books were closed, thirty-ive days afterward,
$51, SIG had been received in all. OF this $32,
900 were sent out by drafts to various places
which seemed most in need of assistance,
leaving a balance of $40, ZIG on hand. 1t soon
became evident that the best use of this
money could not be made without careful
and personal investigation. Sufferers in
plenty could be found in all the large cities,
but they were in reach of local committees
and relief measures, while there were thou
sands of others with necessities just as great
who might never be heard of, as they lived in
small isolated villages and obscure hamlets.
These people, in many cases, lost their all
and the whole community suffering alike,
there were none to lend them the assistance
Of which every one stood almost equally in
need. II was deemed best, therefore, that a
personal investigation be made by some one
who should visit these places, so far as posi-
Bile, inspecting each case, end l was the one
selected"
"When did you start out on this mission,
Mr.. Wiiliams?'' asked the reporter.
81 left New York last Friday week, arriv-
ing in Cincinnati the next day; but l did
not complete all my arrangements until the
following Monday, when / went up as far
as Ripley, O., which L made the starting
point. From there l vent to Lawrenceburg,
Milton, Portsmouth and Aurora, arriving
here to-day. Al each of these places l have
given the closest investigation the limited
time at my disposal permitted"
'How much have you distributed so far?'
EXACTLY $40, 900. OF this Ripley received
So. 500, Lawrenceburg 81, 900, Milton 81 900,
Utica 1000, Portsmouth $500 and Aurora
$3.50. One-third of the amount received by
Aurora goes to reft the ferry at that place.
as it was totally swept away, and the man
who owned it is utterly penniless. By
supplying him the means to run his
boat again he is enabled to make a COM
Portable living, but without it he had
nothing but the most dismal poverty to look
forward to. The remainder of the money
was given as judiciously as possible to indi-
vidual cases. In one instance l gave 500 to
a widow lady, Mrs. Abbitt, who lives at
Abbitts Landing. Everything she had was
swept away; her house was torn down and
scattered, and not a fence or an outbuilding
was left standing. She had nine children,
and 1 never saw a more abject case of utter
helplessness. She seemed to be utterly des-
-as,;-- k,t A. l.rtla 1a1r r urna aI1n 10 aixra
her frightened her up wonderfully"
How do the people take the relief the
Herald has so generously afforded them?"
every gratefully, indeed. I never saw
more moving pictures of distress than some
which l have encountered on this expedition.
Everywhere people we're to be met with who
had lost their all, and were so dazed by their
misfortunes as to appear utterly unable to
make an effort to recover. These had not
been visited by any relief committees what
ever, and when asked if they knew of any
such measures they usually responded that
they had heard of such a thing, but it seemed
that it was played out. Yet when l told
them I could give a little money to the ones
who needed it most, they acted with remark
able generosity, usually insisting that some
one besides themselves was in the greatest
want. In one case l found six families in as
bad a situation as could well be imagined.
/ told one of them that i had $50 to give
to the most destitute, and not one of the
six would consent to accept it for himself.
/ gave them $50 each, and | never saw more
surprised or grateful men in my life"
"Have you had much trouble with impor-
tunate and undeserving applicants?'
Very little. Now and then one or two
instances would occur, but this was very sell
dom. The worst was that of a woman above
here-I won't say where who rowed out to
the boat in a skiff of her own and demanded
a share of the fund, OF which she had some
how heard. She was the hardest to get rid
of | ever saw, but nobody had heard of her
being in need, and she was left to paddle her
own canoe"
In response to a question as to which place
had apparently suffered the most, Mr.. Will
liams replied:
at is hard to make a comparison; but, in
proportion to the number of its inhabitants,
Lawrenceburg seems to be in the greatest
distress. 1t will take $50, 900 to restore the
place to anything like its former condition.
1t has been our purpose to aid in restoring
property beyond what was absolutely neces-
sary. We have not proposed to rebuild
fences, but to supply homes for the women
and children, The men must do the rest by
their own exertions."
Mr.. Williams went on to say that he had
been remarkably well received everywhere
he went, and every assistance to be desired
had been afforded. In addition to the orig
inal fund, he had received contribution
Hotn several places WHICH ne mac visited. IL
is his purpose to go as low down as Cairo,
after which he will apply the funds yet in
his hands to relieve places he has already
visited. The precise amount each will re-
eeive cannot be determined till all have been
visited.
Mr.. Williams is accompanied by Commo-
dore McCook, lighthouse inspector of the
Fourteenth district, who is making his regu-
lar trip down as far as Cairo. The trip has
so far been a very disagreeable one, owing to
the inclement weather; and Mr.. Williams
has usually been at work from 7 o'clock in
the morning till 8 in the evening. He ex-
poets to reach Cairo next Saturday, and re-
turn to Cincinnati Monday.
The entire expense of raising the fund and
distributing it has been borne by the Herald.
Sc far it has cost about So, 0O0. Mr.. Williams