McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-10-16

ADDRESS OF the urn Tor goUU and q lady
for 5000. At noon drove To the Her.
aid office and saw Mr.. Bennett. He
said he was making arrangements to
have me visit the gold board and ex-
change, where he wished me to deliver
brief addresses and explain to the
boards the exact situation in Nebraska.
| That afternoon / made six addresses to
as many bodies of business men, and
each chamber appointed committees to
raise funds for the relief of the dis
tressed people. At night returned to
my hotel worn out with the labors OF
the day, but felt the satisfying assur-
ance my mission was proving success.
The next morning Mr.. Bennett re-
newed the appeals for the Nebraska
sufferers, and so kept it up all day until
not only the city, but the whole country
was thoroughly aroused. Other papers
wheeled into line and the Tribune
opened subscription on its own ac-
count. The work was accomplished
and had now nothing to do but to sit
down and wait the work of the COM
mites. Each body had its committee,
and communicated directly with Gen
eral Ord l would not have anything
to do with the collection, handling or
remittance of funds. For this reason
never knew exactly what was collected
and sent, but | think it amounted to
about $1,000 morning for thirty or
forty mornings. Mr.. Bennett hired at
his own expense a building on Fulton
street, and paid men to take charge of
it. Here he collected cloth
ing for the grasshoppers suf-
ferers and sent it by the car load
to Omaha. Any person having cloth
ing to spare was requested to send
postal to the Herald office, giving street,
number and name, when Mr.. Bennett
would send a wagon, get packages, and
bring them to the building on Fulton
street. At one time he had some thirty
wagons running.
We were helping part of the people
of Kansas, and over 10000 starving
people were on our rolls. To feed and
care for this vast number required
about $1,000 per day, and this had to
be raised every morning from the be-
nevolent people OF the country. 1t was
an enormous work and hope never to
witness such q disaster again in our
country as was caused by the locust
pests of 1S74-1S75.
When about to leave New York |
called on Mr.. Bennett to thank him for
all he had done, and he said:
at is all right: | was satisfied the
people of Kansas and Nebraska were
suffering, and it is always my duty as
well as a pleasure to aid in relieving
suffering wherever find it."
''Well,n said |, IF it is ever in my
power to make you any return for all
your kindness to these poor people let
me know how | can do it, and it shall
be done cheerfully."
''Some time, perhaps he replied,
''there may be an Indian battle out
west, andH may not have Herald re-
porter there; if such a thing should hap
pen and you wish to do me real ser
vice see that the Herald has a good ac-
count of the battle"
promised him | would certainly do
so, little thinking how soon l would be
called upon to redeem that pledge.
How Mark Kellogg, Mr.. Benefits cor
was killed with Custer at
Little Big Horn June 18th, 1876, and
how L came to write for Mr.. Bennett
the account of the Battle of Little Big
Horn will be told at some future time
JAMES BRISBIN.