Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-03-05
The BELIEF SYSTEM
Employed by tho Government
Along the River.
How the 100000 Appropriation Was
EmpIoyed-DetsiIs Of This Plan
and Its Magnitude.


lief, had a meeting at the city building last
night, and practically closed up its share
OF the humane duty, and Lieut. CARING
ton, of the War Department, arrived yes.
terdsy, to wind up the government work.
The great humane effort, one of the greatest
this section of country has ever known, is
about concluded, and i. IS interesting to
note the details OF TIE plan successfully
cPrEisd ont. With our own, We are all
familiar, but coDll srstiyely few can realize
the labor extending the distribution of the
government iGrd of $4,000 along 1000
miles Of river, from Pittsburgh to Cairo.
now IT WAS DONE.
On February u, 1884, in response to
ur, - and pathetic appeals, Congress
passed joint resolution approp-iatlng the
sum OF $500, goo, to be expended by aud I'd.
der the direction of the Secretary OF War
in tne purchase and distribution OF sub
sistence, stores, clothing and necessary ar
ticle3 TO such destitute persons as might re-
quire assistance in the district Overt1oTed
by the Ohio river and its tributaries by the
recent food, etc.
Secretary Lincoln having been advised OF
the true condition OF a.fSirs by kilograms
sent 10 him realized that action 10 be etiec-
tive should be prompt, and that relief
measures should be put into active opera
lien with the utmost despatch.
Accordingly, on the afternoon ot Feor-
uary y, he remained at his Office beyonu
the usual closing hour of the department
TO await the official reception of the Joint
resolution above mel toned and detained
on duty the clerks Of the executive DIVISION
Of bis Office for the execution OF the CERT
cal labor incident to the duties deyolyed
upon him.
Asa preliminary measure blank forms
Of t.lt grams had been prepared IN advance,
and uLoQ receipt of tue resolutions o.
Congress were lmmedstely used IN dis
patching to the mayors Of the vsrious
iJwrs { cCyring. the GLiO,. authorizing
them TO purchase fc0d, clothing aud otter
necessary supplies TO limited specIhed
amount, ard requesting them to at once sd .
wise the 81 cretsry oil War 6y telegraph o,
the number OF destitute within their reach,
aud Tntther purchases could be made in
theiT respective localities.
DISTRIBUTING sU"rIEs.
Having thUs provided the means o.
stiordipg immediate temporary relief,
Secretary / o DIN a. once organized sys'
rt.iet under hi dire Control through
Tees of the army detailed Or TIE pnr-
I7'r, and charged under tue general reSu-
'Stiurs Of the arr!y with proper Scsount.
ability for their disburse dentJ.
Tie Cver,iowed ter-it"r- wa ,i,idcd
into three geographical u.sIriCis, corpris-
'pC first, that portion Of the &c rit0ry lying
between Pitisburg and lroaD /, which wa
placed in Cbsrgs o NGp,Fj" 5. /. CL-Ein-,
Commis"ary Of Subsistence, with bead
quartz. a Ii.tSoUry. aJCJGI, Ibst portion
OF territory lying between ! o-t-l aud
Cincinnati, WHICH rs placed in chaIse OF
General Amos BeckHit Assistant Com
miss.ry q, ntrai OF Subsistence, with head
quart,rs nj Cincinnati, and, thru, tbst
,orti, - ~ bei9c L1N;s:;llp, Nv, which
Wcs psc, N charge OF General kitus
Saxon, Assistant Qnsr vermaster General,
with heaC quarters at Louisville.
To General Beckwith was intrusted the
payment for all supplies purchased by
mayors of towns below IrOntop, under the
authorization of the Secretary of War, and
to Captain Cushing was intrrstcd the pay
ments for purchases similarly made 20:
towns between lronton and Pitt"bu' g.
These Officers were authorized TO purchase
supplies in large quantities, and 10 oHarter
suitable boats for their transportation u
VARIOUS points along the river where relief
was needed, each bOIt to be in cha"ge OF
sn officer OF tie army detailed for the pur-
pose of making the distribution in such
quantities as might be necessary At the
respective points visited.
SECRETARY LNrrLys rEoMPrITUpr.
The entire direction OF the work in all its
IN poTtant details was taken in charge by
SEE et1Ty Lincoln. under whose direct
orders the officers detailed for duty in con-
neCtiOD Herewith operated aud with whom
they be 4 themselves in constant Communi-
CATO.
Under the exigenCies OF the case all or
rekpOndence Was necessarily rOnd1C,sd by
telegraph, an6 on February Is the B.lti-
more and Ohio Telegraph Complny ten.
deed to Secretary Lincoln the Tree use o.
their line for the trans mis?iO1 Of messages,
Tor which the Secretary promptly returned
his thanks.
In communicating his instructions re-
specting the purchase of supplies Secretary
Lincoln suggested 10 lis officers the dGsira-
bility OF providing cooked food so far ss it
wBs possible to 10 so, as the needs OF the
sufferers we're too ur"""t 20 admit OF the
delay incident TO cooking, even we're they
possessed OF the requisite facilities.
CO OPERATION OF TIE TrtAsvEY DEPART
Requests having been made IRON Evans.
Vile Ind thai Marie Surgeon hmos sta.
EoHed al tcIt J Int, u det?ilCd TO accom
paLy The relis; boat GIlnite Statc, as cor
s'tCTlb,e Sickness prevailed among the sut-
fercrs, the matter vas presented by Score
lsry Lincoln TO tie Score ny OF the Treas
ury, who directed the de,ail 10 % m ide a"
requested
Th, relief expedi C were attended
with r." h'y gratifying sails, and fJrmed
tie subject Of numerous encouraging re
ports on various points at Wien sIr
plies were distributed.
Under date OF February IS General Back
with telegrapheG that by the following day
TIE water between the bridges would prob
ably have so FAR subsidized as to admit o,
the passage Of the steamer Lily, belonging
TO the Lighthouse Board, aud expressed a
desire to procure the use oil this steamer
in the transportation OF stores between
Cincinnati and lroDiOu, for which service
this steamer VAS particularly well adapted.
Secretary Lincoln accordingly addressed
the Secretary of the Treasury, asking that
the officer in charge OF tie Lily be in
structed to report 10 General BeCkwith for
duty. which request received favorable
consideration, and on February p General
B'ci IN reported that the boat had been
}. seed ST his disposal and was then taken
Oh board useful stores, clothing, etc.
On February 18th Congress made an al
oitionsl relief appropriation of $4,000,
thus making total of half q million dol.
lars placed under the control Of the Secrs-
tary OF War To be expended in measures
for the relief OF the suffers by the tcot.
MAGNITUDE or The WORK.
While the arraD gAments for the relief eX.
ped lions under the control of officers OF
the army were in progress Secretary Lin
coin was 10 daily receipt OF very m INV tel
sprsms representing the terrible suffering
prevailing in the overlooked region and
imploripg all the aid that could possibly