Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-06-22
THE SITUATION IN JACKSON.
Local Paper Which Stands by It's Former
Claims of Distress.

n Local Edp6E w nlCn StanuS Dy us
Claims of Distress.
The current iscue of the Jackson Herald
is what might, without any intention of lev
ity, be termed starvation issue, no less
than FIVE columns, divided into nine several
articles, ranging from editorial through 10
cal, communications, and personal eXplaus-
lions, TO newspaper clippings, being devoted
TO this much discussed and painful topic.
Backed by half dozen correspondents, the
editor Of the Herald reiterates all that has
been said regarding the existence of dis.
tress, and incidentally takes occasion to
hold up to the indignation of the suffering
citizens two or three gentlemen who hsvede
nounced the reports sent out as damaging
and exaggerated" notably Mr.. S. L. Par-
sons, who was interviewed in the Intelligen.
Ger Of the llth iust, which journal quoted
him as saying, in substance, that the dis
tress did not exist to anything like the ex-
'ent alleged, and further, that the appeal for
! aid was political dodge. Mr. Parsons, by
the way, appears in half column card, in
the course Of which he says he was not fairly
dealt with by the reporter TO whom he
talked, and generally endesvors to modify
the statement attributed to him.
Rev. j. II. Skeen, in a short letter to the
editor, somewhat severely criticizes the call
for food, which letter moves the indignant
editor to say that Mr. Skeen, we are in.
formed, has en- abundance to eat, and has
not been importuned for relief from the
fact that his acquaintance know it would
be waste of time to call upon him for any
thing they had not the money to pay for.
We are further informed that he is licensed
minister of the gospel God forbid that his
Christianity is of the sort that would droWn
the vail of furnishing women and children
with its stentorisn voice of prayer. About
the only vegetation existing in this country
at present is lettuce ard onions, and talk
about people subsisting on such diet is like
ly to be received with indignation.
The paper also contains the following
card:
ave, the undersigned citizens and resi-
dents Of Jackson county, West Virginia,
tave seen with pain that there are persons
resident Of this county who have reported
that there is no want Of food and no suffer.
ing from that cause IN this county, but we
regret to state the accounts OF suffering
and destitition in this county have not, as
we believe, been overdrawn, and that daily
new cases of want are being discovered
and applications are being made for aE'iSt-
snce
Signed by r. B. Graham merchant; T.
Il. b. Lemley, Clerk County Court; r.
Harrison, farmer; F. B. Harrison, farmer;
d. D. Karr, hotel keeper; James NJ Casio,
farmer; G. n. Pearson, Justice; W. T.
Greer, farmer; A. 7. Maddox, Constable;
John 7. Vail blacksmith; D. L. Lewis,
merchant; r. Z Stsrcher, farmer; Z. A.
Thomas, Justice Washington District; Z. I.
Park, ssddler; T. E. Graham, clothier;
James NJ. Polling, merchant; George
J. Walker, attorney; E. F. Ruble, clerk;
W. G. Duer, County Superintendent; B. F.
Armstrong, merchant; F. r. Hassler, late
Sheriff Jackson county; Levi More, farmer;
W. C. Knightstep, clerk; E R Greer, mer.
chant &. S. Leonard, druggist; John Har,
grave, County Surveyor; John Chsncey,
farmer; W. A. Parsons, attorney; D. K.
Hood, of Ripley Mills; E. W. Donovan, far
mer; J. NJ. Wright, saddler."