The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-14

their contributions TO the undersigned:
S. NJ. HoorES,
Mayor Of Rowlesburg.
w. II. SHAW,
Pastor NJ. Z. Church.
G. F. SCnILPP.
Rector in charge pro TEN. R. o. Church,
His Honor on the receipt OF this letter
Mt unri, conferred with several citizens
us a. what would be the best couSc %
pursue. II was evident from the letter
and from reports received from other
sources that the wants Of the unfortnn-
ate people OF RUwlesburg were OF a most
urgent nature, and that whatever re-
lief was TO be offered should be offered
quickly.
Following out the idea OF those with
whom he conferred, Mayor Seabright
called meeting Of citizens to be held at
the Chamber Of Commerce last evening.
A numbero Of citizens we're notified by
telephone that such ameeting had been
called. A notice TO that effect was in.
serted in the ErsliAg NeFs-Ldter.
In response 10 these notices several
gentlemen gathered In the Chamber Of
Commerce last night at O'Clock. Mr..
NJ. Reilly was made chairman and Austin
Beach, Of the INTEILfGESCEI,, secretary.
Later on W. Q. Beans, OF the RCgiJier,
and William S. Meek, OF tile NctrsJfiiter
were also made secretaries. About the
time this organization was effected
Mayor seabfieht appeared aud formally
informed the meeting Of the receipt OF
the letter from Rowlesburg. He re-
ierred TO the suffering that this commu.
nifty endured during the flood Of 1881,
recalled what dire distress there was
here then aud how the people from out
in the State came TO Wheeling's aid,
and urged that something be done at
once.
Maj. ]. C. Anderson said that he had
been an unwilling eyewitness Of the
Suffering at lsowlesburg, having been
detained on the mountains for two days
10y the Hood. He had been in Rowles-
burg and knew whereof he spoke when
he said that there was actually suffering
-Rnd drstitutiOn there. He had seen
where eighteen houses had been swept
away; thirteen OF them had stood in
row. Not n vestige OF that row is left
now. There was not house in the
place that had not been damaged by
water. Many OF them had been On.
tirely submerged. lie had seen some
very distressing cases. Three or
four men who had been toiling
for years TO pay for their little cottages
had had them swept away yand were with
out cent or thing for their families,
except what they had on their backs
The place wIus one composed entirely OF
working men and their families. \ few
worked for the railroad company on the
helper engines used on the mountains
and in other capacities. The Others, the
big majority Of the population, worked
in the saw mills. OF the largest OF these
mills not timber was left. The next
largest, Hinkle, King x Co.'S, was u
complete wreck. The othcrthree, smaller
affairs, would not have scarcely any work
to do for six months or a year
10 come for the reason that all the lo.s
from above there, which were 10 have
been iloatcd down to the Rowlesburr
mills and sawed, have been swept by IN.
flood torrent into the valleys below an
not only lost 10 the mills but 10 thrIr
owners rs we'll Thcr' is actually no
work at Rowleshurs for the people 70
turn 10 and thus relieve themselves, and
there is no likelihood Of there being
much work for several months to come.
The people are helpless, more 50 prDba-
biz than at auy other place in the State.
The loss 10 the mill owners is large, that
Of one man being fully 5000, Major
Anderson told this story aud described
the scenes he had witnessed in Rowlcs.
burg and along the Baltimore * Ohio in
vivid manner. According 10 what he
related, the destruction and suffering
out in this State must be awful. His
calculation is that not less that go pcO-
pie are in the dircst kind Of want nj
ROwlcsburg.
The hcqucs,ion was raiselby Mr. fancy.
OF the E,y8iFr, ~ 10 whether aid should
be- extended 10 Rowlcsburg alone,
This was answered by the fact that no
other localities had asked for aid, aud
By the further iart that the answer r.-
ceiyed from the Mayors oi the Athlete.
towns ia response 10 the lSTELLI.EE-
CEEs inquiries were that they were
fully able to take care Of their own
people, E0wlrsburs appeared to be Tie
only ppiuIwithout any resources OF her
own LETT 10 fall back upon.
Mr. Hart, Of the INTELuGENCER, said
that IT was true that Wheeling people
might be- called upon % 0ilcr aid "a
other places, and should such cal. be-
made Il should be- promptly met. Tie
one point now, however, was Thai
RDw!c-burg was the only point asking
for aid, and it. wants should bee a.
tended tp speedily without waiting i1l
other points 10 be heard from
The needs Of Rowlcsburg wcr,
such that they should be- m"
promptly. II was true that
Wheeling would -uilerby reason OF thi'
HpDI; every business house here wIi
feel the iDrrroi the blow. Yet the Pe0
pIr in the interior helped Us when th
Hood 0i 81 caused such dcsOlatiOu here
aud their call for aid now should not .
uuhecdcd.
Mr. Hart said in conclusion that IL ih
Mayor did not intend to move the ap
ppinimcut Oi a soliciting committee, ID
be- had previously suggested iu bis n
marks. that he Mr.. Hart would max
such motion, and in making that m0'iOl
be- would suggest that three member
would form a sufficiently large commit
tee.
Tie point was again raised "a 10 rclp
Tor other points aud the meeting yer
promptly expressed iiscli ~ opposed .
providing o. fund and inviting every on
ta draw on h. II did favor, hOWcyc
the raising 0i enough money 20 rrhcy
IiOWlpsbury.s pitiiul condition, which
one that must continue several month
and o. meet other demands should ln
b. made, which does not now appc.
likely, Judging from the replies rrceiy,
~ the iyTELIIOEsoEE'z inquiries. II
the prpsent, however, th" only $50
that will be- mads will be 10 relieve u