The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-07-11
ON THE CONEMAuGH.

lue press Vi Ine country IL DeBlnnlDl
to ''stir up" the Johnstown relief com
mittees, and if half the reports are true
the movement for investigation hascome
none too soon. 1t will be remembered
how sturdy was the courage of the sur.
vivors during the first days of the ebt
of the calamity and the predictions
made as to rebuilding and commencing
life anew. People there seem now tc
have lost courage. Why The answer
is easily guessed The utter failure OF
the committee to relieve distress al.
though these is Immediately available in
the banks 50, 100000 besides the large
sum of Chicago money. The details OF
the situation are stated as follows
1t is an absolute fact that a great
many of the people are worse off to-day
than they were the day after the flood,
and if the present state of affairs is kept
up much longer the moral character of
the people of Johnstown and vicinity
will be ruined. The scenes of desolation
drive men to drink and women to vice.
Nine ont of ten of the people have not a
room of their own, and are only living
on the sufferauce of their charitable
neighbors. The condition of those liv-
ing in tents is worse. Five or SIX fami-
lies cook on one stove out of two or
three saucepans. The washing of clothes
is impossible under the circumstances.
The children are running the streets
wild, and are fast going to destruction.
The boys and girls, IA, 10 AID 16 years
of age, are left to their own devices. A
great many of the people are 80 discour.
aged, being put off from day to day that
they are growing reckless, and heaven
only knows where it is going to end. All
this is going on while the magnificent
charity fund of 50 100000 is lying idle
in various banks of the country, some OF
it being tied up 30 tight with red tape
that it appears to be matter of great
difficulty to get it into the proper chan
mel. The fund now in Gov. Beavers
possession amounts to more than $780,
900; there is available in Philadelphia
at Drexels', and at the disposal of the
Citizens Relief Committee, $641 900.
The Boston fund, which will be turned
over to the Commission appointed by
the Governor, amounts TO $3U0,000
there is $3.50 900 in the city of NewYork
fund, which the New York committee
has not yet forwarded. The Pittsburgh
fund, about the distribution of which
there has been disgraceful row, has
now an unexpended cash balance of
more than $3.50, 900. Chicago has $780,
600 on hand unexpended, and there are
5000, 900 in addition in various other
cities, as Cleveland, Washington and
Cincinnati. Gov. Beavers commission
is either wonderfully ignorant of the
con 1ition Of its funds or my seriously
eager to keep the facts to itself.
Much of the money available has been
kept back by Misunderstanding. want Of
and jealous chickering's.
Lack of energy and purpose in the man
agement of some direct and sensible
plan of relief for the stricken people is
the only offence which can be properly
charged to any one; but underEthe cir
this is looked upon as seri-
GUS offence.
No concerted plan has as yet been
thought of for the expenditure OF the
immense total of all the relief fundt, and
about all that has been done in five
weeks is to keep the poor people
from actual starvation, while nearly
81, 7OO,0 OU is lying idle in bank for com
mittees and commissioners to quarrel
over. The cash now available in the
various funds, if properly collected and
would be more than suffi-
cient to put every family in the food
district in comfortable circumstances.
1t may be stated upon the highest pos
5ible authority that there are Is, 900 PEG
ple-men, women and children-in the
district who need assistance. These un
constitute $500 families. If
Gov. Beavers figures are correct it has
cost $50 month to feed and house each
Of these people, including the children
and babies. The Governor says that
81 100000 mostly in provisions and
has been expended among these
people since the flood, which is an aver.
age Of $500 per family. This looks like
an enormous amount under the cIrcum-
stances, and would appear at first blush
TO indicate that something is radically
wrong with the plan pursued.