Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-26
OUn MAIL POUCH.
A Member of the Citizens' Relief Committee
Talks About That s125,00O.


Talks About That s125,00O.
To the Editor OF The Dispatch:
"Chairman McCreery mailed formal bill to
General Beaver yesterday" so THE DISPATCH
head lines read, and the announcement is fol-
lowed by a lengthy interview hardly in keeping
with the well-known and characteristic
modesty of the quiet Chairman of the Citizens
Relief Committee. take 1t for granted that,
as there has been No meeting of the Relief
Committee to authorize the formal bill on
General Beaver" your reporter has mad
yertently used the word "officiap' in speaking
of the Chairman's demand" or request"
whichever it may be. The more obtrusive
members of the committee have reason,
think, to feel hurt that for once the Chairman
has stolen the march on them; they are rele-
gated to silence and he speaks for himself and
them, too.
"Surprised." echoed Mr.. McCreery. I'VE were
astounded! We have been wondering for long
time why that S125 900 was not returned. We
must have the money Immediately. We want
the money now" So? The more 1 read the
more the wonder grows. have heard no ex-
pressions of wonder over the supposed delay
from other members of the committee or any
demand for money now." Why, Mr.. McCreery
himself agrees that the sl25,OOO spent through
Booth & Finn in recovering the bodies of the
next to the immediate supplies of food and
clothing, the best spent money that Johnstown
has received. In my humble judgment the
Pittsburg committee deserves more praise for
that rapid and herculean piece of work than
for anything else that it did, and the committee @
work, and having paid for 1t. too. 1t was abso-
lutely necessary to the health of the living at
Johnstown as well as to the comfort OF those
who were day and night seeking for the bodies
of lost friends, that the work should be done
at once and with all the speed possible. The
Pittsburg committee did not hesitate moment
then received the hearty and deserved COM
mendation of all parties, the Chicago and
Cleveland Committees the State Commission
and Governor Beaver.
Further, it was agreed upon between Cover
nor Beaver and the Citizens Relief Committee
on account of some questions raised as to
whether the work done was charitable. or be-
longed to the State as police regulation Of the
streams, that in the final settlement of ac-
counts, the amount SO expended should be
charged to the State Commission and credited
to the Pittsburg committee. As Mr.. McCreery
remarked on the day of the interview: "It Is
only matter of bookkeeping. / believe the
work done was as entirely charitable as giving
out food or building houses. Indeed. it had to
be done, and at once, or Johnstown would not
have been habitable. But the proper credits
made will relieve our committee from any criti-
cisms that may be made by those who take
different view of the character Of the work"
With such sentiments the writer heartily
agrees and therefore fails to understand the
reasons for this valiant call upon Governor
work has been done, and well done. am glad
that the Pittsburg committee did it. and did it
out of the funds that were so lavishly sent to
them. In my judgment no contributor to the
fund, aware of all the circumstances, and no
citizen Of Johnstown, will ever justly criticise
the committee, should the money never be re-
turned In the way called for by the worthy
Chairman. DAVID ROBINSON.
PTTTsBURG, August "a.