The Springdale news., 1889-06-07
VOL. III.-NO. ,.
BLESSED CHARITY.

 Meeting of the Citizens at Washington
 and Prompt Measures for the Relief of
 the Suffering at WiIltamsport, Pa
 President Uarrison's Address to the
 Meeting and the Liberal Responses.
 WASHINGTON, June 5.-The meeting for the relief of the Johnstown sufferers at Willard's Hall yesterday afternoon brought together many prominent public officials, army and navy officers and cItl- zens, and resulted in generous contribu- tions and donations of money, provisions and clothing. President Harrison pre- sided, and made brief but eloquent and impressive speech that touched the sen abilities of all who heard him, and elic1ted from his audience frequent applause. His arrival ill the hall was the occasion of loud applause. District Commissioner Douglas called the meeting to order, and introducing the President to the audience, invited him to preside over their delloer- ations.
 President Harrison, ill taking the chair, spoke as follows:
 Every body to-day is distressingly conscious of the circumstances which have convened this meeting It would be impossible to state more impressively than the newspapers have already done the distressing incidents attending the calamity which has fallen upon the city or JohnstOwn and the ncighboring hamlets, ana upon large section of Pennsylvania situated upon the Susquehanua river The grim pencil of Dore would be inadequate to portray the horrors of this visitation. Tn such meetings as we have here in the National capital, and other like gatherings that are taking place in all the cities of this land, we have the only rays or hope and light in the general gloom When such calamtous Vlsltatoh falls upon any section of our country, we can do no more than put about the dark picture the golden border of love and charity lApplausel IL is in such fires as these that the brotherhood of man is welded. Ana where is sympathy and help more appropriate thah here in the National captalf am glad to say that early this morning, from city not long ago visited with pestilencc: not long ago itself appealing to the charitable people of the whole land for reief-the city of Jacksonville, Fla there came the ebb of that tide of charity which flowed toward it in the time of its need in telegram from the Sanitary Relief Asso- citation authorizing me to draw upon them for two thousand dollars for the relief of the Penn sylvania sufferers. lApplausc.l
 But this is no time for speech. While talk men and women and children are suffering for the relief which we plan to give One word or two of practical suggestion, and | will place this meeting in your hands to give effect to your impatient benevolence I have q dis patch from the Governor of Pennsylyana ad- vising me that communication has just been opened with Williamsport, on a branch of the Susquehauna river, ana that the losses in that section have been appalling; that thousands of people there are homeless and penniless, and that there is an immediate call for food to relieve their necessities He advises me that any supplies of food that can be hastily gath cred here should be sent via Harrisburg to Willamsport where they will be distributed Suggest, therefore that a committee bo con- stItuted having in charge the speedy collection Of articles Of food-the occasion is sucs that the bells might well be rung through your streets to call the attention of the thOughtless to this great exigency-in order that a tram load of provisions may be dispatched tonight or in the early morning to this suffering pco- pie I suggest, secondly, as many of these people have had the entire furn ishngs of theie 1 houses swept away, and have now only tenn. | porary shelter, that committee be appoint | ed to collect such articles or cloth | ing and especially bed-clothng as can 1 be spared. Now that the summer ! season is on, it can hardly be that house in | Washington can not spare blanket or q COW | erlet. And, third, I suggest that from the sub | stantial business men and bankers there be | appointed q committee who shall collect money. For after the first exigency is past there will be found in these communities very many who have lost their all, who will need aid in the reconstruction of their demolished homes l and in furnishing them so that they | may be again habitable. Need say, in conclusion that as Q temporary | citizen of Washington it would give me great satisfaction ifr-~ NQtonal capital should so generously resl.- our distressed fellow-citizens - ~S\N M among the cities Of our ky A | feel that as I am now calling
 | should say that on Saturda
 | prsed of the disaster at Jd &7AN H A9 graphod a subscription to ti asa citV I do like tO SDaaa eS -<tbt'ttSt personal as this, but feH it due to myse6 { | 10 you that should say so much as this. dtt
 After the President concluded hi
 dress, number of president
 secretaries and the treasurer of the
 ing was selected, and working co 4 tees were appointed. It was an l siastic meeting and the responses
 Presidents call for immediate sr A tions were prompt and liberal. n Er an trict bar gave Sf55; Attorney; -anl i. :. Miller, S100; John w. ThoplSson, S5G5; the National Metropolitan Bank, $500; National Bank of the Republic, $500; Private Secretary Halford, $50, Secre- tary Noble, S25o; Geo. H. Lemon, S500; Bancroft Davis, Sto); Secretary and Mrs. Proctor, 500, and Auditor John Lynch, $100.
 A great number of citizens subscribed $1O0. An aggregate of $10,000 was sub- | scribed
 Perhaps more valuable than the money subscriptions were the large quantities of food and clothing donated by seoSes of merchants throughout the city.
 Just at the close of the meeting, an ef- fort was made to pass a resolution thank ing the President for his services as
 chairman of the meeting, and for the in terest he had manifested in the proceed
 ings; but the President begged the gen.
 tleman who offered the resolution to with
 draw it, and then declaring the meeting
 adjourned, quietly left the hall.