Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-10-18

tlon, 10 the PeOple oil JOhnstOwn-The
Familiar Red Cross Wagons Soon to be
Taken OF Our Streets-suppIies to be
Given to the Local Organization.
JoHNsTowN, Oct. 16, 1889.
To the citigens Qr JohHstotrp.
Referring 10 the article in the DEMOCRAT
of Wednesday, it seems tc me wise TO
continue the subject from a position diff
ferent from that occupied by that writer.
Not only is the work Of The Relief Com
mission uearly ended, but the Red Cross,
as well, must sood 'fold its tents" and
sever It's connection with the scenes of
the labors which have held us willing
workers more than a third of year in
youf midst, and with brave and
patient people who have grown dear and
are never to he forgotten.
1t was in the dark of rainy morning,
onthe 9th of June, that our organization,
with force approaching half a hIndred,
came to live among and become your
"neig in the true signifcation of
the term as defined by the Master
One month was given to distribution
from tents, at Poplar street bridge aided
fby house to house inspection over the
town, in order to reach those who either
could not or would not be likely to come
TO us.
But the sympathetic bountes of the
outside world overran our tent life, and
in order to make ourselves ready for the
more heavy distribution which the i'm
provemens Of tie streets and homes
would make possible, in the first week of
July the National organization withdrew
from Poplar street and threw up Tvs
present warehouse on the generously
rendered grounds Of your revered towns
man, Judge Potts, on Walnut street, at
the same time asking the formation of a
committee of Johnstown ladies of every
denomination, and who would best know
the conditions, to whom the people might
| 90 and make known their wants, which
later we would undertake to supply so
far as in our power.
This committee, known as "The Red
Cross Committee of Johnstown Ladies, 4"
or "AIiss Titles Committee" women
scarcely healed of their own bruises,
sore.hearted, homeless, and bereft, came
tearfully but bravely to our side, and per-
formed a work of tender, discriminating
| jIslo- a., aA..iJ ;,a4 o. t'l.4ve lev
ladies may ever have been called TO do.
The written wants Of over two thou
sand families, with name, address,
number in family, ages, sex, and condi-
ton, werS-{V this committee passed di-
rectlY to us, and subsequently over a
thousand more families have been added
TO the regular list of applications, thus
making the number of persons upon ap-
phcation to be reached and served by us
something over twenty thousand.
TO you, whose eyes have became as
familiar with the sight of our teams upon
your streets and at your stations as with
your grocers' or express wagons, we need
not explain in what manner, nor with what
material, this has been done. Such ar
! ticles as were most needed as Il nucleus
for the furnishing of the little, bare, cheer
less house to make it the beginning of u
home, we have endeavored, with our
half-dozen teams and half-hundred work
ingmen and women, out doors and IN. to-
place there.
Two other houses, 11Gx50 feet, have
| been built-one on Locust street, in
charge of Mrs. Henry, and one at Kern
vile in charge of Mrs. Linton, both hon
ored Johustown ladies, and ere in active
operation for the accommodation of the
people of the town, who have kindly
dignifed them by the name of "hotels."
The entire proceeds of these houses, fur
nished and ready for occupancy, accrues
to the ladies who conduct them -neye-
one cent to us, and with the single stipu-
lation that the rates shall not exceed
twenty-five cents a meal for any Johns
town person.
Another block of nearly equal dimen-
sions, Tor families desiring to live sep,
arately, has been erected at Woodvale-
and fearing that the winter might bring
need for some general refuge for the sick,
we have, with the advice and co-opera-
ton of your local physicians, and through
the kindness of Secretary Kremer, utiliz.
ed q half-dozen small sized Oklahomas
for wards, erecting them on the same lot
with our warehouse, together with new
wooden attachment at the rear, for
kitchen, dining, sleeping, store, and linen
rooms. These are to be amply furnished,
warmed, lighted, and passed over to the
hands of the local physicians Of the town,
for the use of its homeless sick who need
shelter and care.
The application from the ladies' COM
mittee are nearly filled, only few hun
dred families remaining unserved whose
names have reached us through any
legitimate channel.
These thousands of homes, either new
or repaired have received the first be-
ginning Of a household.
ThGstaie funds, so generously contrib
uted, are being distributed throughout
the town It's large unfailinr ,ro,ss nj