The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-28
JOHNSTOWN'S BIG FUND.
THE COMMITTEE ANXIOUS TO d.
VIDE 1T UP.

Served by Giving Them Money and
Letting Them Purchase What They
Want-rhe Advantages of the Plan.
PTTsBuRG, Pa, June 27.--The following
communication has been furnished the
Associated Press, with request that it be
given general publication:
JoHNsrowN, June 20, 1880.
To Al Committees Holding Funds for the Re
Itef OF The JohnStot0h Sufferers;
DEAR SIRs-The Johnstown finance commit
Tee Tor the relief OF the sufferers by Hood would
represent to you that there is urgent necessity
Tor prompt and wise use of the money which
mas been generously contributed by the country
Tor the alleviation of the distress OF our suffer
ing peop!e Large as these sums of money are,
they win be utterly inadequate TO do more than
10 mitigate present distress, and to aid this
community to make an effort for self help.
Their patience has been unprecedented, and
they are now beginning with courage TO recon
struct, IN some temporary fashion, shelter for
their families, and places In which business can
be carried on 1t is impossible for the COM
mirtee, or any number of committees TO supply
this community vita the things it needs. 1t is
really in need Of everything, and the only prac-
teal way Of helping it Is to put money into the
hands OF individual members of the com
munity, by which they can get what they
need, not merely for subsistence but all the
various requirements of people who are begin
nlng life anew upon devastated tract OF land
VI Ntlitu once bntn Ialf CilH htOOu. OuI cpIl-
mittee has beeu in receipt of contributions of
money sent us from all over the country. We
have used necessarily portion OF this money
for tho labor incident to the distribution of the
supplies of food, clothing and shelter, collecting
OF statistics, etc.
TO DIVIDE UP THE MONEY.
We have waited anxiousy for some move
ment TO be made on. the part of the committees
throughout the country, having large sums of
money in their hands, which would Indicate
what they intend 10 do with those funds. We
can wait no longer. The necessity Is so great
for prompt action that our committee has been
obliged to adopt plan for using its pittance
of money for the immediate relief of the suf-
ferers. lt has set on foot and will have com
pleted shortly an accurate registration OF all the
surviving sufferers, and 1t Is proposed that
as an equitable and quick method OF reaching
their first pressing wants to divide the money
which 1t holds equally among them. The sum
which will be given to each will necessarily be
small but it will inspire them with hope that
the larger amount of money contributed for
their relief may speedily become available and
it will give better heart, and fresher hope to
those who are now struggling TO re-estabsh
themselves in their lost employments and ayo-
cations
THE STATUS OF AFFAIRS
The position here is as follows: Working peo-
pie are offered ample employment, and as they
are people who own their own homes, they are
sticking to Johnstown insplte OF their present
privations Our merchants and tradesmen,
snanties or board buildings Of any type. We
have thus on one hand a community
needing enough supplies from merchants
to enable them to do good business,
and on the other hand merchants are making
an earnest effort to supply this demand. II we
can bring these two together, and keep them
|tbgether during the next sixty days, our com.
munity will again be sef-sustaining But al
ready the inability of the people to purchase is
causing great despondency upon the part of
merchants, which IL not speedily checked
will cause further want and hopelessness.
There is but one method TO check this, namely;
to furnish the people funds with which to go TO
merchants and make purchases of that which
will relieve them from their suffering. Two
needs are before us, first, to commence distribu-
ton Immediately; second, to continue 1t on a
basis equitable to all, and satisfactory to the
country.
INFANT FOR QUICK WORK.
The registration spoken of above takes into
account merely the number OF survivors 10 be
reached quickly by the first distribution. The
above is for speed. Following this, the same
machinery will collect close and accurate
statistics. SO that by the time the good effects
Of the first distribution have worn away
equitable further distribution of the
further sums secured based not upon the
number Of flood sufferers, but upon their re-
spective losses. Concident with this disJribu-
ton we are making all the arrangements here
that we can make to curtail the free distrlbu-
tion Of supplies of all sorts IN order
to check two large evils; first, waste of
the money contributed by the nation. Immense
amounts of valuable material are coming here
the very things that are not needed while
things that are needed the people, as we say,
are absolutely suffering for Second. 70
manhood of our inhabitants. Those who were
good men before the flood are becoming
demoralized and upset by the fact that they find
blamed after what they have gone through, it
is only human nature. Nevertheless, 1t Is
something to be quickly checked.
ECONOMY IN SPEED.
Little thought must convince you that no
committee, however perfect, can satisfactorily
and wisely meet the wants of at least 10000
people, when each one of the 10000 have differ
ent wants. We will add to this another strong
argument in favor of our plan. Granted that
the nation has contributed, say 100000 The
quicker that the money reaches the sufferers
the more of it they will get.
1t costs money to take care of the organiza-
tion which distributes. The more quickly this
organization effects its purposes, the greater
the percentage Of this assumed million dollars
which win reach its proper channel. Weunder-
stand that you are holding a fund devoted for
this purpose pending some arrangement for its
proper distribution. We would strongly
urge you to consider the plan we Law be-
fore you, and we beg OF you that
unless you can suggest something better.Hto at
once come 10 our aid with your fund Do not
wait longer on the proposed action Of anybody
else. but act at once, and for yourself. II you
do not approve of our plan, we stand ready to
change or amend It. We stand ready to do any
thing that will quickly bridge over the present
sufferings OF this community. We urge you to
send your fund here for local
distribution, and to send with it
some trustworthy representative whom we will
add to our committee, giving him full power 10
speak for the fund you contributed. We urge
you to send some one prepared to stay with us
for at least sixty days; If not a volunteer then
some one whom you can employ and pay for
his services. We ask that you consider care.
fully, and let us hear from you very promptly
We may add that our plan has been submitted
to a full meeting Of citizens, and has met with
their unqualified and unanimous approval
Please let us hear from you quickly. Very re-
spectfully yours. JAMES MoMILLEN.
Chairman Johnstown Finance Committee.
CYRUS ELDER,
Secretary Johnstown Finance Committee.
ACTION OF THE MAsoNs.
JoHNsTowN, PA, June 2z--At an in
formal meeting Of the Masonic fraternity
Of Johnstown and Cambria City last night,
it was decided to close their relief stores and
wind up the distribution Of supplies to
Masonic families. The two lodges have
about S12, 900 for distribution among the
families here.
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