Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-06-13
BLESSED CHARITY.

BLESSED CHARITY.
Meeting OF the Citizens at washinr,on
and Prompt Measures for the Relief Of
ehe suffering at Williamsport Pa
President Harrison's Address to the
Meeting and the Liberal Responses.
WASHINGTON, June 5.-The meeting for
the relief of the JohnstOw sufferers a.
Wizards Hall yesterday afternoon
Drought together many prominent public
omcials, army and navy officers and citi-
zens, ana resulted in generous contribu-
t1ons and donations of money, provisions
and clothing. President Harrison pre-
sided, and made brief but eloquent and
impressive speech that touched the sem
sibilities of all who heard him, and elected
from his audience frequent applause.
His arrival in 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 deliber-
atoms.
President Harrison, in taking the chair,
spoke as follows:
Every body to-day is distressingly conscious
of the circumstances which have convened this
meeting. 1t 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 OF
Johnstown and the neighboring hamlets, and
upon large section of Pennsylvania situated
upon the Susquehanna river. The grim pencil
of Dore would be inadequate to portray the
horrors of this visitation. In such meetings as
we have here in the National capital, and other
like gatherings that taking place in all the
cities OF this land, have the only rays of
hope and light in the general gloom.
When such a calamitous visitation
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.
tApplause.l 1t is in such fires as these that
the brotherhood of man is welded. And where
is sympathy and help more appropriate than
here in the National capital? I am glad to say
that early this morning, from city not long
ago visited with pestiIence: not long ago itself
appealing to the charitable people of the whole
land for relief-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 a 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. (ApplauseI
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 1 will place
this meeting in your hands to give effect to
your impatient benevolence. l have 4 dis
patch from the Governor of Pennsylvania adj
viSing me that communication has Just been
opened with Williamsport, on a branch of the
Susquehanna 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
Williamsport where they will be distributed.
Isuggest, therefore. that committee be
stItuted having in charge the speedy collection
of articles OF food-the occasion is such that
the bells might well be rung through your
streets to call the attention of the thoughtless
to this great exigcncy-in order that train
load of provisions may be dispatched tonight
or in the early morning to this suffering peo-
pie. I suggest. secondly as many of these
people have had the entire urnshings of their
houses swept away. and have now only tenn
porary shelter, that a committee be appoint
ed to collect such articles OF cloth
ing, and especially ped-clothing. as caa
be spared Now that the summer
season is on, it can hardly be that n house in
Washington can not spare blanket or a COW
erlet- And, third, suggest that from the sub
stantlal business men and bankers there be
appointed 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
and in furnishing them SO that they
may be again habitable. Need
say, in conclusion, that as temporary
citizen of Washington it would give
me great satisfaction If the National capital
should so generously respond to this call of our
distressed fellow citizens as to be conspicuous
among the cities of our land. Applause 1
feel that, as am now calling for contributions.
I should say that Saturday. when first ap-
prised of the disaster at jamestown, I tele-
.graphed subscription to the mayor of that
city. do not like to speak of any thing
personal as this, but felt it due to myself and
to you that should say so much as this.
After the President concluded his adj
dress n number of vice .OreSidentS xho
secretaries and the treasurer of the meet
ing was selected, and working commit
tees were appointed. 1t was an enthu-
siastic meeting and the responses to the
Presidents call for immediate subscrip-
tons were prompt and liberal. The Dis
trict bar gave 1856; Attorney General
Miller, 500: John W. Thompson, $500;
the National Metropolitan Bank, $500;
National Bank of the Republic, $500;
Private Secretary Halford, $50, Sscre-
tary Noble, $3.50; Geo. H. Lemon, $500;
Bancroft Davis, 800; Secretary and Mrs.
Proctor, $500. and Auditor John Lynch,
500.
great number of citizens subscribed
800. An aggregate of $4,000 was sub
scribed.
Perhaps more valuable than the money
subscriptions were the large quantities
of food and clothing donated by scores o.
merchants throughout the city.
Just at the close OF the meeting, an eff
fort was made to pass resolution thank
ing the President for his services as
chairman of the meeting, and for the in
terest he had manifested in the proceed
tngs; 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.