Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-05

RESPONDING TO THE APPEAL.
What Was Done at the Relief Meeting
Yesterday.
THE PRESIDENTS EFFECTIVE ADDREss-coNTRI-
BUTTONS POURED RAPIDLY IN-ARRANGEMENTs
MADE FOR SENDING SUPPLIES TO THE SUFFER-
ERs-CoMMITTEEs AT WORK.
The citizens of Washington who assembled
in Willard hall yesterday afternoon were not
reluctant in their donations for the relief of
the flood sufferers of Pennsylvania. For a
while, after the President addressed them as
to the purpose Of the meeting, the gifts of
money came IN faster than the treasurer could
record them. Some, after giving, added again
to their contributions. There was promptness
and earnestness in the way the assemblage re-
sponded to the call of necessity and want
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH.
In opening the meeting President Harrison
said: Every one here to-day is distressingly
conscious of the circumstances which have con-
vened this meeting. 1t would be wholly super
fuous for me to attempt to set before you more
lmpressively than the newspapers have already
done the horrors attending the calamity which
has fallen upon the city of YOUNGSTOWN and the
neighboring hamlets in large section OF Penn
sylvania situated on the Susquehanna river.
The grim pencil of Dore would be inadequate
to portray the distress and horrors of this vista
ton. In such meetings as We have to-day here
in the national capital and other like gatherings
that are taking place in all the cities of this
land we have the only relief to the distress
and darkness of the picture. When such calam-
itous vistations fall upon any section of our
country we can only put about the dark pic
f,1ra hn bar ~ LOVE- an1 oh ri,,
LApplause.l 1t is in such fires as this that the
brotherhood of man is welded. And where
more appropriately than here at the national
capital can We give expression to that sympa-
thy and brotherhood which is now so strongly
appealed to by the distress of large bodies Of
our fellow citizens?
Il am glad to say that early this morning,
from city not long ago visited with pestilence,
and not long ago appealing to the charity Of
the phllanthropic people of the whole land Tor
relief-the city of Jacksonville, Fla.-there
came the reflex. the ebb of that tide of charity
which flowed toward them. in a telegram from
the chairman OF the relief association of that
city, authorizing me to draw upon them for
$4,000 for the relief of the sufferers at Johns
town. lApplause.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 to-day.
"a word or two of practical suggestion and
will place this meeting in the hands of those
who have assemble here to give effect to our
loving purposes. l have to-day had a dispatch
from the governor of Pennsylvania advising
me that communication has just been opened
with Wllliamsport, on a branch of the Susque-
hanna river and that the losses in that section
have been appalling; that thousands of people
there are hungry and homeless and pennless
and there is immediate urgency for food to re-
ieve their necessities, and he advises me that
any supplies of food that can be hastily gath
cred here should be sent direct to Williams
port where they will be distributed. / suggest
therefore-and the occasion is such that bells
might be rung in your streets to call the atten-
ton of the thoughtless to this great exigency-
that committee should be appointed to speed
lily collect contributions of food in order that
tram loaded with provisions might be dis
patched tonight or in the early morning to
these sufferers
Il suggest. secondly, that, as many Of these
people have had the entire furniture of their
houses swept away. and have now only tenn
porary shelter, that a committee be appointed
10 collect from your citizens such articles of
clothing, especially bed-clothing as can be
spared; and now that the summer season is on
there can hardly be many households in Wash
ington that cam spare blanket or q cover
lid for the relief of the suffering ones.
II suggest. thirdly, that, of your substantial
business people, bankers and others, there be
appointed acommittee who shall collect money,
for: after the first exigency has passed, there
who have lost their all who will need aid in the
reconstruction of their demolished homes and
In furnishing them. in order that they may be
again inhabited.
'NeedI 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 the land for its ample and generous
answer?
Il feel as am calling for subscriptions. that
should say that on Saturday on being first ap-
prised of the need at Johnstown | telegraphed
to the mayor of that city my subscription.
DO not care now or at any time to speak of any
thing that is personal as this but felt it
due to you, as | am placed here to-day to solicit
and urge others to give, that should say SO
much as that"
OFFICERS OF THE MEETING.
The following officers Of the meeting were
then chosen: Vice presidents, Secretaries Rusk,
Window, Tracy, Blaine, Noble and Proctor
Acknowledgement Miller, Postmaster General
Wanamaker. Chief Justices Fuller. Bingham
and Richardson, NJ. G. Emery, John A. j. Cres-
well, Daniel b. Clarke, C. c. Glover, c. A.
James. Is. II. Warner. w. b. Webb. s. T.
Wheatley, Jesse b. Wilson and ]. w. Foster;
secretaries, Hallet Kilbourn, the Critic: Z. W.
Fox. the Press; s. ii. Kaufman, EVENING
STAR; Beriah wilkins, the Post and E. "
Murphy. ana E. Kurtz johnson, treasurer, to
receive subscriptions made by the meeting.
ANNOUNCING SUBSCRIPTIONS.
As soon as these preliminaries were disposed
of people stood up all about the hall calling out
their contributions-from $500 to s25. They
had to be requested to come more slowly NJ.
NJ. Parker, on behalf of the real estate men of
the District. announced q partial list of sub
scribers. whose donations amounted to 1850.
TO this Mr.. Parker added 500 for himself
Mr.. John W. Thompson announced a contribu-
ton of $500 from the National Metropolitan
bank and $500 more as his own personal con-
tribution. B. III. Warner announced a gift of
$500 from the Columbia National bank. 500
from himself, S25 from his wife. and $50 from
his children. The announcements then fol-
lowed thick and fast. A committee had to be
appointed to go about the assemblage and take
up the contributions, which ran in amounts
from $500 to S5.
THE LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS.
At the close of the meeting the treasurer's
list showed the following contributions in
money: c. J. Bell, 500; W. Riley Decide, S25;
Rev. S. ]. Craighead. .25; George E. Lemon,
$500; Columbia national bank, 800; National
Metropolitan bank, $500; John W. Thompson,
$500; b. H. Warner and family. S155; johnson
Bros, 800; J. J. Edison. $50; J. b. Larner, $50;
q. II. T. White. SIS; s. w. Curriden. $50; B.
U. keyser, $50; Z. V. Murphy, SO; A. T.
Britton, $50; X. Ross Perry. SOS; J. j. Smith Il
Co.. $40; W. W. Dudley and family, $50; Van
II. Manning, $40; Duane L. Fox, 20; Joseph
X. McCammon. $40; j. Dempster Smith, So;