Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1890-01-23
DESTITUTE FARMERS.
A TERRiBLE REPORT FROM
SOUTH DAKOTA.
Result of the Failure Of the Crops
Suffering In Nineteen Counties.
The Railroads Giving
Assistance.

CHICAGO, ILL.,, Jan. 22.--An Associated |
Press reporter, just from the Northwest,
brings with him tale Of horrible suffer
ing and destitution In 10 counties OF
South Dakota, gathered from persons
who but recently have been eye witnesses
OF what they so graphically describe.
The stricken area includes the following |
counties: Mcpherson, Campbell, Wall
worth, Edmunds. Potter, part OF
Brown, Sphinx, Hyde, Hand, Beadle,
Clark, Kingsbury, Miner, Davidson.
Gerald, Fork, Hughes and sully. r. e.
Paxton, a we'l.,o.do business man, Of
shabbona, DeKa!b county, this State,
who has epent some days In the afflicted
| distIicts, says:
"However bard land sharks and other
interested parties may try to keep the
true state OF things from the people OF this
country, they cannot he long successful.
The successive failure of four years. crops
has red uced those formerly we'll to do to
a condition Of direst distress. Many
thousands of families are entirely with
out means Of any kind. They lack the
wherewithal to purchase the necessaries
Of life, whilst the ominous placard con-
fronts them Ia every store where they
once had credit: "No trust given; goods
sold for cash only"
Mr.. Paxton described the condition Of
!, the people in the Kingsbrry and Miner
} counties as simply heartrending. In the
! latter county they have no -four, the
staple Of lie being badly ground corn
meal, and there 10 q deplorable insuiii-
cheney OF that. Every farm is mortgsged.
In many cases Tor more than sale under
present prices would realize.
! Most Of the stock has been levied on
/ and sold BY the Sheriff at public auction,
| riI Al ~ lnxy nrippa nhtajnAl he
r ing eloquent, not only OF the starving
4 condi tion of the cattle but the scarcity o.
means In the comuunity-cowsf fetching
!. as low as IS Apiece. horses IS and $lo
y while sheep and pigs are simply unsala
r BILE, there being nothing to feed then
a with. One man had . few miserabl,
chickens left, of what. two years ago
q was we'll stocked farm. Tho womel
!. and children bear evidences OF the hard
a ships they have undergone In thei
: pinched and meaRre faces. In many in
70 stances they are unprovided with cloth
q ing with which to Withstand the rigor
II OF winter, what thoy now have being In
J.. ragged aud worn out condition. "At on
: place." said Mr.. Paxton, 81 saw tw
children walking with their feet wrappe,
a up In pieces Of old blanket through til
4 snow. They told me they had no shoe
: for many months. | lifted the younges
a up, q girl OF or 8 years; che was littl
n better than a skeleton"
!. "Ars the railroads doing anything
help the peoplei
"The railroads are naturally doing a
they can to keep the people Ia the cou'
~. try. They live iu hopes that Roc
~ season will set many on their feet agail
" They have done much to alleviate tl
|, " sufferinss of the people from the extren
n, n. cold, by the grAtuitous distribution
~ coal where it has been most needed.
~ many instances, tho banks, also. ha'
= foreborne to ioreclose mortgages out
. sheer pity"
>, "What ia most needed, Mr.. Paxtoui
ha WAS next asked.
~ "Flour, especially in Kingsbury au
~ Miner counties, and clothing for Il
women aud children. Provisions of al
y. kind, Just nov, would be u God-send
,,s thousands who are In semi.starvii
10 condition. Unless reliet Is given with
20 liberal hand this winter IN South Dako
4, you will hear of many deaths from abs
IL !, lutte starvation and the reports will u
a. doubtedly have four datlon in fact.
=. Mr.. Paxton exhibited map, which
- said had been marked by the Goyerno
=, showing the area over which the distrib
NV tIon extended. 1t Included all the cou
ties above Bamed.
Mrs. A. Z. Cleveland, of Esmond,
D., confirms Mr.. Paxton's story Of {
Ter widespread destitution prevailing. Tt
ms lady is now in Minneapolis, where she
lie making heroic Efforts Ia behalf Of t
ry sufferers. She says flour is very bad
dy needed, and will try and induce Mimi
s- apollo millers 10 donate ut least a carlo