The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-08-13
A GIFT OF $4,O00,QO0.
The Worlds Contribution to
the JOhnstOWn Sufferers.
How the Greatest Charity Ever
Known Has Been Distributed.

The most magnificent charity fund ever
contributed in the worlds history was the
Johnstown PENN relief fund of over
$1,000, 900, an account of the distribution of
which is now published for the first time in
full
The report of Secretary Kramer, of the
Flood Relief Commission, appointed to dis
tribute the funds, is very interesting. MIR.
Kramer gives brief sketch Of the destruc-
tion wrought by the food and the incidents
leading up to the organization Of the COM
mission. He states that there was distributed
by the commission in the eastern part Of
Pennsylvania, outside Of Cambria county,
s241. .40S. .5S in cash and s5066. .6S in supplies.
In these eastern districts seventy-eight per
sons were drowned, q correct list of them
being furnished by the commission.
The total cash contributions to the suf
ferers so far as the commission has been
able to obtain information, amounts to
81, 116, 801 .4S. Mention is made Ct the work
at Johnstown under General Hastings, OF
the commissary and clothing departments,
shelter, aid societies, the care of the sick
and injured, burial Of tho dead, general
relief and the drowned. Regarding the
drowned Mr.. Kramer says the most care
full Investigation, continued to the present
time, shows the number to have been 2l42.
Ninety-nine families, numbering from two
to ten members each, were entirely washed
away. Of flood widows there are 124, and
1893 widowers. The orphans and half-orphans
reach the number Of sos. There were found
and identified Ills, found and not identified
63G, missing 39l.
Various plans were proposed to the COM
mission regarding the distribution of tho
fund, all based on information more or less
accurate, 'and all providing for giving
specific sum to each of certain persons, by
classes, regardless of loss and based only on
their necessities, and percentage on tho
property loss Of others, arranged also by
classes.
This general system Of classification was
adopted and kept in view all through the
work, but it was found that there were so
many cases in each class that required e1-
ceptional consideration thati finally became
TO large extent an adjustment in each
case, based upon many and important con-
siderations. The opinions Of the members
of the commission, and Of those active in the
work, were modified by experience, and
while the general principles were maintained,
the details were changed several times, but
as each change was to the advantage Of the
more helpless part of the community, criti-
cism of delay occasioned was disarmed on
the 9Th Of July.
The sum of $40 per capita was paid each
person who had suffered loss by the flood.
A board Of inquiry. consisting of Johnstown
citizens, classified the sufferers, into SIX
classes, the first three being based on their
necessities only and the last three on their
losses. On the first distribution, s4l6,472
were paid out AS in the distribution OF
the $40 per capita, so it was found that
many persons by the payment made under
the first distribution had received as large
proportion of the fund as was required by
their circumstances, and to such no further
payment was made. At q meeting of the
commission held on September 13, an appro-
priation of 81, 600, 900 was made for distrIbu-
ton being designated for the several ciasst.
This is knowa as the final distribution. The
number Of statements on file amounted to
6229. Glass received 1920 each; class z, 5000
each; class 3, 500 each; class 4, IN average
Of 30 per cent, and class ., about ten per
cent Of their respective losses. To class no
payment was made, because it was not
necessary. The Johnstown board of inquiry
subsequently revised this work, reducing the
amounts to some extent, but not materially.
The amount received by rh. widows was
s1S3, ,2S1, and the sum of Sl0S. 500 has been set
aside for their children For the care OF
16.SS has been set aside
The amount of loss in the Conemaugh
Valley, as sworn to by claimants, reached
the sum of 50, GA, los, added to this the loss
on corporate, church and borough property
of g, 107, 500 runs the total up to Ell, COS.
A lengthy statement is then made OF the
amount received by each individual, making
q total of &, 37S, 2S5. Mr.. Kramer says that
the labor involved in deciding the claims
and awarding amounts was very great, and
was attended with many difficulties. The
sworn statements of number of cases were
found to be utterly unreliable because OF the
exaggerated values given in them, and with
all the care taken mistakes have doubtless
been made because of an improper prescnta-
tion Of circumstances.
The receipts Of the committee were rs
follows: From Governor Beaver, 81 1885,
146.45; from the Philadelphia Relief Com
mittee, 5000, 900; from the Pittsburg
Relief Committee, $500, GOO; from the New
York Relief Committee, S5l6 l99.S5-a total Of
81, 912, 346.30. The expenditures in the
Conemaugh Valley were s., 59a, 936. .6s; in the
State outside of the Conemaugh Valley,
s246, 6,475.26; general and Office expenses,
s., 72S.S9, or q total of 8, S45, 140.S3. Tho
commission has S67, ,205.47 cash in its hands.
Attached to the report is an appendix show
ing that contributions came from forty six
States and Territories and fourteen foreign
countries.