The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-09-13
STARYING!
1wenty Thousand Sea Island Sufferers.
Columbia ,SIute.

Columbia jSIute.
The people of tho Union have been
called upon to help the starving sea island
sufferers
For several days it has been obvious
that the condition of things was much
more serious on the sea islands than any
one supposed, even up to week alter
the fearful hurricane. The reports have
been so slow in coming in that the real
situation could not be estimated. When
the appeals from Colleton County began
to arrive, telling not only Of death and
starvation, but of sickness, the people
began to entertain serious fears.
But all previous reports were laid IN
the shade yesterday when DR.. j. w. Bah
cock returned to the city, and made
verbal report to the Governor telling OF
the desert condition of tho territory and
making the appalling statement that over
90, QUO people, survivors of the recent dis
astrous hurricane work, were staring
starvation and pestilence in the face;
that they had no future to look to for
relief till after the winter had passed;
and telling the Governor that unless ex-
tensive relief was given Immediately
thousands of survivors would have to
die the worst Of all deaths. Ho brought
along some samples of the spoiled water
soaked potatoes, that these poor people
are now trying to sustain life with.
Hogs would refuse to cat such food II
food it can be termed.
The worst fears OF the Governor were
realized and he at once set the machinery
of the government at work to accomplish
the securing Of necessary relief. The
people of the State have done nobly in
sending in contributions, but what they
can do is, as Governor Tillman says, a
mere bagatelle when the real needs are
considered.
Governor Tillman saw at once that the
present mode of attempting relief was
entirely inadequate to meet the emer-
gency. He intends to establish large
central relief committee in Charleston,
that city being port and having quick
| railroad connections.
The first action of the Governor, upon
| receiving DIR. Babeock's verbal report,
was to wire the following:
COLUMBIA, Sept. Z.
Hon. John F. Ficken, Charleston, S. c.:
From information derived from DR..
| Babcock, who has just returned from
| Beaufort, and from letters describing the
condition existing in Colleton and the
| islands between the two Edistos, the
| number of starving and destitute people
cannot be less than twenty thousand, and
the liberal contributions already made
| and being made are mere bagatelle in
comparison with what will be needed to
carry these people through the winter,
| and, in any degree, place them on self
supporting basis. We must make q
general call for aid, and the business OF
relief must be systematized and con-
trolled by one central committee, whose
labors will last far into winter.
The relief committees which have
already been appointed were hastily Sc
| lected, and did not realize the magni-
tude of the labor before US. Please con-
fer with the committee in Charleston and
then come here at the earliest possible
moment, 30 that we may advise in the
matter. The work Of relief is just begun.
B. r. TILLMAN, Governor.
In the afternoon as soon as DR.. Bab-
cocks written report was received the
following executive proclamation was
issued calling on the people of the United
States for aid. This appeal and DR.. Bah
cocks report was sent all over the coun-
| try last night. It speaks for itself:
To the People of the United States
| The hurricane which swept the South
Atlantic coast on the 9th of August was
unparalleled in its severity. 1t spread
| desolation and ruin throughout the entire
State of South Carolina, but the sea is
lands spreading northward along the
coast of South Carolina from the Savannah
| river to the North Edisto inlet, were the
greatest sufferers, by reason of the
Severity of the wind and the unprece-
dented height of the tide. The sea in
vaded the land. Hundreds of houses
have been swept away by the waves or
blown down by the wind, and while the
exact number Of deaths will never be
known, it cannot be less than 1000, and
vegetation has been as completely blasted
by the salt water as though it were the
breath of the simeon. What was a pros
porous and bloc ng expanse Of rice
fields, gardens, and farms is to-day q
desert with the very land marks destroy
ed. leaving the people without shelter,
without food, without the possibility OF
getting work, except for limited num-
| ber, to confront the terrors of starvation
until another crop can be grown. Owing
to the fact that nineteen-twentieths o1
them are negroes, and that means of COM
munication with the remote islands has
been destroyed, have only within day
| arrived at q clear understanding OF the
situation and the horror it unfolds.
DR.. J. w. Babcock, superintendent OF
| the State Lunatic Asylum, and anaccom-
plished physician, who went to the scene
of the disaster, on the first Of September,
as my official representative, returned to-
day and his official report accompanies
this appeal. do not deem it necessary
to dwell upon the picture he draws. ]
have not felt justified hitherto in asking
for help except from our own people.
The people Of the State whose losses by
the storm will run up into the millions
have responded nobly and immediate suf-
fering is being alleviated, but starvation
or pestilence will claim many thousand
victims before the winter is over if our
| efferts are not supplemented by the char
liable in other States.
pledge my official word that contribu-
tions shall reach the people for whom
thew are intended that the charity which
may be given shall not be misapplied /;
that laziness and idleness will not be en-
couraged, but the money and provisions
which may be donated shall be applied
to the support of these people so as to
enable them to rebuild their houses and
take new start in life with the new
year. There are not less than twenty
thousand thus destitute. Bread alone for
these storm sufferers will cost not less
than $4,000 between now and March,
while practically eleven months will
elapse before they can grow any. Medi-
cines, bed clothing, anything that can be
used in house-bocause everything is
gone-will be thankfully received. We
can buy these things with money; but il
money is not to be had don't hesitate to
contribute. Send all contributions OF
money to me. They will be acknowl-
edgedathrough the press and will be put
in .ank to be checked againt as needed.
Send all other contributions to the CEN
| tral relief committee at Charleston, S. G.
My efforts to relieve these unfortunates
are stimulated by the feeling that, being
negroes, ignorant and helpless, they are
| peculiarly the wards of the Executive.
A common humanity pleads with those
who are able to help these poor wretches
in their destitution.
B. r. TILLMAN, Governor.
DR.. Babcock's report is as follows:
COLUMBIA, S. c., Sept 7, 1893.
His Excellency, B. r. Tillman, Governor,
Columbia, South Carolina.
SIR: AS result of the Investigations
made at your request, submit the fol-
| lowing report:
| Three days were spent in making per-
sonal visits to the islands around Beau
fort, and I there found the situation so
serious as to demand immediate atten-
| ton. The facilities for communication
between the tier of islands and country
between Charleston aud Savannah at
best are poor, and just at this time are
| especially so. In addition to visiting
num bers of the islands inuliry was made